Summer is for concerts on the lawn at Chateau Ste. Michelle.
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Seattleites are spoiled for choice when it comes to spending our leisure time. Just take a look at the sheer variety of options: We have an exceptional array of museums, independent bookstores, restaurants, bars (and bar trivia), record stores, nightlife options, local shops, and a rich music landscape.
And the actual landscape? Outdoor recreation opportunities abound, especially if you subscribe to the “no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing” mindset (if you don’t, are you really from Seattle?). From abundant hikes, swimming holes, state parks, and campgrounds just beyond city limits to a voluminous urban trail system, there’s something for the outdoorsperson of every skill and stoke level. Those with little ones (human or furred) can rejoice at a bevy of great playgrounds, spray parks, and zoos.
But if you just want a guide already, we’ve got plenty for food, outdoors, shopping, and entertainment. Plus, a shortlist of what to do in Washington this month. Or find below the best things to do in Seattle, updated weekly.
Food and Drink
Lowlander Brewing OysterFest
may 21, 6pm | The Rooftop at Railspur, $100
The upscale, modern brewery takes a field trip to new Pioneer Square spot the Rooftop at Railspur for the third annual OysterFest. Tickets include oysters, obviously, in addition to wine, chitchat between farmers, and sprawling Puget Sound views.
Sunset and Night Markets
May 21 and 29, 4–8pm | Kirkland Urban and Old Stove Gardens
Seattle’s summer evenings go on forever, and Seattle Night Markets fills the extra daylight with an abundance of bites. The series kicks off with an Eastside event with live music, food vendors, and artisans. The following week, the foodie haven comes to Ballard’s Old Stove Gardens.
Pancakes with Penguins
may 23–24, 8:30am | woodland park zoo, $72
Coffee with room for penguins, anyone? The Woodland Park Zoo hosts a unique weekend pancake breakfast beside their energetic penguin habitat. Usually, a zookeeper or mascot makes a visit; pancake-fueled carousel rides and zoo exploration are a given.
Visual Arts
Exquisite Creatures
through august 31, various | Seattle Waterfront Maritime Building, $34
Stand face to face dozens of chameleons, compare wingspans with a Japanese spider crab, and peer at mandala-like compositions of everything from butterflies to birds. Using immaculately preserved specimens, artist Christopher Marley hosts a gallery show just across from the Seattle Ferry Terminal where creepy crawlies turn into works of art.
Samantha Yun Wall: What We Leave Behind
through october 4, various | seattle art museum, $29.99
Monochromatic paintings by Samantha Yun Wall are both haunting and captivating; their inspiration draws from a Korean folk tale of loss and familial ties, a flower motif weaving together the pieces that speak to stigmatization and taboo.
Eric-Paul Riege: ojo|-|ólǫ́
through october 25, various | henry, free
Tanned and unfixed photography film is continually sensitive, lending a sense of transformation to Lotus L. Kang’s new installation.
Summer 2026 Exhibitions Reception
June 5, 7:30–9pm | frye art museum, free
Four fresh collections arrive at the free First Hill art museum ahead of summer. It includes a new dance-centric banner on the exterior and flashy light sculptures from Tom Lloyd and ethereal installations from Lotus L. Kang, a seasonal refresh brings new perspectives. The celebration caps with a multidisciplinary performance from Joseph Hernandez.
Live Music
The Paper Kites
may 21, 8pm | the moore, $42.60+
Chateau Ste. Michelle Summer Concert Series
may 24–september 27, various | chateau ste. michelle, various
Nothing screams summer quite like a lawn concert; add Woodinville-crafted wine and you have the ever-popular Chateau Ste. Michelle summer concert series. A slew of artist come to the lawn this summer, from Boyz II Men to Sarah McLachlan.
HONK! Fest West brings bands to the streets.
HONK! Fest West
May 29–31, various | Georgetown, Columbia City, and Pratt Park, free
Street music is all the rage at the annual HONK! festival; over a three-day run, dozens of outfits from near and far take over Georgetown, Columbia City, and Pratt Park with concurrent shows.
Performance
The Phantom of the Opera brings intrigue to the stage.
