Welcome to one of the most beautiful months of the year, folks. August is the perfect time to get out and about and see all that Seattle has to offer, and over the next four weeks there are plenty of options. Things are finally looking up this month as events, ranging from light shows to outdoor movies to food festivals, begin to slowly return.
Here are 36 of the best things to do in Seattle this August
Outdoors
Local fave Scarecrow Video is partnering with the Phinney Neighborhood Association, UHeights, and Companis for its outdoor movie series once again this summer. You’ll be able to watch both adult and family-friendly movies every Thursday and Saturday this August. Don’t miss out!
When: August 5th-28th
Where: Phinney Center, 6615 Dayton Ave N
Cost: $20 per car
This is your chance to stroll through seven acres of brilliantly colored sunflowers and take one bloom home. You’ll also be able to enjoy other u-pick flowers along with all sorts of family-friendly activities like zip lines, a chalk truck, and even a low ropes course. It’s sure to be fun for folks of all ages.
When: Various dates through August 14th-September 19th
Where: Maris Farms, 25001 Sumner Buckley Hwy Buckley, WA
Cost: GA $18
Enjoy some sunny day activities
Sunny days are here and if you like to plan ahead you might want to map out your next free day. Luckily there’s a ton to do in Seattle when the sun is shining and what’s best of all is that most of it is free. Don’t worry, we made a list of our top picks for you.
Where: Click above to see our picks
Drive-in Movies at Marymoor Park
If you want a break from your regular old streaming you should check out drive-in movies at Marymoor Park. This month you can watch films like Star Wars, Jumanji, Jurassic World, Jaws and more. Now that the weather is getting nice it’s the perfect time to get back into outdoor movie-going so be sure to check it out.
When: Until August 26th
Where: 6046 West Lake Sammamish Parkway NE Redmond, WA
Cost: $30 per carload
If you’re looking for an outdoor, immersive lights display this summer, LUSIO is for you. The display encourages visitors to explore and play among art installations of all shapes, sizes, and formats. What’s extra cool about this event is the fact that it’s totally free!
When: August 27th-29th
Where: Mary Olson Farm, 28728 Green River Rd Kent, WA
Cost: Free
Want to get out of the city? Take a road trip to a weird destination! Unsurprisingly Washington has a lot of them and we made a list of spots that you can check out within 4 hours of Seattle. So get in the car, grab some water and snacks, and hit the road.
Where: Click above to see our picks
If you just want to get out for a walk this weekend then we recommend checking out one of our city’s stunning botanical gardens. It actually turns out that there are a ton and we’ve gone ahead and created a list for you so that you don’t have to look too hard. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.
Where: Click above to see our picks
At home
We love The Stranger’s Virtual Silent Reading Party and highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t already. After all, it’s a great way to enjoy a book with others, safely and quietly. So get out your books and get ready to sit back and read with people around the world.
When: Every Wednesday at 6 pm Until August 12th
Where: Online
Cost: $5+
If you can believe it, August is almost here. With a new month comes new Netflix additions so plan ahead and see what’s gracing computer screens near you. Who knows, you might just see an old fave or find a wild new fave on there. But you’ll have to see for yourself.
Where: Click above to see our picks
Seattle Public Libraries Adult Summer Bingo is back and better than ever! This year’s summer reading board has book slots like small press, QTBIPOC, Black joy, and more. We highly recommend participating as it’s a great way to check out new books. Plus if you finish your board you can mail it into the library for a chance to win prizes.
When: Until September 7th
Arts
PIANO O’CLOCK at Chophouse Row
Each Thursday, Friday, and Saturday you’ll be able to enjoy live music at Seattle’s Chophouse Row. It’s a great way to enhance your shopping experience or to simply come and enjoy. Either way, it’s a relaxing weekly event that you don’t want to miss, and be sure to bring your mask.
When: Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
Where: 1424 11th Ave
Cost: Free/Varies
It’s the Bellevue Art Museum’s 75th birthday! To celebrate they’re taking their annual arts fair digital. You’ll be able to purchase works from over 100 different artists. It’s a great way to celebrate and also take home some new art if that’s your thing.
When: Until August 5th
Where: Online
Cost: Varies
Tame Impala with Perfume Genius
Get to the Gorge to experience everyone’s favorite psych-rock band Tame Impala. If you haven’t seen a concert yet this year, this is a great way to return to concert-going. Because let’s face it, chances are that you already know all the words to their songs.
