You'll probably spend most of your free time this Summer watching the World Cup, right? RIGHT?! If so, it’s your lucky day, as Thrillist just nailed down the best places in Seattle to watch the games. However, if you want to do other things like get outside, hit a few festivals, sip new beers on patios, and/or eat and take pics of artisanal ice cream... it’s STILL your lucky day. We’ve listed out dozens of great events this summer -- from block parties and to beer fests to burlesque shows and everything in between.
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Saturday
Jun 16
Gas Works Park
Fremont's annual Solstice Parade features giant puppets, stilt walkers, floats, dancers, cyclists, and more in a "kaleidoscope of joyous human expression" that ends with a big party by the lake.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Friday - Sunday
Jun 15-17
Marymoor Park
Show your dad how much you appreciate him by spending the weekend at the Washington Brewers Festival, where they'll be serving over 500 beers from 130+ statewide breweries, plus all the usual amenities like food trucks, music, etc.
Cost: $30-$35
Cost: $30-$35
Friday - Saturday
Jun 15-16
Gorge Amphitheatre
Catch major electronic acts like Deadmau5, DJ Snake & Armin Van Buuren performing on the banks of the Columbia.
Cost: $195
Cost: $195
Friday - Sunday
Jun 22-24
Point Defiance Park, Tacoma
Or at least down in the South Sound at the Taste of Tacoma, where there will be food from over 40 restaurants/vendors, four live stages, and much more.
Cost: Admission is free but you gotta pay for the food.
Cost: Admission is free but you gotta pay for the food.
Saturday - Sunday
Jun 23-24
Cal Anderson Park/Seattle Center
Every year, Seattle's PrideFest packs thousands of riotously dressed -- or underdressed -- people onto the streets and into the bars of Pike/Pine, and into Seattle Center the next day. Do not miss it.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Monday
Jun 25
Seattle Design Center
Lamb Jam is bringing together more than a dozen of the city's best chefs to compete… and turn said animal into delicious things for you to eat while also sipping on some of Seattle's best beer and wine.
Cost: $56-$125
Cost: $56-$125
Friday
Jun 29
Peddler Brewing Company
Take a 14-mile bike ride under the stars that begins at Ballard's Peddler Brewing, and ends with a party at the same place boasting a food truck, bean bag toss, and beer, naturally.
Cost: $40
Cost: $40
Saturday
Jun 30
Naked City Brewery
Screw the classic cars lining the street for Greenwood's annual car show, and check out gravity racers built by brewers and beer fans bombing down a 40-foot track at Naked City.
Cost: It's free to attend, but costs five cans of food to enter the race (a small price to pay)
Cost: It's free to attend, but costs five cans of food to enter the race (a small price to pay)
Wednesday
Jul 4
Gas Works Park
Or from almost anywhere else, since Seafair's free Summer 4th event (which has food, a beer garden, pie-eating contests, sack races, and more) always draws massive crowds.
Cost: General admission is free. Reserved seating starts at $40.
Cost: General admission is free. Reserved seating starts at $40.
Friday - Sunday
Jul 6-8
Seattle Center
Hundreds of specialty beers from around the world -- everything from classic brews to small-batch hybrids -- are yours to drink in the shadow of the Space Needle at this year’s Beerfest.
Cost: Tickets start at $25
Cost: Tickets start at $25
Saturday
Jul 7
Fremont Studios
Food from 40 local restaurants, cocktail demonstrations, and craft hooch from over 40 distilleries all equates to Proof, the Washington Distillers' annual festival.
Cost: $50-$75
Cost: $50-$75
Saturday - Sunday
Jul 7-8
South Lake Union
The Mobile Food Rodeo guys are taking over four blocks of Seattle's (still) fastest growing neighborhood so you can enjoy food trucks, restaurants, food booths, pop-ups, and urban crafts.
Cost: Free admission
Cost: Free admission
Friday - Sunday
Jul 13-15
Ballard
The streets of Ballard are shut down so over 50 restaurants and other vendors can feed you various fish-based foods. You can also listen to music, shop, and hit the beer garden while you’re out.
Cost: Free admission
Cost: Free admission
Friday - Saturday
Jul 13-14
Redmond City Hall
It started 78 years ago as bike derby, but now features parades, carnival rides, game booths, food, music, and all the stuff you need to make a trip to the Eastside worth it.
Cost: Free admission
Cost: Free admission
Friday - Sunday
Jul 13-15
West Seattle Junction
So technically, the streets around the Junction will already be closed when you get there, but with 25 bands (like Drippy Baby!), and all kinds of food and shopping, you’ll see why.
Cost: Free admission
Cost: Free admission
Saturday
Jul 14
Green Lake
The Milk Carton Derby is back, boasting hundreds of colorful milk carton boats of all shapes and styles, some of which will inevitably fall apart while you gleefully watch from shore.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Saturday - Sunday
Jul 14-15
The International District
Dragon Fest features two days of Asian cultural performances (and other fun stuff), but you're there because over 40 area restaurants are selling bites on the street for just three bucks.
Cost: It depends on how many $3 bites you buy, obviously.
Cost: It depends on how many $3 bites you buy, obviously.
Friday - Sunday
Jul 20-22
Seattle Center
The Bite of Seattle is back again with food from 60+ restaurants & pop-up vendors, beer and cider tastings, four live music stages, a free outdoor movie (A League of Their Own), and more.
