Late May around Seattle promises a busy calendar: from large festivals at Seattle Center and Folklife to intimate Candlelight concerts and aerial shows at Emerald City Trapeze. This week’s lineup includes candlelit music hits, musicals and cabaret, family street fairs, multiple weekend festivals (HONK! Fest West, Renegade Craft Fair), sports and food events, plus seasonal tall-ship sails and outdoor winery concerts. Plan ahead: many venues (Paramount, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Marymoor, T‑Mobile Park) list tickets and dates, and some events are free or family-friendly. Sources and a detailed events calendar are listed on events12.com (Seattle).
Notable Seattle-area events in late May
| Date(s) | Venue | Description | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 22–24 | Jazz Alley, Seattle | Concerts by Blood, Sweat & Tears at Jazz Alley | |
| May 22–25 | Seattle Center, Seattle | Folklife Festival with music and dance across multiple stages | |
| May 24 | Royal Room, Seattle | Bob Dylan tribute concert at the Royal Room | |
| May 24 | Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville | Yellowcard concert at the winery amphitheater | |
| May 22 | Emerald City Trapeze Arts, SoDo, Seattle | Protégé Show – annual student showcase of aerial acrobatics and trapeze | Event, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 22–24 | Paramount Theatre, Downtown, Seattle | Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical "The Phantom of the Opera" | Event, Map, Tickets, Video |
| May 22–25 | Seattle Center, Lower Queen Anne, Seattle | Northwest Folklife Festival – the region’s largest folk music and dance festival, with workshops, food and beer gardens | Site, Schedule, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 22 | Arctic Club Hotel, Seattle | Candlelight Concerts: classical music by a string quartet | Concerts, Video |
| May 22 | Arctic Club Hotel, Seattle | Candlelight Concerts: Taylor Swift hits performed by a string quartet | Concerts, Video |
| May 24 | Arctic Club Hotel, Seattle | Candlelight Concerts: Fleetwood Mac music by candlelight | Concerts, Video |
| May 22–30 | Various venues, Seattle | Candlelight Concerts series – hour‑long string quartet shows by artificial candlelight (classical, pop, film scores) | Concerts, Video |
| May 22–June 6 | Egan’s Ballard Jam House, Ballard, Seattle | Seattle Cabaret Festival – cabaret festival featuring rock, blues, opera, chanson and original shows | Site, Schedule, Map |
| May 22–June 7 | Everett Performing Arts Center, Everett | Musical "Grease" – a retro 1950s high‑school romance | Site, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 22–June 20 | Seattle, Issaquah, Edmonds (various theaters) | Selection of plays: "Barefoot in the Park" at Taproot (romantic comedy), "We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up" in Issaquah, "She Loves Me" at Centerstage, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" in Edmonds | |
| May 22–Oct. 31 | Seattle’s Tall Ship, waterfront, Seattle | Two‑hour sails aboard the schooner Bay Lady on Elliott Bay (daytime and sunset departures) | Map, Video |
| May 22–Dec. 26 | Seattle | Themed food walking tours: Pike Place Market, chocolate, coffee, wine and delicacies | |
| May 22–Dec. 31 | Seattle area | Selection of free activities: Ballard Locks tour, Bellevue Botanical Garden, museums, gardens, hiking trails and more | |
| May 23 | Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle Center | Stars on Ice – figure‑skating show featuring stars skating to rock soundtracks | Event, Map, Tickets, Video |
| May 23 | Kane Hall, University of Washington, Seattle | Annual traditional Chinese dance showcase by UW students in colorful costumes | Info, Map, Video |
| May 23 | Springbrook Church, Renton | Children’s business fair – booths run by young entrepreneurs selling food, toys and art | Site, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 23 | Bothell City Hall, Bothell | Making Local Market street craft fair with nearly 100 vendors | Site, Map |
| May 23 & 25 | Various towns in the region | Memorial Day ceremonies at cemeteries and memorial parks | |
| May 23 & 30 | Seattle area | Seattle Architecture Foundation walking tours (waterfront, Mount Baker, Queen Anne) | Tours, FAQ, Video |
| May 23–Aug. 30 | Seattle, Bellevue, North Bend | Trailhead Direct – weekend bus service to popular trailheads (Issaquah Alps, Mount Si) | Site, Photo, Video |
| May 23–Aug. 30 | Marymoor Park, Redmond | Marymoor Live – summer outdoor concert series in the park (including Claypool Gold on May 23) | Shows, Map, Tickets, Photo, Video |
| May 23–Oct. 31 | Skykomish | Great Northern & Cascade Railway mini‑train – free 10‑minute rides on weekends | Site, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 24 | Dragonfly Sculpture Bridge, Woodinville | Run or Wine 5K/10K run/walk with wine or beer tasting after the finish | Site, Map, Photo |
