My deepest apologies for missing last week’s post — I was road-tripping to Tennessee with my mom (more on that next time) and had unrealistic expectations about being able to write this newsletter in the car 😅 Plus this was a big one to put together, so it took a little extra time. But with sunny weather on the horizon this weekend, it’s time we finally start thinking about summer!
I’ve also decided that this is going to be a living doc, so as I hear about more cool things happening this summer, I’ll update this post and link to it in upcoming weekly newsletters to let you know there’s something new.
I’d love for this to land in as many inboxes as possible and give Seattleites hope to hang on just a few more months, so please don’t hesitate to forward or share!
And if you find this particularly helpful and want to buy me a coffee to fuel future projects like this, I’ve created a donation link so you can do just that.
Alright, let’s get excited about summer!
*This post is a long one, so don’t forget to expand if it gets cut off in your email!
🎶 Live Music


💎 Local gems
Chateau Ste. Michelle Summer Concerts | May 25th - September 28th | Woodinville
Last year there was a deal running for $25 tickets (I’ll share if I see it pop up again) and we used that to snap some up for a band we’d never heard of, which I’d highly recommend — the best part of these concerts is always bringing a picnic, drinking wine, and laying out in the sun. This year I’m planning to see Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, I saw them last year at Marymoor and they were incredible!
Artists: Sarah McLachlan, Maren Morris, Jon Batiste, Jordan Davis, Charley Crockett, Beck, Tate McRae, The Revivalists, John Legend, Harry Connick Jr., Lyle Lovett, Jason Isbell, Stray Cats, Australian Pink Floyd, Gipsy Kings, Lake Street Dive, O.A.R., Gary Clark Jr., Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Michael Franti, John Fogerty, The Beach Boys, Ray LaMontagne & Gregory Alan Isakov, Chris Isaak, Wynonna Judd, Crowded House, Orville Peck, Indigo Girls
The Gorge Amphitheater | May 23rd - September 14th | George | $47+
We are so lucky to have this music venue in our state! There’s usually something on the schedule for everyone, although I do feel like scalpers hit these shows really hard this year (most tickets are only available for resale). If you don’t feel like camping you can always stay at nearby Cave B (it is spendy though), or stop by for a wine tasting before a show.
Artists: Illenium, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Noah Kahan, ODESZA, Blink 182, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Watershed Festival, Outlaw Music Festival, Tyler Childers and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Dave Matthews Band, Hozier, Glass Animals, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Imagine Dragons
Marymoor Live | June 19th - July 18th | Redmond | $34+
Artists and dates are still being released, but this is another classic summer concert series to keep an eye on to see who else might be coming through this year. The food truck options have gotten a lot better over the past few years too!
Artists: Brit Floyd, SLASH, Ziggy Marley, The Avett Brothers, Blues Traveler, Air Supply, Melissa Etheridge & Jewel, Primus and Coheed and Cambria, Lee Brice, Howard Jones, 311, Switchfoot
Bumbershoot | August 31st - September 1st | Seattle Center | $70-125
Last year was the first year of the newly reinvented Bumbershoot which was supposed to expand beyond just music, highlight more local artists, and be more accessibly priced. I had other Labor Day plans so I wasn’t able to attend, but I’m hoping I can go to at least one of the days this year (pending the lineup)! Bumbershoot can be a mixed bag, but I think it’s always improving and the location is iconic.
Headliners: TBD


