Happy New Year! Can you believe we’re already halfway through the decade? Whether you’re still recovering from New Year’s Eve or rejuvenated for the month ahead, here best things to do in and around Seattle this January.

Polar Bear Plunge

Run or jump! But you’ll be plunging into cold water to start the new year. There are a number of parks in the area where you can take part in these festivities for free.

When: Jan. 1, 2025
Where: Select parks
Cost: Free

Gingerbread Village

A gingerbread village? What could be cuter?! Check out incredible (and often edible) gingerbread displays at this annual event benefitting type 1 diabetes research.

When: Jan. 1, 2025
Where: Sheraton Grand Seattle, 1400 6th Ave.
Cost: Free to attend

Furry Convention

Check out furry costumes, art vendors, games, panel discussions, and a masquerade dance at Anthro Northwest at the Hyatt Regency Seattle, 808 Howell St. in Seattle. If you’re under the age of 18, you must get your parent/guardian’s consent to attend which can be done here.

When: Jan. 2 to 5, 2025
Where: Hyatt Regency Seattle, 808 Howell St
Cost: $99+

Wet City Comedy Fest

A comedy festival featuring a dozen performers across three rooms at The Crocodile, with a lineup that includes Maria Bamford, Zainab Johnson, and Beth Stelling among others.

When: Jan. 3 to 5, 2025
Where: The Crocodile, 2505 1st Ave
Cost: $65+

Wonderland Cabaret

Wonderland is a whimsical winter cabaret and burlesque show that promises “a glittering parade of nostalgia, exploding with dance, laughter, and all the cheer of yesteryear” at Can Can Culinary Cabaret. It’s definitely not your grandma’s Christmas theatre experience!

When: Jan. 5, 2025
Where: 95 Pine St.
Cost: $69+

Candlelight Concerts

Enjoy your favourite songs in an intimate setting, played by an orchestra, illuminated by candlelight. They’ll play hit songs from your favourite artists such as Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Adele, The Beatles and more.

When: Jan. 9 to 30, 2025
Where: Varies depending on tribute night
Cost: $50+

The Sound of Music Sing-Along

Show your age by telling us if you had this classic on VHS. Now you can join a sing-along to The Sound of Music with interactive surprises and on-screen lyrics in case you forget a few lines.

When: Jan. 11 and 12, 2025
Where: The 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 5th Ave
Cost: $40+

National Geographic Live: Great Barrier Reef

Explore the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef with adventurers, scientists, and photographers as they share stunning visuals and stories about Australia’s most famous reef.

When: Jan. 12 to 14, 2025
Where: Benaroya Hall, 200 University St
Cost: $27+

UW Dance Presents

Maybe one of your New Year resolutions is to experience a little more culture! This showcase of original choreography by world-renowned faculty and visiting artists is performed to live music in a dynamic theater setting.

When: Jan. 17, 2025
Where: Meany Hall for the Performing Arts, 4040 George Washington Ln NE
Cost: $10+

Dinner in the dark

Now this is new! There’s a three-course dining experience but the kick is that you get to enjoy this blindfolded. Dining in the Dark are now available; you only need to choose whether you want fish, meat, or vegan dishes, and buy your ticket online. Drinks and tip extra.

When: Jan. 17, 2025, at 8:30 p.m.
Where: The Collective Seattle – 400 Dexter Avenue North Ste. #100
Cost: $64

Monster Jam

Big trucks and big wheels! Monster Jam will take over the Tacoma Dome for three days of fun, action and trucks!

When: Jan. 17 to 19, 2025
Where: Tacoma Dome, 2727 E D St
Cost: $20+

Bohemia: A Macabre Cabare

Experience a unique and whimsical cabaret story set in 1890s Hungary. The show blends aerial performances, classical piano battles, dance, and burlesque with art nouveau and macabre themes.

When: Jan. 17 to 26, 2025
Where: The Triple Door, 216 Union St
Cost: $29+

Mania The ABBA Tribute

The world’s number 1 touring ABBA tribute band is coming to Seattle’s Neptune Theatre.

When: Jan. 19, 2025 // doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Where: The Neptune Theatre – 1303 NE 45th St
Cost: $32+

WildLanterns

It’s a whole new way to experience the Zoo! WildLanterns features stunning larger-than-life animal and nature lanterns like bugs, lions, pandas, parrots, and dragons. Wander through the display, get some snacks, and check out the live performance in the entrance building.

When: Jan. 19, 2025
Where: 5500 Phinney Ave. N
Cost: $49+

State Park Day

On Martin Luther King Day, enjoy a free day at any of the 144 Washington State Parks. Explore the outdoors!

When: Jan. 20, 2025
Where: All State Parks
Cost: Free

Jamie xx

British composer, performer, and music producer Jamie xx is back. One of the members of The xx, Jamie released his sophomore album “In Waves (Young)” in September, and will be on tour in 2025.

When: Jan. 21, 2025
Where: WAMU Theatre, 800 Occidental Ave S
Cost: $46

STOMP

An electrifying performance blending dance, acrobatics, and percussion from unexpected instruments for an unforgettable rhythm experience. Get ready for a show that’s “explosive, inventive, provocative, witty, and utterly unique.”

When: Jan. 24 to 26, 2025
Where: The Moore Theatre, 1932 2nd Ave
Cost: $45+

Foster the People

Ready to sing songs out loud from 2011? Foster the People released their latest album “Paradise State of Mind” in August, and will be bringing their pop sounds to Seattle early 2025.

When: Jan. 25, 2025
Where: The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St
Cost: $76+

Vietnamese New Year

The Tết Festival celebrates the cultural roots of Vietnamese Americans through the celebration of Tết, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Enjoy live performances, cultural foods, crafts, games, and a lively marketplace.

When: Jan. 25 and 26, 2025
Where: Fisher Pavilion and Seattle Center Armory, 305 Harrison St
Cost: Free to attend

Eric Bellinger

Get your tickets and catch the Grammy-winning R&B artist Eric Bellinger live in concert at The Showbox.

Doors are set to open at 8 p.m.

When: Jan. 31, 2025
Where: The Showbox
Cost: $33.50+ or $40 day of

Sleeping Beauty Ballet

A reimagining of Sleeping Beauty set in a Pacific Northwest-inspired fairyland. Enjoy a well-known tale, reinterpreted with stunning choreography and mesmerizing design.

When: Jan. 31 to Feb. 9, 2025
Where: 301 Mercer St
Cost: $50+

There you have it! All the best things to do in and around Seattle this January, we hope you have a great start to the new year!

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Alicia Lyons

Alicia Lyons

Staff Writer

Alicia is a storyteller who chased the sun all the way to Calgary and decided to stay. When she’s not writing, she can be found stumbling along nature trails, curling up under a fuzzy blanket with a good book, or finding any excuse to eat.

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