This week Seattle offers a packed schedule for every taste: from the large Northwest Folklife Festival at Seattle Center and the star-studded Stars on Ice figure-skating show to intimate Candlelight concerts and premieres at the Paramount Theatre and Everett Performing Arts Center. Street‑festival fans will find HONK! Fest West and local markets; families — a kids’ fair and free museum evenings in Tacoma; and outdoor‑activity seekers — Trailhead Direct shuttle hikes and sail excursions on the Bay Lady. For those who prefer evenings outdoors, the Mariners’ baseball season begins and summer concert series kick off at Chateau Ste. Michelle and Marymoor Live. Meanwhile there are food tours, free city programs, and hands‑on photography and cooking classes. This roundup is based on event listings for Seattle for May 20–27; source: Events12 (events12.com/seattle).
Selected events in Seattle and nearby (May 20–27)
| Date(s) | Location | Description | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20 | First Hill | Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino concert – Southern Italian music and dance; free tickets for youth under 22 | Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, Video |
| May 20–24 | Downtown | Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera at the Paramount Theatre | Prizrak Opery, Map, Tickets, Video |
| May 20–June 7 | Everett | Grease – a retro story of 1950s school life at Everett Performing Arts Center | Grease, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 20–June 20 | Various venues | “Live Theatre” – a series of plays: the romantic comedy Barefoot in the Park, musical We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up, the musical She Loves Me, and an Agatha Christie/Poirot mystery | |
| May 20–Sept. 27 | SoDo | Seattle Mariners baseball season at T‑Mobile Park | Seattle Mariners, Map, Tickets |
| May 20–Oct. 31 | Waterfront | Sails on Elliott Bay aboard the tall ship Bay Lady — daytime and evening sailings | Seattle's Tall Ship, Video |
| May 20–Dec. 26 | Seattle | Walking food tours: Pike Place Market, chocolate, coffee on Capitol Hill, wine and cheese | |
| May 20–Dec. 31 | Various locations | Free activities: Bellevue Botanical Garden programs, museums, park walks, Ballard Locks tours, and more | |
| May 21 | Multiple locations | Evening art routes Seattle Art Walks (including Edmonds) | Seattle Art Walks |
| May 21 | Newcastle | Best of 425 party with champagne and awards for the Eastside’s top venues (sold out) | Best of 425, Map, Tickets, Video |
| May 21 | Tacoma | Free museum evening in Tacoma (Foss Waterway Seaport, Museum of Glass, Tacoma Art Museum, History Museum) | |
| May 21–22 | SoDo | Protégé Show – performances by students of Emerald City Trapeze Arts: aerial gymnastics, trapeze, juggling | Protégé Show, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 21–30 | Various venues | Candlelight Concerts – hour‑long candlelit chamber concerts (ABBA & Queen, classical, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Hans Zimmer, and more) | Candlelight Concerts, Video |
| May 21–June 6 | Ballard | Seattle Cabaret Festival – rock, blues, opera, satire and original shows at Egan's Jam House | Seattle Cabaret Festival, Schedule, Map |
| May 22–25 | Lower Queen Anne | Northwest Folklife Festival – the region’s largest folk music, dance, and crafts festival at Seattle Center | Northwest Folklife Festival, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 23 | Seattle Center | Stars on Ice – figure‑skating show featuring top U.S. skaters at Climate Pledge Arena | Stars on Ice, Map, Tickets, Video |
| May 23 | University District | Annual Showcase of traditional Chinese dance at Kane Hall (UW) | Annual Showcase, Map, Video |
| May 23 | Renton | Children’s Business Fair – dozens of booths by young entrepreneurs ages 5–17 | Children’s Business Fair, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 23 | Bothell | Making Local Market – ~100 makers and food vendors near Bothell City Hall | Making Local Market, Map |
| May 23 & 25 | Multiple locations | Memorial Day ceremonies in Seattle and surrounding cities | |
| May 23 & 30 | Seattle area | Seattle Architecture Foundation walking tours (waterfront, Mount Baker neighborhood, Queen Anne) | Seattle Architecture Foundation, FAQ, Video |
| May 23–Aug. 30 | Seattle, Bellevue, North Bend | Trailhead Direct weekend shuttle to mountain trailheads (Issaquah Alps, Mount Si) | Trailhead Direct, Photo, Video |
| May 23–Aug. 30 | Redmond | Marymoor Live outdoor concerts in Marymoor Park (May 23 – Claypool Gold) | Marymoor Live, Map, Tickets, Photo, Video |
| May 23–Oct. 31 | Skykomish | Free rides on the Great Northern & Cascade Railway mini‑train on Saturdays | Great Northern & Cascade Railway, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 24 | Woodinville | Run or Wine (5K/10K) run/walk with wine/beer tasting after the finish | Run or Wine, Map, Photo |
| May 24–Sept. 27 | Woodinville | Summer concerts at Chateau Ste. Michelle – big open‑air shows at the winery (May 24 – Yellowcard) | Summer Concerts, Map, Tickets, Video |
| May 25 | National parks | Free entrance to U.S. national parks on Memorial Day (Mount Rainier, Olympic, North Cascades, etc.) | Free Entrance Days |
| May 29 | Kirkland | Rosé Revival & Cool Whites tasting — dozens of rosé and white wine samples on Lake Washington | Rosé Revival & Cool Whites, Map, Photo |
| May 29–30 | Belltown | Hot Stove Society cooking classes with hearty tasting portions (pork, from‑scratch pizza) | Hot Stove Society, Map, Video |
| May 29–30 | Georgetown | Family circus show Revolt of the Tails by teen troupe Celestial Circus at Yaw Theater | Revolt of the Tails, Map |
| May 29–30 | Puyallup | Stamp & Scrapbook Expo – fair and workshops at the Fair Events Center | Stamp & Scrapbook Expo, Map, Video |
| May 29–31 | Various Seattle neighborhoods | HONK! Fest West – street festival of marching bands and brass ensembles (Georgetown, Columbia City, Pratt Park) | HONK! Fest West, Photo, Video |
| May 29–31 | Downtown | Blue Man Group – a mix of comedy, music, and vivid special effects at the Paramount Theatre | Blue Man Group, Map, Tickets, Video |
| May 29–31 | South Lake Union | PhotoFest – free talks, workshops and photo walks at Glazer’s Camera | PhotoFest, Map |
| May 29–31 | Seattle locations | Seattle Asian American Film Festival – screenings of Asian American films and an opening‑night reception | Seattle Asian American Film Festival, Wing Luke map, B.P.H. map, Video |
| May 29–31 | Capitol Hill | Bite of Greece Seattle – a small Greek festival with food, wine, and music | Bite of Greece Seattle, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 29–June 14 | Capitol Hill | The Circus of Second Chances by Acrobatic Conundrum – aerial acrobatics, juggling, and circus with live music | Acrobatic Conundrum, Map, Tickets, Photo |