👀 On my radar
Remlinger Farms | May 24th - October 4th | Carnation
The farm of my childhood is now the newest outdoor music venue. They just started hosting concerts last year, so hopefully they’ve worked out any kinks by now and can be counted amongst the other summer concert standbys.
Artists: Portugal. The Man / Bomba Estéreo, Daryl Hall + Elvis Costello, Parliament Funkadelic, Totally Tubular Festival, KALEO, Hiatus Kaiyote, The String Cheese Incident, Mt. Joy, Chromeo, Goose, Goth Babe
Zootunes | June 16th - August 21st | Phinney Ridge | $35+
Half the shows are already sold out (crazy!) but tickets are still available for 6 of the dates (listed below). This will be my first time going to Zootunes this year, but it sounds like a pretty chill, family affair (aka lots of kids FYI). Unfortunately, ticket prices do not include zoo admission 🥲
Tickets still available for: Mother Mother/Cavetown, The Decemberists, Sierra Ferrell, The Japanese House, Waxahatchee, Elle King
Queer/Pride Festival | June 27th - 30th | Capitol Hill | $69-189
If you’ve been to Pride on Capitol Hill before, this is the part that’s always gated and you need a ticket to get into. The headliners have been solid the past few years and the lineup always includes popular drag queens and other fun performers. Looks like a great way to kick off the Seattle summer!
Headliners: Santigold, Tegan and Sara, Perfume Genius, Rico Nasty, Slayyyter
Timber! | July 25th - 27th | Carnation | $95-155
Timber! is an Indigenous-owned music festival that takes place in a densely forested 574-acre park situated at the confluence of two rivers. I’ve never been, but I like the idea of camping onsite and listening to chill music in a beautiful location.
Headliners: Ty Segall, Deer Tick, Y La Bamba, Margo Cilker, Kimya Dawson, Telehealth
THING | August 9th - 11th | Carnation | TBD
This festival is from the creators of Sasquatch (RIP) and has been hosted in Port Townsend for the past few years, but due to accessibility and accommodation struggles, they’ve moved it to Carnation. The first lineup two years ago was very reminiscent of Sasquatch (when it was good), but last year missed the mark for me. I’m not familiar with ~60% of this year’s lineup, but could be a good place for discovery.
Headliners: St. Vincent, Spoon, Toro y Moi, Shakey Graves, Killer Mike, Ethel Cain, Arlo Parks, Black Pumas, Stephen Sanchez, Earl Sweatshirt, Hermanos Gutierrez
Anjunadeep Open Air | August 24th | Fremont | $65-175
Last summer I saw TikToks about a concert at Gas Works AFTER it happened and was so sad that I didn’t know about it. This year the park is hosting Ajunadeep (the “deep house imprint” of Above & Beyond… yes I had to google it) and tickets go on sale this Friday at 10am. I’m not sure if this is my scene, but I absolutely love the idea of a Gasworks concert so I might have to go anyway.
Daytrippin in Paradise | September 1st | Tacoma | $49.95
This one-day musical event features Iration and Pepper + friends at Dune Peninsula Park. There aren’t that many waterfront venues in Seattle, so this one looks like a gem and a fun place to spend a summer day.
Diplo’s Run Club | September 14th | Fremont | $69-179
This is cutting it close to the official end of summer, but it’s worth a mention since it also takes place at Gas Works. More details are coming soon, but the gist is that you run a 5k and the afterparty is a music festival hosted by Diplo and his TBA friends.
⚠️ Proceed with caution
Day In Day Out | July 12th - 14th | Seattle Center | $130-275
I went to this for the first time last year and it was fine! We had VIP tickets through my boyfriend’s record label, but I wouldn’t recommend that experience. The VIP section was higher up in Fisher Pavilion so you were actually pretty far away from the music and the speakers weren’t loud enough — GA looked like way more fun.
Headliners: The Head and the Heart, Bleachers, Carly Rae Jepsen, Men I Trust, Suki Waterhouse, Peach Pit
Capitol Hill Block Party | July 19th - 21st | Capitol Hill | TBD
I could only recommend this festival if there is an artist you are DYING to see (and they aren’t playing the main stage). Otherwise, in my experience, it’s always been overcrowded, full of drunk bros/teens, and has terrible acoustics. Love the idea of music in the streets, but this is not my fave.
Headliners: Kaytranada, Kim Petras, Still Woozy, Cannons, Elderbrook, Chappell Roan, Girl Talk
🎉 Festivals


💎 Local gems
Northwest Folklife | May 24th - 27th | Seattle Center | Free
There are so many events, workshops, and concerts you can attend at Folklife, but it’s also a good way to spend a sunny day and just wander around with a friend.
Fremont Fair + Solstice Parade | June 22nd - 23rd | Fremont | Free
This is one of my favorite Seattle festivals. The naked bike parade is always fun to see (and even more fun to participate in) but the rest — art cars, food trucks, vendors, live music — is worth going for too. Make sure to stop by Gasworks Park if you go, that’s usually where the bike parade ends and it’s like one big party in the sun.
👀 On my radar
West Seattle Summer Fest | July 12th - 14th | West Seattle | Free
There are many neighborhood festivals over the summer, but this seems like one of the better and bigger ones. I haven’t been yet, but every year it features live music, vendors, a beer garden, and family-friendly activities.
CHOMP! | August 17th | Redmond | Free
An annual free event that celebrates “all that is local and fresh in King County” at Marymoor Park. There’s usually live music, a large farmers market, and family-friendly activities.
⚠️ Proceed with caution
Ballard Seafood Fest | July 12th - 14th | Ballard | Free
I personally think that this fest is kind of overrated unless you live in Ballard. The best booths often have outrageous lines, the food can be pretty $$, and parking is always a pain in Ballard… But if you have a hankering for seafood and want to see some free live music, then maybe it’s worth stopping by.
Seafair Festival | July 27th - August 4th | Various locations | Free
I have mixed feelings about Seafair. I’m sure it’s very fun if you have a boat (or access to one) but it can be hellish for landlubbers and a cue to get the hell out of town. And then there’s the Blue Angels, which feel like an unnecessary military flex that unfortunately still thrills me every time they do a flyby. I grew up watching the hydroplane races with my dad, so maybe this year I’ll have him take me down to the pits (tickets usually run $30+). If you want a secret uncrowded(ish) spot to catch glimpses of the airshow, head to Clarke Beach Park on Mercer Island ;)
🌲 Outdoor Activities