| May 24–Sept. 27 | Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville | Summer concert series at the winery amphitheater (including Yellowcard on May 24) | Series, Map, Tickets, Video |
| May 25 | U.S. National Parks | Free entrance to national parks (Mount Rainier, Olympic, North Cascades, etc.) for Memorial Day | Info |
| May 29 | The Woodmark Hotel, Carillon Point, Kirkland | Rosé Revival & Cool Whites – rosé and white wine tasting with views of Lake Washington | Site, Map, Photo |
| May 29–30 | Hotel Ändra / Hot Stove Society, Belltown, Seattle | Cooking classes: pork and dairy dinner (May 29), pizza from scratch (May 30) with tastings | Classes, Map, Video |
| May 29–30 | Yaw Theater, Georgetown, Seattle | Family circus show "Revolt of the Tails" by teen troupe Celestial Circus | Site, Map |
| May 29–30 | Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup | Stamp & Scrapbook Expo – fair for scrapbooking enthusiasts with workshops | Site, Map, Video |
| May 29–31 | Various Seattle neighborhoods | HONK! Fest West – street festival of brass and drum bands from around the world | Site, Photo, Video |
| May 29–31 | Paramount Theatre, Downtown, Seattle | Blue Man Group – a show blending comedy, music and visual effects | Site, Map, Tickets, Video |
| May 29–31 | Glazer’s Camera, South Lake Union, Seattle | PhotoFest – free talks and workshops on photography, photo walks and demo zone | Site, Map |
| May 29–31 | Various venues, Seattle | Seattle Asian American Film Festival – screenings of films by Asian American filmmakers, opening reception | Site, Wing Luke Map, Hall Map, Video |
| May 29–31 | Church of the Assumption, Capitol Hill, Seattle | Bite of Greece Seattle – intimate Greek festival with food, wine and music | Site, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 29–June 14 | 12th Avenue Arts, Capitol Hill, Seattle | The Circus of Second Chances by Acrobatic Conundrum – contemporary circus with aerials and juggling set to live music | Site, Map, Tickets, Photo |
| May 29–Sept. 27 | T‑Mobile Park, SoDo, Seattle | Seattle Mariners home baseball season | Schedule, Map, Tickets |
| May 29–Dec. 27 | Waterways Cruises, Eastlake, Seattle | Lunch and dinner cruises on Lake Union and Lake Washington (2 hours, individual tables) | Map, Video |
| May 30 | Hellbent Brewing, North Seattle | Beer Run – Brewery Running Series 5K with post‑race beer and live music | Site, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 30 | Marymoor Park, Redmond | Flying Wheels Summer Century – bike routes of 50/70/100 miles on scenic roads | Site, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 30 | 21 Acres, Woodinville | Pollinator Fest – festival about pollinators with talks, farm activities, music and kids’ workshops | Site, Map, Campus Map, Photo |
| May 30 | ShoWare Center, Kent | Kent International Festival – international festival with food, dance and cultural booths | Site, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 30 | Bothell Furniture, Bothell | Bothell Block Party and BrewFest – beer, cider and wine festival with two stages and food trucks (21+) | Site, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 30 | Federal Way Performing Arts & Event Center, Federal Way | Arts Explosion – art fair with artists, live music, food and kids’ activities | Site, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 30 | Carnation Farms, Carnation | Farmview Dinner – three‑course farm‑to‑table dinner with wine pairings on the farm | Site, FAQ, Map, Photo |
| May 30 | Shelton, Mason County | Forest Festival – forest-themed festival with run, parade, lumberjack shows, fair and fireworks | Site, Photo, Video |
| May 30–31 | Hangar 30, Magnuson Park, Seattle | Renegade Craft Fair – large fair of independent makers and designers with food trucks | Site, Map, Photo |
| May 30–31 | Patterson Cellars Tasting Room, Woodinville | Wine & Oysters – a six‑oyster Hama Hama pairing with Patterson Cellars wine tasting | Site, Map, Photo |
| May 30–31 | Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett | Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live – monster truck show and freestyle motocross for the whole family | Site, Map, Tickets, Photo, Video |
| May 30–Sept. 7 | Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, Ballard, Seattle | Free summer lawn concerts at the Ballard Locks on weekends and Labor Day | Schedule, Map, Photo, Video |
| May 31 | Town Hall Seattle, First Hill, Seattle | Orquesta Northwest concert "A Celebration of Community" – Latin classics, traditional and mariachi music | Site, Map |
| May 31 | KEXP, Queen Anne, Seattle | Orca Fest – family festival dedicated to orcas: music, art, face painting and a neighborhood cleanup | Site, Map |
| May 31–June 7 | Starfire Sports, Tukwila | Seattle Seawolves home matches in Major League Rugby (MLR) | Site, Map, Tickets, Video |
