Summer is in full swing and you can tell that's the case by the absolutley bonkers amount of events going on this weekend.
In Tacoma, there will be music and a celebration of community during Porchfest! What is Porchfest you ask?
In the central neighborhood just off 6th Ave, neighbors who live in the community volunteer their porches for an all-day event, Tacoma Porchfest. They host musicians and performers to an audience on their front lawn.
This year’s festival is sponsored by the Tacoma Central Neighborhood Council, with lead organizer Irina Rasputnis squaring away the details. She said the event started after attending similar festivals in Boston but didn’t know of any happening in Tacoma after she moved here. “I felt like I had to make it happen,” she said.
Learn about the unusual arts at the Cyrptid Expo and Tattoo Convention going on at the Washington State Fairgrounds Saturday and Sunday. You can learn taxidermy, find unique art from the vendors, or get some new ink! Get details at cyrptidexpo.com
Seattle is going to be BUMPING this weekend.
The Capitol Hill Block Party runs throughout the weekend and is loaded with talent. Tickets aren't cheap, but if you are looking to get out and enjoy one of the biggest parties in town, check out the schedule and get tickets at capitolhillblockparty.com
Don't worry about dealing with your picky eater friends and family this weekend, just take them to the Bite of Seattle, which returns to the Seattle Center. Starting today and running through the weekend, over 250 local vendors and over 65 musical performers will be taking over the Seattle Center. You'll need to pay for your tasty treats but admission to the event is free. Oh and just a heads up, no app needed this year, you'll pay vendors directly at the booth!
There will be free music to enjoy and art to check out and purchase at the Alki Art Fair all weekend long. Things get started at 2 this afternoon and there will be art, body products, jewelry, paintings and even more art that will be shown off. Get details at alkiartfair.org
That isn't the only thing going on in West Seattle this weekend. Saturday is the West Seattle Grand Parade! According to the event;s website, this has been going on since 1935 and will feature pirates, clowns, marching bands, drill teams, floats and more!
The annual United Indians of All Tribes Foundation Seafair Indian Days Powwow returns this weekend. Starting today and running through the weekend at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, there will be traditional Indian cooking, jewlery making and the event's website emphasizes the dancing! All ar welcome to attend and you can get details at unitedindians.org/seafairpowwow
There are a lot of other summer festivals going on this weekend related to Seafair, you can see lots of events at seafair.org/community-events
You might catch KIRO News Radio's own Gee Scott at the Reggae on the Way Festival in Tacoma this weekend! Shaggy and Atmosphere are just two of the big names performing this Sunday! You can get tickets at reggaeontheway.com
There is so much more going on this weekend, the Mariners are even back in town, but I am out of time, as always don't miss out on all the fun and as always, if you know of even more cool things going on in the area, Let me know at PaulH@kiroradio.com
Paul Holden KIRO News Radio
The weekend is here, the sun is shining and there is plenty to do!
At the Port Defiance Aquarium it's Sharks and Rays weekend! Their website says you can come face to face with these creatures of the Sea and there will be activities throughout the weekend as well that will teach you all about sharks, including eating habits, how their teeth work and other fun facts! The Tropical Reef portion of the aquarium has been recently renovated as well, so you will see something new if you haven't been in a while! Get tickets at pdza.org
Pride celebrations continue in Tacoma with the 2024 Tacoma Pride Festival! This is Saturday from 12-6 at Fireman's park, and will feature booths, food trucks, live entertainment and more! You can also find a spot to watch the parade along Pacific Ave. Parking will be impacted in the area so plan ahead! Get more details at tacomapride.org
It's the Ballard Seafood Fest this weekend! Along Market St and Ballard Ave there will be lots of tasty treats from the sea from food trucks and local restaurants. The food isn't the only star of the show as Festi-Bowl is back and bigger than ever. Festi-Bowl as described on the event's website "showcases organized skateboarding in a positive environment and highlights the unique attributes of the sport." There will be a variety of competitions that are for all ages and open to all skill levels. The event is free, runs today through the weekend and more details can be found at seafoodfest.org
Tonight at Cal Anderson Park you can catch the film Mama Mia at 8:30 PM for free! This is part of the Center City Cinema program and is free to attend! Bring a chair and some snacks, but in case you forget, food trucks will be onsite. You can see the full schedule of films and other locations for free movies throughout the summer on the Seattle Parks website.