When: August 6th
Where: Gorge Amphitheatre, 754 Silica Road NW George, WA
Cost: $150+
Seattle Deconstructed Art Fair
The Deconstructed Art Fair is the substitute for the larger Seattle Art Fair which draws local, national, and international galleries. But what makes it extra cool is that it allows for smaller and local galleries to get a larger audience. In fact, this year there are over 50 galleries participating and you can visit them all on your own time online and in person.
When: August 5th-31st
Where: Participating galleries around Seattle
Cost: Free
If you’re looking to see some art this weekend then you can head over to J. Rinehart Gallery to see Susanna Bluhm’s The Monkey rope. The show features Bluhm’s abstract landscape-based paintings which come from her Red Country series. These paintings are all about meeting people in red states and learning to connect.
When: Until August 7th
Where: 319 Third Ave S
Cost: Free
Seattle Festival of Dance + Improvisation
Love dance? Then you can’t miss the Seattle Festival of Dance + Improvisation, it’s a month of in-person and online movement intensives and classes with both local and national faculty. You can also check out events, pop-up performances, and more!
When: Until August 8th
Where: 117 Louisa St. #268
Cost: By donation
GreenStage’s Shakespeare in the Park
Nothing says Friday night quite like some Shakespeare, right? Well, regardless of how you feel about Shakespeare you can go see some plays in the park. You’ll be able to see productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest. Plus there are happening throughout summer so you have plenty of time to check it out.
When: Until August 14th
Where: Varies Parks across the city
Cost: Free
Black Refractions: Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlem
This amazing show features work from 80 Black artists from the 1920s to now! You’ll be able to see works by artists like Barkley Hendricks, Lorna Simpson, Jacob Lawrence, and many more. This show is one of the best to come to Seattle this year so be sure to check it out while you can.
When: Until August 15th
Where: 704 Terry Ave
Cost: Free
RhodZi & Church: Two Short Films By Charles Mudede
This is a great chance to check out two short films and see what’s going on at the Museum of Museums. Both films being shown are unique in that they’re collaborations between Mudede and multiple other artists. So get out there and check out some new films, you won’t regret it.
When: Until August 19th
Where: 900 Boylston Ave
Cost: $10
Help welcome The Showbox back with performances by local star Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service as well as David Bazan. It’s sure to be quite the show and who doesn’t want to sing along to bangers like “Such Great Heights” and “I Will Follow you into The Dark”.
When: August 20th
Where: 1426 1st Ave
Cost: $39.50
Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume
We’ll bet that at least a few of you are into all things Disney or know someone who is. Well, you can check out a brand new exhibition at MoPOP featuring “more than 70 original pieces, including ball gowns, sorcerers’ capes, military uniforms, tiaras, and of course glass slippers”. You’ll get to explore the vision, process, and craft used to create the costumes worn by some of the biggest names in entertainment through the exhibition.
When: Until August 31st
Where: 325 Fifth Ave N
Cost: $32.25+
This exhibition by Dawn Cerny references the 1965 novel by French author Georges Perec and has to do with desires of material objects both tangible and intangible. The sculptures in the exhibit embody mindscapes and you’ll see lots of everyday objects that you recognize. We definitely recommend checking it out.
When: Until September 26th
Where: 1300 First Ave
Cost: $20-$30
Alden Mason: Fly Your Own Thing
This show is a unique one for PNW art as it’s showcasing prolific painter Alden Mason’s work. Mason’s artworks helped shape the future of Northwest art through his work and also through his teaching. So if you’ve been curious about local masters, this is a great show to check out.
When: Until October 10th
Where: 510 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA
Cost: $15
Seattle Art Museum is coming back with a bang! We’ve already seen several great shows this year and if you happen to be a fan of impressionism then you’ll want to see this. You can see SAM’s very own Monet and some work by Monet’s contemporaries.
When: Until October 17th
Where: 1300 First Ave
Cost: $29.99
Among Forests and Lakes: Landscape Masterpieces from the Finnish National Gallery
The National Nordic Museum might not be on your top list of local museums to visit but it should be. Right now you can check out a visual history of how “Finnish artists have depicted the landscape of their native country from the 1850s to the present day”. You can view 50 paintings and prints borrowed from the Ateneum Art Museum and we highly recommend checking it out.