The Phantom of the Opera
through may 24, various | the paramount theatre, $141+
The Phantom must have heard about our underground tours; he visits Seattle in the moving, haunting musical alongside classic songs like “The Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You,” and title track “The Phantom of the Opera.”
Aviatrix
through june 7, various | seattle public theater, $10–100
Set against the rural backdrop of 1917 Texas, Bessie Coleman wants to fly. With no flight schools admitting women, the Black and Native protagonist must find another way to rise to her wildest dreams.
All Lang
may 29–june 7, various | mccaw hall, $36–248
The Pacific Northwest Ballet caps their regular season with a triple bill of works by celebrated choreographer Jessica Lang. The final piece of the trio comes as a jazzy, joy-filled premiere set largely to the tunes of Tony Bennett—with one Lady Gaga addition. Longtime audience favorites Her Door to the Sky and Ghost Variations round out the show.
FILM
Retro Night: Jurassic Park
may 20 and 27, 7pm | majestic bay theatre, $13.50
Ballard’s adorable Majestic Bay Theatre pairs their iconic marquee and PNW-themed retro decor with Steven Spielberg’s 1993 sci-fi adventure classic Jurassic Park. The nostalgic film screens for two weeks of retro night showings.
Moomins on the Riviera
May 28, 6:30pm | national nordic museum, $10
Family-friendly movie nights come to Ballard’s National Nordic Museum in time for summer’s late nights. The hand-drawn animated feature inspired by Tove Jansson’s comic strips brings beloved Moomins characters to the big screen.
Since I Been Down
May 31, 2–4:30pm | Central Library, free
A story told through interviews, masquerade, and dance, the film follows Tacoma-raised Kimonti Carter as he founds a prisoner education program and leads the Washington State’s Black Prisoners’ Caucus. Filmmaker Dr. Gilda Sheppard will participate in a moderated discussion alongside Kimonti Carter and Tonya Wilson, both featured in the film.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Northwest Folklife Festival
may 22–25, various | seattle center, free
The annual celebration of multigenerational creativity, culture, and tradition of the Pacific Northwest returns to the Seattle Center with craft demos, runway shows, full days of music and dance, and culinary exhibitions.
Black Graduation
may 30–31, various | wa na wari, free
All things art coalesce at community hub Wa Na Wari for a two-day celebration. Saturday brings a keynote speaker on art collecting and several live music sets; Sunday boasts a full art fair and ticketed film screening.
Brewology
june 6, 7pm | pacific science center, $65
The city’s most science-forward happy hour is back with craft beer, cider, wine, and kombucha tastings. In addition to adults-only access to the cerebral exhibits, expert brewers lend beverage-making know-how and deep dives on the science that keeps things bubbly.
READINGS AND LECTUREs
Beyond Mysticism puts the PNW’s art scene on display.
Beyond Mysticism Public Tour
May 14, 16, and 17, various | seattle art museum, admission
Class is in session among the newest SAM gallery, a gentle trek through the Pacific Northwest art and artists of the 20th century. Guided tours on Thursdays and weekends offer behind-the-scenes trivia and deeper dives into artwork crafted in our backyard.
Ly Xīnzhèn M. Zhǎngsūn Brown
may 21, 6pm | town hall seattle, $0–50
Next up in the University of Washington Office of Public Lectures series, disabled wisdom is presented as a way out, a tool for regulating AI, rebuilding justice systems, and challenging late-stage capitalism. Scholar-activist Ly Xīnzhèn M. Zhǎngsūn Brown, founder of The Autistic People of Color Fund, leads the lecture on crip feminist technoscience’s hope for our collective future.
Queer Book Fair
june 6–7, various | charlie’s queer books, free
Kicking off Pride Month, Fremont’s Charlie’s Queer Books hosts a weekend-long book fair with author signings, flash tattoos, zines, art vendors, and a beer garden hosted by local speakeasy Botanicale.
On sale now
The Play That Goes Wrong
June 11–28, various | bagley wright theater, $45–140
Back for another summer at Seattle Rep, the endlessly popular meta play filled with physical comedy returns. Yes, everything goes hilariously wrong, right on schedule.
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