At the Fantagraphics Bookstore on Saturday, it's the 11th annual Hot Off the Presses Book Fair! Over 50 artists from across the region and nation are showing off their comics, art and more. There will also be live music and plenty of artists, authors, publishers and more to talk about your work or the cool stuff you've seen! The Book Fair runs from 5-9 PM and details can be found on fantagraphics.com
If you are looking to beef up your record collection you might want to head to the Clock-out Lounge in Beacon Hill on Sunday. From 12-5 PM multiple vendors will be selling your next favorite album and if you strike out on your search? You can enjoy some pizza, drink specials and some tunes. This event is free, so no need to buy a ticket.
In West Seattle, there's live music, local food, and family fun all weekend long. It's the West Seattle Summer Fest at the West Seattle Junction! In addition to vendors, music, food and a beer garden, there will be inflatables for the kids, as well as a foam party, arcade, soccer and even drivable robotics! It's free to attend but be prepared to pay for some, but not all, of the kids activities. Get details at westseattlesummerfest.com
In South Lake Union this weekend it's the 3rd Annual Seeking Cultura Mexican Filipino Tianguis (tian-guis) Block Party. This event will of course have food and music, but also fun for the family, community outreach opportunities and a wellness bar. You can details at seekingcultura.com
This is just a small sample of all the things going on this weekend, and as always, if you know of even more cool things going on in the area, Let me know at PaulH@kiroradio.com
Paul Holden, KIRO News Radio.
Summer is OFFICIALLY here, school is wrapping up, and there is lots to do this weekend.
Lots of ways to celebrate the Summer Solstice including...
Today in Gig Harbor it is the fourth annual Gig Harbor Make Music Celebration! This summer Solstice celebration will have concerts all over the place, on the streets, sidewalks and parks. The event is free and kicks off with a parade at noon. Get more details at makemusicday.org/gigharbor
The Fremont Fair is back on Saturday and Sunday. This summer kick off party will have a craft market, lots of local food, live music and of course the Fremont Solstice Parade! The parade starts at 1 pm on Saturday, and according to the event website, the parade will have over 60 community- based ensembles! More information and the parade route is available at fremontfair.com
This weekend is one of only TWO times a year the Pacific Bonsai Museum stays open past 4 pm. The Summer Bonsai Solistace celebration will feature group Taichi & Qigong (chee-guhng) demonstrations, food trucks, a sound bathing and breathing demos and of course Bonsai! The event goes from 4-8 and is free, but a donation to the museum is encouraged.
The best women's golfers in the world are here in Washington this weekend. The KPMG Women's PGA Championship is underway and if you want to see some of the best in the world compete on the links? You'll want to head to the Sahalee (sa-hall-ee) Country Club in Sammamish. The Opening Rounds have already happened but you can get details and tickets at kpmgwomenspgachampionship.com
At Lakewood Gardens in Lakewood it is Fairy Fest! Explore the gardens while taking part in fairy themed family activities, art projects, live music and dancing, storytelling and lots more! Fairy Fest runs all tomorrow and Sunday, you can get tickets and more details at lakewoldgardens.org
The Festal program continues at the Seattle Center. This weekend, it is the Seattle Iranian Festival, celebrating Iranian culture and more with dances, a vocal performance from the Seattle Iranian Choir and other musical performances, a cooking demo and more. This is another free event and you can visit seattlecenter.com for more details.
