The first week of May in Seattle promises to be busy: from big concerts and science lectures to outdoor festivals and family outings. On the evening of May 6 at Benaroya Hall — a Rick Ross hip‑hop show, and on the same date at the Paramount Theatre — a public lecture by Neil deGrasse Tyson; throughout the week various venues host musicals and operas (including Bizet’s Carmen at Seattle Opera) and intimate jazz sets at Jazz Alley. Film and art lovers will see the start of the Seattle International Film Festival and Seattle Art Walks, and beer fans will enjoy Seattle Beer Week; family and street festivals (Pike Place Flower Festival, Beacon Arts Fair, Edmonds Spring Fest and Penn Cove Water Festival) will add a festive vibe. For those seeking unusual experiences — a drone light show at Marymoor and sunset sails on the schooner Bay Lady, while sports fans can attend home matches of the Seattle Mariners and Sounders. A detailed event selection is available for Seattle at events12: https://www.events12.com/seattle/.
Notable events in Seattle and the region (May 6–12)
| Date(s) | Venue | Description | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 6 | Benaroya Hall | Rap concert: Rick Ross at one of Seattle’s main concert halls. | |
| May 6 | Paramount Theatre, Downtown | Public lecture by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson: “Science as a Way of Knowing.” | Event site, Map, Tickets |
| May 6 | Pickering Barn, Issaquah | Charity wine evening Grape Escape with food and wine tastings, auction and Rotary fundraising. | Info, Map, Tickets, Photos |
| May 6 | Federal Way Performing Arts & Event Center | Energetic African show Step Afrika featuring stepping, singing, history and audience interaction. | Info, Map, Video |
| May 6–10 | Jazz Alley club, Seattle | Jazz concerts: Spyro Gyra in the intimate Jazz Alley club. | Club site |
| May 6–17 | 5th Avenue Theatre, Downtown | Musical “Jesus Christ Superstar” by Andrew Lloyd Webber with rock orchestra and choreography. | Info, Map |
| May 6–20 | Various theaters (Seattle Rep, Tacoma, Edmonds, etc.) | Selection of plays: family drama “Appropriate,” “The Mountaintop,” children’s shows about Robin Hood and fairy tales, comedy “Barefoot in the Park,” a Poirot mystery and the musical “She Loves Me.” | |
| May 6–27 | MLB stadiums, T‑Mobile Park and road arenas | Seattle Mariners baseball season; May 6 — home game vs. Atlanta Braves. | Schedule, T‑Mobile Park map, Tickets |
| May 6–31 | Schooner Bay Lady, Seattle waterfront | Daytime and sunset sailing cruises on Elliott Bay aboard the three‑masted schooner Bay Lady with bars and snacks on board. | Info, Video |
| May 6–26 | Various Seattle neighborhoods | Series of culinary walking tours: Pike Place Market, downtown chocolate, Capitol Hill coffee, wine tours, bread, cheese and chocolate walks. | Info & booking |
| May 6–31 | Various free locations | Selection of free activities: Ballard Locks tour, Bellevue Botanical Garden, Frye Art Museum, Kubota Garden, Olympic Sculpture Park and more. | |
| May 7 | Various Seattle and Tacoma museums | Free Thursday at major museums: Museum of Flight, Seattle Art Museum, MOHAI, Nordic Museum and others. | |
| May 7 | Showbox, Seattle | Concert by indie musician Chet Faker at the Showbox. | |
| May 7–9 | Meany Center, UW campus | Contemporary choreography by Mark Morris Dance Group: “Dances to American Music: Soul of America.” | Info, Map, Video |
| May 7–9 | Sequim, Olympic Peninsula | State’s oldest rural festival Sequim Irrigation Festival with parade, fair and vintage car show. | Site, Map, Photos |
| May 7–16 | Various bars and breweries in Seattle | Seattle Beer Week — dozens of beer tastings, special releases and chef pairings across the city. | Festival site |
| May 7–17 | SIFF cinemas and venues, Seattle | Seattle International Film Festival: top independent films from around the world, competitions, special programs and parties. | SIFF site, Brochure, Programs, Video |
| May 7–21 | Various Seattle neighborhoods and Edmonds | Evening art walks: Seattle Art Walks — galleries and window displays in Pioneer Square, Belltown, Ballard, Capitol Hill, West Seattle, University District, Edmonds. | Info |
| May 8 | Northwest Railway Museum, Snoqualmie | Wine Train Excursion with scenic views, snacks and eight wine tastings. | Info, Map, Photos |
| May 8 | Urban Grace, Tacoma | Short film party The 253 Short Film Party with audience voting and prizes. | Info, Map, Photos, Video |
| May 8–9 | Marymoor Park, Redmond | DroneArt Show: Space Chase — 1,200 drones synchronized to music telling a story of cosmic friendship. | Info, Map, Video |
| May 8–10 | Ellensburg and surroundings | Nature festival Get Intimate with the Shrub‑Steppe with hikes, birding, tours and rafting. | Info, Map, Venues map |