When: Until October 17th
Where: 2655 NW Market St
Cost: $20
Culture
Did you know that Seattle’s beautiful Duwamish River is actually a Superfund Site due to industrialization in the area and decades of dumping and pollution? Oh, and it’s the ancestral land of the Duwamish First Nations. If you didn’t know either of those things then you should check out the Duwamish River Festival and learn about the river and how you can help preserve it and restore it for future generations to come.
When: August 7th
Where: South Park Plaza, 8456 Dallas Ave S
Cost: Free
If you missed out on July’s Pride events you can still check out Washington’s only Pride event that happens on a beach! You can celebrate on the beach and enjoy fire pits, contests prizes, and even events like a car parade. Plus it’s one of the few Pride events that doesn’t have corporate sponsorship, Yipee!
When: August 14th & 15th
Where: Alki Beach
Cost: Free
World War Bonsai: Remembrance & Resilience
This exhibition from the Pacific Bonsai Museum “traces the cultural practice of bonsai in location and time”. It looks at the art form in both Japan and the US, ranging from pre-war WWII to incarceration, and the time after. It’s an amazing look into the people who continued to care for bonsai “despite overwhelming hardships”.
When: Until October 1st
Where: 2515 S 336th St Federal Way
Cost: By donation
Crossing Boundaries: Portraits of a Transgender West
It’s Pride Month and a brand new and amazing exhibition is opening at The Washington State History Museum. This new exhibition “highlights historical narratives of transgender people in the West”. You’ll hear stories from the 1860s until the 1940s. These stories tell the history of individuals who defied gender norms and communicate the show’s themes of visibility, identity, acceptance, and history.
When: Until December 12th
Where: 1911 Pacific Avenue
Cost: $14
Food & Drink
This wildly popular event is back at Lumen Field this summer. Bacon Eggs & Kegs is a great way to hang with fellow brunch enthusiasts while sipping on local brews. Munch on times like waffle sandwiches, beer batter pancakes, and more. Tickets are going quickly so hop on it!
When: August 14th & 15th
Where: Lumen Field Event Center, 800 Occidental Ave S
Cost: $40
Food trucks are always a go in our books. If you feel the same then you definitely don’t want to miss out on Phinney Food Truck Fridays. You can enjoy eats from places like Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max, Panda Dim Sum, Bumbu Truck, Bean Fish Taiyaki, Delfino’s Pizza, Kiss My Grits, Falafel Salam, Seoul Bowl, and Off the Rez. It’s sure to be delicious.
When: Friday’s through August 27th
Where: 6615 Dayton Ave N
Cost: Varies
Looking to experience the CID? One of the best ways to do that is through the amazing and diverse food and restaurants that the neighborhood has to offer. From 10 am-4 pm you can enjoy local eats in Hing Hay Park and also win some prizes. Get out there and support the neighborhood and treat yourself to some new eats!
When: August 28th
Where: Hing Hay Park, S King St, and Maynard Ave S
Cost: Varies
Misc.
We can always get down with a good trivia night. You can have groups of up to six people to enjoy four rounds of trivia questions at The George & Dragon Pub. You can either win big or just score some drink specials, either one is great if you ask us.
When: Every other Thursday
Where: 206 N 36th St
Cost: $2
Seattle Design Festival Block Party
Love design? Want to be around other people that love design as much as you do? Check out the Seattle Design Festival Block Party which is happening in person this year! You can enjoy built installations and pop-up experiences all centered around design, urbanism, and our world’s return to some state of normalcy.
When: August 21st & 22nd
Where: Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave N
Cost: Free
Ready to get your fair on? Well, you can in person this summer thanks to The Evergreen State Fair. You can enjoy cute animals, delicious fair food, and of course rides. It’s a Washington State tradition that you don’t want to miss out on. SO get out there and have some fun!
When: August 26th-31st & September 2nd-6th
Where: Evergreen State Fairgrounds, 14405 179th Avenue SE, Monroe, WA
Cost: GA $14+
Want to experience what it’s like to have dinosaurs walk the earth? Well, you can do just that this month at the Woodland Park Zoo. You’ll be able to see twenty life-sized dino animatronics that are sure to have you doing double-takes. And this one will definitely be fun for the whole family.
When: Through September 6th
Where: 5500 Phinney Ave N
Cost: $5
Do you think you can do it all this month folks? Let us know if you manage to check out everything that we’ve included in this month’s to-do list. Either way, have a great month and we’ll see you back here in September.
