There’s an old saying around here that says summer doesn’t begin until July 4.
That might not be true this year (we already had a great head start in June!) but July is typically a safer bet when planning for outdoor fun.
Looking for where can you find the festivities and big booms celebrating America’s 250th birthday? You’ll find our list here.
As for the rest of July, you’ll find air shows, art shows, live music, outdoor movies, food fest, community festivals and a little (ok, major) thing called Seafair. Pack up the sunscreen and enjoy!
Games People Play
Sure, it’s a bit of a jaunt to get to, but the sand-sculptures at Long Beach’s Sandsations are incredible. Need inspiration to get out and get active? Consider the Northwest Tune-Up Bike and Music Festival or participate in the Run for Beer fun run. Rather watch than run? Show your support at the Seafair Triathalon and/or the Torchlight Run.
Northwest Tune-Up Bike and Music Festival
July 10-12 / Various Locations, Bellingham
Chase the Rainbow Run
July 11 / Chambers Creek Regional Park, Seattle
Pacific Northwest Reptile and Exotic Animal Show
July 11-12 / Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup
Run for Beer
July 11 & 18 / Redmond and Selah
Sandsations
July 15-19 / Long Beach
Geek Fest West
July 17-19 / Lynnwood Event Center Complex, Lynnwood
Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire
July 18-August 16 / 18601 Sky Meadows Lane, Snohomish
Float Dodger 5K
July 18 / Hiawatha Play Field, Seattle
Camlann Commotion: Sword & Buckler Tournament
July 18 / Camlann Medieval Village, Carnation
Seafair Triathlon
July 19 / Seward Park, Seattle
St. James Festival
July 25 / Camlann Medieval Village, Carnation
Seafair Torchlight Run
July 25 / Pier 62, Seattle
Community Celebrations and Festivals
This is where cities and communities within cities come together and shine. From Kent’s Cornucopia Days to the Vashon Island Strawberry Festival to Kla Ha Ya Days in Snohomish, there’s something going on near where you live. Are you parade watcher? Come on out to Wallingford, West Seattle, and the mother-of-all-parades, the Seafair Torchlight Parade.
West Seattle Summer Fest
July 10-12 / The Junction, Seattle
Kent Cornucopia Days
July 10-12 / Various Locations, Kent
Beacon Arts Street Fairs
July 11 / Beacon Hill
Wallingford Parade
July 11 / Downtown Wallingford
Mill Creek Festival and Street Fair
July 11-12 / Various Locations, Mill Creek
Capital Lakefair
July 15-19 / Heritage Park, Olympia
King County Fair
July 16-19 / Enumclaw Expo Center, Enumclaw
Kla Ha Ya Days
July 15-19 / Various Locations, Snohomish
GeekFest West Game Expo
July 17-19 / Lynnwood Event Center, Lynnwood
Sequim Lavender Festival
July 17-19 / Carrie Blake Park, Sequim
Vashon Island Strawberry Festival
July 17-19 / Various Locations, Vashon Island
Northbend Block Party
July 18 / North Bend Downtown
West Seattle Grand Parade
July 18 / West Seattle
Redmond Derby Days
July 24-25 / Various Locations, Redmond
Northwest Balboa Festival
July 24-26 / Various Locations, Seattle
Renton River Days
July 24-26 / Various Locations, Renton
Seafair Torchlight Parade
July 25 / Downtown Seattle
Magnolia Summerfest
July 31-August 2 / Magnolia Playfield, Seattle
Music, Film and Theater
‘Tis the season to bring out the blankets and pack up the picnic basket for outdoor performances of Shakespeare plays, music festivals and movies playing in local parks. Lots to choose from this year.