Pride celebrations are continuing, and at Cal Anderson Park on Saturday, there is the Pride March and Rally. This march is done in remembrance of Stonewall and in addition to the march, the event will have guest speakers, live music and the doggie drag costume contest. Things get started at 10 am on Saturday, with the march starting at noon. More information is available at capitolhillpridefestival.info
Saturday at the Rainer Beach Community Center it is the 23rd Annual Atlantic Street Center's Juneteenth celebration. There will be resources to learn more about Junetenth and the various local organizations. There will also be live music, a wide variety of performances, vendors and free food... while supplies last. The fun starts at 11 AM on Saturday at the Rainer Beach Community Center.
Rain in the forecast doesn't mean there isn't plenty to do this weekend so let's see what's going on!
The buskers will be back and out on Saturday at Pike Place market for Buskarama! It runs all day from 10-5 and there will be 15 spots around the market where people will be telling their stories and singing their songs. There's also a busker showcase at the Rabbit Box at 7:30, you'll need a ticket for that. To learn more, visit veteransofthearts.com
If you love Meryl Streep, then you will want to head to the Grand Cinema in Tacoma this weekend. Starting today and going through Sunday it is Meryalthon! This fundraising event will feature a new film each night, as well as receptions, Q+A's, costume contests, a pun slam, and plenty more! According to the event website, "It is part of the cinema's broader “Save the Grand” fundraising campaign , which seeks to raise enough money to purchase ownership of the building." Get showtimes and more details on all the fun at grandcinema.com
This weekend is the Edmonds Art Festival, just in time for Father's Day. Over 200 artists will be showing off their creations and those are just the booth artists, hundreds more artists will be showcases in galleries at the festival, including student work! There will also be live music and food. You can find out more at edmondsartfestival.com
At Judkins Park on Saturday it is the Northwest African American Museum' Annual Skate Party. This year will be a Juneteenth celebration with music and food, plus, if you need some wheels, skates will be available to rent. The Museum will be open all day for visitors as well! The Skate Party runs from noon until 5 at Judkins Park. More details available at naamnw.org
Take some time for yourself and focus on finding your balance at the 10th international Day of Yoga celebration. This takes place on Sunday from 10 am until 11:30 at the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle. There will be a guided yoga session as well as a chance to meet fellow yoga enthusiasts. All skill levels are welcome and you can find details at seattleartmuseum.org
Sunday is Father's Day and there are plenty of ways to celebrate the fathers or father figures in your life. There are brunches, tennis tournaments, BBQs and more. I'd recomend just doing a quick search online of Father's Day events in my area. I bet you will find plenty!
The first place Mariners are also in town this weekend, taking on the Texas Rangers in a big time divisional matchup. Tonight is fireworks night at T Mobile and on Sunday they will be giving away special Cal Raleigh seat cushions, as well as celebrating youth softball and fastpitch! Get all your information at mlb.com/mariners
Get out and enjoy yourselves this weekend and as always if you know of even more cool things going on in the area, Let me know at PaulH@kiroradio.com
Paul Holden, KIRO News Radio
This weekend, and well just about any time at Pike Place market you will be greeted by the sweet tunes of buskers. Artists who are looking to connect with their community and tell their stories.
My oh my does it feel like summertime now with this sunshine and warm weather! Good thing there's lots of ways to soak up the sun and enjoy a beautiful weekend here in our region.
Lets start with an easy way to enjoy the great outdoors. Washington State Parks are celebrating National Get Outside Day and Go Fishing Day this weekend. That means entrance fees to Washington State Parks are waived on Saturday and Sunday, and you can enjoy all the natural beauty free of charge. Not bad when we are going to be flirting with 80 degrees this weekend.
