The weekend in Seattle is packed with events from Comic-Con to a festival of colors. The war in the Middle East has pushed mortgage rates back up, cooling the housing market. Comedian Martin Short’s daughter has died.
Seattle weekend guide: from Comic-Con to the festival of colors
The upcoming weekend in the Seattle area promises to be incredibly busy, offering a range of events for every taste — from large pop-culture festivals to cozy local celebrations. If you haven’t decided how to spend the days yet, our guide will help you navigate the variety of happenings.
At the center of attention, of course, is Emerald City Comic Con, which has already begun and will run through the weekend. It’s a grand celebration of pop culture, with panels, workshops and celebrity appearances, including William Shatner and Hayden Christensen. Tickets are still available, and additional tips for having the perfect day at Comic-Con are available in the original guide on MyNorthwest.com. On Saturday, the Chinatown-International District (CID) invites you to celebrate Lunar New Year in Hing Hay Park. Admission is free, and attendees can enjoy a food walk featuring more than 40 restaurants and businesses, live performances including traditional lion dances and martial arts demonstrations, and numerous vendor booths. For music lovers, the Northwest Record Show will take place Sunday at the Seattle Center Armory, with vinyl records, CDs and collectibles offered at more than 50 tables. Admission is $3, but you can get a $1 discount by bringing nonperishable food for the Northwest Harvest charity. Early-entry tickets are available for those who want to get in at 8 a.m.
On Sunday in Redmond, the Festival of Color will celebrate Holi, the Indian festival of colors. There will be mass color powder tosses every half hour, along with contests, giveaways, flash mobs, dancing and treats. The event is free but requires pre-registration on the event website. For families with children, Kent Commons will host Kent Kids Arts Day on Saturday: for $10, children from preschool through fourth grade can try 12 different hands-on art projects led by professional artists. Admission is free for adults and children under 2. Also on Saturday, Lacey Cultural Celebration will be held at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey — a free event with music, dance, food from around the world and craft booths. Children can get a “traveler’s passport,” filling which gives a chance to win a prize.
The weekend is also marked by events honoring International Women’s Day, observed on Sunday. On Saturday, Edmonds Waterfront Center will host a luncheon, and W Seattle hotel will hold See Her Be Her, an event dedicated to women in electronic music. On Sunday at 11 a.m., the Women’s March in Seattle will begin at Cal Anderson Park. Finally, sports fans can catch a hockey game Saturday evening at Climate Pledge Arena, where the Seattle Kraken will face the Ottawa Senators. As you can see, there’s a huge selection — everyone can find something to enjoy during these lively Seattle weekends.
Middle East war and hopes for lower rates: how the conflict affected Seattle’s housing market
The real estate market in the Seattle area, which had recently been encouraged by a dip in mortgage rates, has again faced uncertainty due to the geopolitical crisis. A short-term drop in interest rates below the psychologically important 6% threshold was undone by the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, illustrating how fragile a recovery can be amid global instability. This situation created a unique moment in which seller momentum is not being matched by buyers, who remain constrained by high prices and economic uncertainty.
In February, U.S. mortgage rates fell to 5.98%, the lowest level in three and a half years, which, Freddie Mac reported, gave hope to the stalled market. That decline prompted many homeowners who had delayed selling for years to list their homes, hoping for better conditions for their next purchase. As Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather noted in The Seattle Times, “Sellers had long wanted to move but had been waiting for lower mortgage rates.” As a result, new single-family home listings in King, Snohomish and Kitsap counties rose 19%, and in Pierce County they rose 13.5% year over year. However, that seller enthusiasm was not matched by buyer activity. Closed sales in February fell: down 4.5% in King County, 8% in Snohomish and nearly 1% in Kitsap. The only exception was Pierce County, which saw a 1.3% increase.
A turning point came when U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, one of the world’s largest oil exporters, sparked a jump in oil prices and, consequently, pushed mortgage rates back above 6%. Redfin economist Chen Zhao explains that the effect of the conflict on rates can be twofold. On one hand, rising energy prices can strengthen inflation expectations and push rates higher. On the other hand, geopolitical instability sometimes pushes investors toward safe-haven bond markets, which can put downward pressure on rates. Thus, the long-term effect of the current crisis remains unclear, but a prolonged war and disruptions in the oil market could have lasting consequences for borrowing costs.
Even with rates relatively low by recent standards, the market remains sluggish because of high housing costs and broader economic uncertainty. Single-family home prices largely continued to rise: the median price increased 2.3% to $936,000 in King County, 5% to $578,250 in Pierce County and nearly 4% to $561,250 in Kitsap County. In Snohomish, the price fell 4.5% to about $745,000. As Fairweather emphasizes, even with lower rates, housing remains unaffordable for a median-income family in each of these counties, even with a 20% down payment. “It changed things, but not enough to influence the decisions of most buyers,” the economist says.
The market shows unevenness. While aggregate data point to a slowdown, some realtors note a surge of interest from buyers drawn by lower rates and increased inventory. Seattle agent Emily Anderson says many buyers were “ready to act” this year, and the most attractive properties in neighborhoods like Green Lake and Phinney Ridge received more than a dozen offers. Dana Fitzpatrick, an agent with Compass, also notes an influx of buyers but points out that demand is uneven: well-priced homes sell quickly while others linger on the market. Redfin data confirm that buyers gained more negotiating power: about half of homes in the Seattle metro in 2025 sold below their initial asking price. However, discounts average only about 5.7%, the lowest rate in the nation, indicating a certain balance of expectations.
The picture is particularly bleak in the condominium market. Despite an increase in new listings, closed sales in February fell sharply: down 23% in King County, 9.6% in Snohomish and 22.2% in Pierce. Median sale prices also declined: down 11% to $545,000 in King and 9% to $375,000 in Pierce. In the most condo-dense areas, the drop is even more pronounced: on the Eastside, prices plunged nearly 23% and sales dropped more than 39%. Fairweather explains this by buyers’ concerns about rising maintenance costs for aging buildings and slowing appreciation for apartments. For many, monthly rents for a one-bedroom are lower than mortgage payments for a comparable condo, making renting the more rational choice.
Thus, Greater Seattle’s housing market is caught between a brief respite from lower rates and the harsh realities of geopolitics, high costs and uneven demand. Hopes for a spring revival now depend not only on U.S. economic indicators but also on developments on the other side of the world, making forecasts for buyers, sellers and investors more uncertain than ever.
Death of Kathryn Short: Martin Short’s daughter has passed away
The entertainment world is in mourning: Kathryn Short, the eldest daughter of renowned actor and comedian Martin Short, has died at age 42. Her family said in an official statement that Kathryn was beloved by everyone and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world. Details of the tragic news were reported by KIRO 7 News Seattle.
The news has been a blow not only to the family but also to fans of Martin Short, known for projects like Saturday Night Live and numerous comedic film roles. In their brief but heartfelt statement, the family emphasized Kathryn’s inner qualities rather than public achievements — her ability to brighten the lives of those around her. Often in such tragic circumstances, families request privacy, and this statement, which omitted details about the cause of death, reflects a desire to preserve dignity and focus on fond memories.
The loss of a child, especially at this age, is an indescribable tragedy that transcends fame and celebrity. Martin Short, whose career has been built on making people laugh, now faces personal grief shared by his loved ones and colleagues in the industry. This news is a reminder that behind the bright images on screen are real people with joys and sorrows. The bright memory of Kathryn Short, that “beloved by all” soul, will remain the most important legacy, outshining any Hollywood achievements of her father.