Dancing til Dusk
July 7-August 30 / Various Locations, Seattle
Movies in the Park
July 8-August 28 / Various Parks, Seattle
Shakespeare in the Park: Wooden O
July 9-August 16 / Various Locations in the Greater Puget Sound area
BrodieNation Music Festival
July 9-12 / 7330 Tolt River Road, Carnation
Ballard Music & Seafoodfest
July 10-12 / Various Locations, Ballard
Bluegrass from the Forest Festival
July 10-12 / Mason County Rec., Shelton
The 48-Hour Film Project
July 10-12 / Various Locations, Seattle
Porchfest Edmonds
July 12 / Various Locations, Edmonds
Shakespeare in the Park: GreenStage
July 10 – August 15 / Various Parks in the Greater Pacific Northwest
Summer Outdoor Movies
July 14-August 27 / Various Parks, Bellevue and Kirkland
Darrington Bluegrass Festival
July 17-19 / 42501 State Rte 530 NE, Darrington
The Hoot Music and Arts Festival
July 17-19 / 7005 126th St. NW, Tulalip
Blastfest
July 18 / Seattle Center, Seattle
Red Fellow Music Festival
July 18 / Starlight Meadows, Bothell
Tacoma Porch Fest
July 18-19 / 6th Avenue, Tacoma
Timber! Outdoor Music Festival
July 23-25 / Tolt-MacDonald Park, Carnation
Derby Days
July 24-25 / Various Locations, Redmond
Movies at the Mural
July 24-August 21 / Seattle Center, Seattle
Day Trip Festival
July 25 / Gas Works Park, Seattle
Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival
July 25-26 / Volunteer Park, Seattle
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Seafair’s Fleet Week, hydroplane races and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels dominate this month, but don’t forget about the Bremerton Airshow and the various car shows happening this July.
Bremerton Airshow
July 11-12 / Bremerton National Airport, Bremerton
Avants Classics on the Green
July 13 / Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville
Seafair Fleet Week
July 21-24 / Various Locations, Seattle
NHRA Northwest Nationals
July 24-26 / 31001 144th Ave. SE, Kent
Griot’s Garage Pacific Northwest Nationals
July 24-26 / Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup
Wekfest
July 26 / Seattle Convention Center, Seattle
Boeing Hydroplanes and Seafair Air Show
July 31-August 2 / Lake Washington, Seattle
Food and Drink
For over 42 years, we’ve been enjoying the Bite of Seattle. It’s a big deal. It’s been a while now, but it was voted “Best Food Festival” in the United States in 2016 and 2017. Our advice? Go early. When it comes to “Drinks,” there are four big beverage events happening this month.
SipFest
July 11 / Railroad Park, Snoqualmie
Kirkland Uncorked
July 17-19 / Kirkland Marina Park, Kirkland
PNA Summer Beer Taste
July 18 / Phinney Center, Seattle
Bite of Seattle
July 24-26 / Seattle Center, Seattle
Summer School Brewfest
July 25 / Anderson School, Bothell
Getting Crafty
Need a new hobby? Come get inspired at the various art fairs and shows happening this month in Seattle, Gig Harbor, Bellevue and Redmond.
Alki Art Fair
July 17-19 / Alki Beach Park, Seattle
Summer Art Festival
July 18-19 / Sehmel Homestead Park, Gig Harbor
Seattle Art Fair
July 23-26 / Lumen Field Event Center, Seattle
Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend
July 24-26 / Bellevue Arts Museum
Urban Craft Uprising Summer Show
July 25-26 / Magnuson Park Hangar 30, Seattle
Redmond Arts Festival
July 31-August 2 / Redmond Town Center, Redmond
It’s a Small World
With all of the hoopla happening during Independence Day, there is one event that is bound to get overshadowed but even more meaningful to over 250 candidates who will be sworn in as new citizens of the United States in Seattle. On July 4, the Seattle Centers hosts the 41st Annual Naturalization Ceremony from noon to 1 p.m. Plenty of time to get to that family picnic afterward. This month we’re also celebrating people with Scottish, Polish, Indian, Chinese heritages among others.
Naturalization Ceremony
July 4 / Seattle Center, Seattle
Polish Festival Seattle
July 11 / Seattle Center, Seattle
Skagit Valley Highland Games & Celtic Festival
July 11-12 / Skagit County Fairgrounds
READ MORE | Skagit Valley Highland Games celebrate 30 years of bagpipes, tartans, and tradition
Seafair Indian Days
July 17-19 / Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, Seattle
CID Celebration
July 18 / Hing Hay Park, Seattle
Chinatown Seafair Parade
July 19 / Chinatown, Seattle
Pacific NW Scottish Highlands Games & Clan Gathering
July 25-26 / Enumclaw Expo Center, Enumclaw
Pista Nayon Seattle
July 26 / Seward Park, Seattle
Have a safe BLAST this July!
Jeff Totey is a freelance contributor for Seattle Refined. Follow more of his work here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source seattlerefined.com ’