💎 Local gems
I wrote about these cabins in the SAD Guide newsletter, but I wanted to bring them up again since I think they’re great. They book up FAST for summer weekends (keep an eye out for last-minute cancellations), but I’m seeing midweek dates at Dash Point in Tacoma (right on the water), Wallace Falls (these are the ones I’ve stayed at, highly recommend), Camano Island (more amenities than the typical cabin), and more. You can also camp at any of these parks as well!



👀 On my radar
I first heard about Stehekin two years ago, and it’s been on my Seattle bucket list ever since. Stehekin is a remote village on Lake Chelan that can only be reached by boat or hiking (there are no roads to get there). It’s on the PCT, so there are a variety of hiking trails, lake activities, and even an NYT-featured bakery.
Since it’s remote and hard to get to, putting together a trip can take a bit of planning. The good news is I just planned my own trip, so I can help you plan yours! I popped the details into the Seeking Seattle Vault* under the “Weekend Away” tab, but let me know if you have any specific questions 🤗 I’ll update it with any insights after I take my trip in July.
*You get access to the Seeking Seattle Vault when you refer just 1 person using the button below. If you’ve shared it with a friend but didn’t receive the email with a link to the vault, lmk and I’ll send it to you!
📆 This weekend’s events
A Conversation with Eric Kim | Thursday, 3/14 | Downtown | $40-60
Capitol Hill Art Walk | Thursday, 3/14 | Capitol Hill | Free
Perfect Days | Thursday, 3/14 | Uptown | $13-14 | A slice-of-life drama about a man who finds beauty in the world while cleaning toilets in Tokyo - nominated for an Oscar!
Massive: The Power of Pop Culture - Opening Party | Friday, 3/15 | Uptown | $38
Lee Fields & Monophonics | Friday, 3/15 | U District | $30 | I’m so sad to miss this show, Monophonics is an incredible band. Plz go for me.
Text Me Back Live | Friday, 3/15 | Downtown | $20-25
BrainFest with Allen Institute | Saturday, 3/16 | Uptown | $0-28
The Hasslers with School of Rock | Saturday, 3/16 | West Seattle | $10
Seattle Sounders vs. Colorado Rapids | Saturday, 3/16 | SODO | $35+
Seattle Kraken vs. Nashville Predators | Saturday, 3/16 | SODO | $88+
Multi-day:
Kells 41st Annual St. Patrick’s Irish Festival | 3/14 - 3/17 | Downtown | $0-30
Misfit Cabaret Presents Grimm | 3/14 - 3/16 | Downtown | $35-90
Taste Washington 2024 | 3/14 - 3/24 | Various locations | $0-299
One Thousand Pieces | 3/15 - 3/17 | Uptown | $30-210 | Use code thepointe to get access to $30/40/50 tickets
Seattle Irish Week 2024 | 3/15 - 3/17 | Various locations | Free
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | 3/15 - 3/17 | Downtown | $35-125
Seattle Secrets | 3/16 - 3/17 | Downtown | $15
U District Cherry Blossom Festival | 3/16 - 3/17 | U District | Free
What’s next:
3/16 - 4/1 | It’s that time of year — the cherry blossoms are blooming! The U District is celebrating with a festival, the farmers market, and a variety of cherry blossom-themed runs you can participate in.
3/19 | Celebrate the first day of spring at the 27th Annual Daffodil Day at Pike Place Market. From 11am - 2pm, you can snag a free bundle of daffodils until they run out.
🚨 ICYMI
Art thieves stole the portrait of Big Mario. Seattle’s new growth plan will lean heavily on Capitol Hill + Central District’s dense cores. This is how you make a pop-up work in Seattle. The Last Drop is now open on Capitol Hill. The Lonely Siren is Seattle’s newest (and only) Portuguese restaurant. Looks like In-N-Out might finally be coming to WA. MACPHERSON’S IS BACK IN BEACON HILL.
🧰️ Seattle Toolkit
A few of my favorite resources to stay tuned in to what’s happening around the city:
What Do - Seattle’s aggregated event list
Everout - Events & things to do
SEAToday - Daily Seattle newsletter
The Nudge Seattle - Text-based event planner
The Intentionalist - Discover + support local small businesses
Your turn!
What are you seeking this week? What do you already have planned? Share it with us in the comments ⬇️