Cost: Free admission
Cost: Free admission
Friday - Sunday
Jul 20-22
Capitol Hill
That's a bold claim. But when you've got three days of music featuring Father John Misty, Dillon Francis, local rapper SOL, and more, like the Capitol Hill Block Party does, you can probably back it up.
Cost: Tickets start at $65
Cost: Tickets start at $65
Saturday
Jul 21
Lake Sammamish State Park
The Great Inflatable Race is a fun run on a course lined with giant inflatable obstacles, which begs the obvious question: why would you ever run any other way?
Cost: Registration starts at $29
Cost: Registration starts at $29
Saturday - Sunday
Jul 21-22
Magnuson Park
The Renegade Craft Fair brings over 200 makers of DIY goods together in a giant hangar on a former military base, which makes it 100% the best mall ever.
Cost: Free admission
Cost: Free admission
Sunday
Jul 22
Wright Park, Tacoma
Apparently Tacoma has food trucks too, but if you need proof, there will be more than 20 of 'em posted up in the park for that city's Food Truck Fest.
Cost: Free admission
Cost: Free admission
Sunday
Jul 22
CenturyLink Field Event Center
Wekfest is probably worth going to just to see if it really is the "dopest car show in the nation.”
Cost: $20
Cost: $20
Sunday - Sunday
Jul 29-Sep 30
Can Can
Inspired by Mata Hari, the mother of modern feminism and the original Femme Fatale, this erotic collaboration between Seattle’s Prom Queen and the Can Can Dance Company will make your summer even hotter.
Cost: Tickets start at $25
Cost: Tickets start at $25
Friday - Sunday
Aug 3-5
Genesee Park
Seafair always packs the shores of Lake Washington during the annual hydroplane races, and why not? Unless you've got a boat, the park -- with music, food vendors, and more -- is the place to be.
Cost: Tickets start at $30
Cost: Tickets start at $30
Friday
Aug 10
South Lake Union Park
In contrast to the more wild Cap Hill Block Party, South Lake Union's party is a nice day out on the grass with relatively accessible food vendors, and local music from Built to Spill and more.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Friday - Sunday
Aug 17-19
Myrtle Edwards Park
The country's largest celebration of "hemp" attracts massive crowds of people who, even though marijuana is technically legal in Washington, aren't supposed to use it at the festival. Sigh.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
Friday
Aug 17
Pike Place MarketFront
It’s happening under the canopy in the new-ish plaza overlooking the waterfront at the Market's annual Sunset Supper.
Cost: $175
Cost: $175
Saturday
Aug 18
South Lake Union Park
This brand new event will feature items from some of the best food trucks and smoked rib joints in the area all paired with Washington Beers from more than 30 local breweries.
Cost: $35 gets you a glass and 10 4-ounce tastes.
Cost: $35 gets you a glass and 10 4-ounce tastes.
Thursday - Monday
Aug 23-Sep 3
Monroe, Washington
A throwback to traditional state fairs, The Evergreen State Fair gives you a chance to try some carnival rides, see some livestock, and see some live music your parents probably like.
Cost: $14
Cost: $14
Saturday
Aug 25
Lagunitas Brewing Company TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary
It’s all the beer (the first one's on them!), food trucks, and music you'd expect at a beer event, plus over 100 burlesque dancers, aerialists, and other performers.
Cost: $40
Cost: $40
Friday - Saturday
Aug 31-Sep 1
Magnuson Park
Trucktoberfest means 30+ food trucks, and 30+ breweries pouring fall beers, all posted up in the same place.
Cost: Free admission
Cost: Free admission
Friday - Monday
Aug 31-Sep 3
Washington State Fair Grounds
The Fair, as it's technically called now, features 20 days of concerts, wild carnival rides, a rodeo, and tons of amazing food. But you're really just going for the scones.
Cost: General admission is $14 but concerts and other things cost more.
Cost: General admission is $14 but concerts and other things cost more.
Friday - Sunday
Aug 31-Sep 2
Seattle Center
Labor Day weekend in Seattle means Bumbershoot. This year features performances by Portugal. The Man, Chromeo, Tinashe and much, much more.
Cost: Right now three-day passes start at $240. Single-day passes on sale soon.
Cost: Right now three-day passes start at $240. Single-day passes on sale soon.
Friday - Monday
Aug 31-Sep 3
Washington State Convention Center
The country's largest gaming expo is back, bringing all manner of geeks, cosplayers, and regular, everyday people who happen to like video games/gaming to downtown Seattle.
Cost: $50 (only Monday passes still available).
Cost: $50 (only Monday passes still available).
Saturday
Sep 8
International District
Seriously, why don't we have a regular night market? Richmond, BC has one but not us!? Even with all the great restaurants/vendors in the ID? Guess we'll have to settle for this great night.
Cost: Free… plus the cost of all the food you're gonna eat
Cost: Free… plus the cost of all the food you're gonna eat
Saturday - Sunday
Sep 8-9
CenturyLink Field
At Bacon, Eggs & Kegs, a "brunchy booze fest" outside CenturyLink Field. It’ll feature pork-based eats, tons of beer, plus a 30-foot-long Bloody Mary bar, mimosa stations, and more.
Cost: TBD
Cost: TBD
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