| May 8–16 | Cornish Playhouse, Seattle Center | Contemporary dance piece Whim W’Him “Spring ‘26” featuring works by three choreographers. | Info, Map, Video |
| May 8–17 | McCaw Hall, Seattle Center | Bizet’s opera “Carmen” produced by Seattle Opera (French with English supertitles). | Info, Map, Video |
| May 8–17 | Camano Island | Self‑guided tour of 24 art studios and galleries — Camano Island Studio Tour. | Info, Tour map, Photos |
| May 8–30 | Hot Stove Society, Belltown | Series of culinary masterclasses with a chef, tastings and themed dinners (Morocco, Georgian cuisine, pizza, etc.). | Info & schedule, Map, Video |
| May 8–June 6 | Egan’s Ballard Jam House & others, Ballard | Seattle Cabaret Festival: rock, blues, opera, satirical and original programs. | Site, Tickets, Map |
| May 9 | Seattle Center Armory | A Glimpse of China — Chinese festival with food, crafts, music and traditional costumes. | Info, Map |
| May 9 | Pacific Science Center, Seattle Center | Science After Dark: STEM Art Walk — a blend of science and digital art, installations and electronic music (21+). | Info, Map, Photos, Video |
| May 9 | Emerald City Trapeze Arts, SoDo | Aerial show “Silver Foxes: The Eras Tour” featuring performers over 45 with decade‑by‑decade music. | Info, Map, Tickets |
| May 9 | U District, Seattle | Charity run Beat the Bridge (8K, 3‑mile walk, fun mile) across the University Bridge supporting Type 1 diabetes research. | Info, Map, Video |
| May 9 | Beacon Hill, Seattle | Beacon Arts Street Fair — street festival with music, food and family activities. | Info, Map, Map layout, Photos |
| May 9 | Edmonds Spring Fest, Edmonds | Edmonds Spring Fest fair with 100 local artists, crafters and food trucks. | Info, Map, Video |
| May 9 | Edmonds Jazz Connection, Edmonds | School jazz ensemble festival Edmonds Jazz Connection at three venues. | Info, Map, Video |
| May 9 | Coupeville, Whidbey Island | Penn Cove Water Festival with Native canoe races, crafts, dances and storytelling. | Site, Map, Directions, Photos, Video |
| May 9 | Various venues, Puyallup, North Bend etc. | One‑day wine and beer walks with tastings (Mill Creek, North Bend, Puyallup) — tickets include a glass and several samples. | Mill Creek, North Bend, Puyallup |
| May 9 | Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe | Seattle Metro Reptile Expo with exotic reptiles and amphibians. | Info, Map, Photos |
| May 9–10 | Pike Place Market, Downtown | Annual Flower Festival for Mother’s Day with dozens of farmers and street music. | Info, Map, Photos, Video |
| May 9–10 | Washington Hall, Central District | Seattle Art Book Fair — fair of independent publishers and artists’ books with talks and installations. | Site, Map, Photos, Video |
| May 9–10 | Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue | Family ballet “Alice in Wonderland” for ages 3–10. | Info, Map |
| May 9–10 | Pacific Bonsai Museum, Federal Way | BonsaiFest with hundreds of bonsai, demonstrations and tours. | Info, Map, Photos, Video |
| May 9–10 | Leavenworth, the “Alpine” town | Maifest — Bavarian spring festival with folk music, dancing and a run. | Info, Map, Photos |
| May 9–Oct. 31 | Great Northern & Cascade Railway, Skykomish | Short Saturday rides on a mini‑train along a scenic route with bridges and tunnels. | Info, Map, Photos, Video |
| May 9–Nov. 7 | Lumen Field, Pioneer Square | Seattle Sounders home matches; May 9, 13 and 16 — games at Lumen Field. | Schedule, Map, Tickets |
| May 10 | Moore Theatre, Seattle | Concert by pop‑rock band Boys Like Girls. | |
| May 10 | Unexpected Productions Improv, Pike Place Market | Improv show Mother’s Day Improv Show dedicated to motherhood. | Info, Map, Photos |
| May 10 | Central Cinema, Central District | Screening of the musical film “Mamma Mia” featuring ABBA songs. | Info, Map, Video |
| May 10 | Postdoc Brewing, Kenmore | Brewery Running Series “Beer Run” 5K with beer, music and food trucks. | Info, Map, Photos, Video |
| May 10–30 | Seattle Library, Arctic Club Hotel, Nordic Museum and others | Candlelight Concerts series — hour‑long string quartet concerts by candlelight with programs featuring Coldplay, ABBA & Queen, Pink Floyd, Hans Zimmer and more. | Info, Video |
| May 10–Nov. 1 | Lumen Field, Pioneer Square | Seattle Reign home matches (women’s team); May 10 and 15 — games in Seattle. | Schedule, Map, Tickets |
| May 10–April 30 | Wenatchee, Eastern Washington | Ongoing Washington State Apple Blossom Festival with parades, fair and rides (main events have passed, but parts of the program continue). | Site, Map, Video |
| May 10 | Various regional restaurants | Curated lists of recommended brunch and Mother’s Day dinner spots from Gayot, OpenTable, Seattle Met, Seattle’s Child and Yelp. |