In Tacoma, it is the 2024 Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show! One of my favorite events of the year is back at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center all weekend long. Not only will there be high stakes pinball competitions, there will be over 400 games for folks to play as well as a showcase of the new John Wick themed pinball machines! This event is run by volunteers and they do an amazing job! Get details and tickets at nwpinballshow.com
Pride celebrations continue this weekend! At the Beacon Hill Street Fair on Saturday, there will be the usual live music, vendors and art market, but there will also be Pride themed programming like a pride flag installation ceremony, poetry workshops and a make your on flag class! Get more details at beacon-arts.org/street-fairs
At the Kraken Community Iceplex it is the Seattle Pride Hockey Associations Seattle Pride Classic! This 20 team tournament is free to spectate and will feature other events like a chance to skate with the Kraken's Mascot Buoy, as well as the Pride Tape With A Pro! This will give you one on one time with a NHL player while they tape up your stick with pride themed tape. Make sure to bring your tape! Get more details at seattlepridehockey.org
Seattle's International Dance Festival begins this weekend, running until the 16th. There will be a different show each day and 20 dance companies performing dances from across the world. This weekend's performances will be focused on international dances as well as the new up and coming education series that is happening on Sunday. This series will have four Seattle dance studios highlighting their skills and competing for prizes. Get tickets and details at seattleidf.org
On Saturday at the Seattle Center, it is the Indigenous People Festival, part of the Festal program. This free event will showcase dances, music, interviews and of course tasty food. The festival starts at 10 AM on Saturday.
It's going to be a perfect weekend to be out on the water, so why not check out the Seattle Dragon Boat Festival? Saturday from 8am-4 PM at South Lake Union Park there will be dragon boat races, lion dances, live drum performances and even an Elvis Presley tribute band! This event has free admission as well as food trucks!
On Airport Way in Georgetown there will be a carnival, the Georgetown Carnival to be exact! There will be multiple stages of art projects, tarot card readings, vendors, art galleries, you name it! And of course it can't be a carnival without fun games and a tribute to legendary local icon JP Patches. Don't miss out on all the fun in Gerogetown from noon until 10.
Get outside and soak up that summer sun and if you know of even more cool things going on in the area, Let me know at PaulH@kiroradio.com
Paul Holden, KIRO News Radio
Summer is HERE and we got lots of things going on in the region.
June is Pride month and celebrations are getting started this weekend for a milestone moment.
Seattle is celebrating 50 years of Pride Month celebrations and it all starts at Pride in the Park. Saturday from 12-7 at Volunteer Park there will be live music, food trucks, vendors, informative booths and more. There will also be programing for kids and families, the event is free so no ticket needed.
This isn't the only Pride related event this weekend, there's a Street Festival in White Center on Saturday from 11-11 and if you are looking to give back this weekend, there's a community cleanup happening in Capitol Hill. It's called Taking Pride in Capitol Hill. Get details at seattlepridefest.org
There's another Pawfest this weekend! What's Pawfest? Well it is a pet adoption event that features a pet parade, costume contest, agility shows and training tips. Pup cups will be served of course. Come meet your next furry friend or family member from 11-2 on Saturday at Kent Station.
The Festal celebrations continue this weekend at the Seattle Center. This weekend it is the Pagdiriwang (Pag-di-ri-wong)Philippine Festival . The event starts Saturday with a grand opening ceremony followed by dances, folk songs, food, and a fashion extravaganza. The celebration goes from 11-7 PM Saturday and Sunday.
If you are looking for some new houseplants and a way to support the University of Washington, you are in luck. The annual Plant Sale Fundraiser is Saturday from 10-2. You'll be able to walk through the UW farm and can pick up tomatos, peppers, eggplants, summer squash, pollinators, herbs and more. All the plants are organic! More details at botanicgardens.uw.edu
Who doesn't love a little kegs and eggs?! The Bacon, Eggs and Kegs festival is this weekend at Lumen Field. You'll be able to enjoy beers, ciders, mimosas, Blood Marys and more while dining on brunch bites from Seattle area restaurants,chefs and food trucks. There will be live music as well as plenty of life size yard games. Get tickets at baconeggsandkegs.com
Get ready for HONK Fest Westr this weekend! HONK Fest West's mission statement is simple, they are dedicated to the activation of public space through energetic musical performance. You can find the tunes in three locations, Friday in Georgetown, Saturday in Columbia City and Sunday at Pratt Park. Get more details at honkfestwest.org
Do you love Greek food? On Capitol Hill this weekend there will be three days of Greek food and fun. The Bite of Greece Seattle returns and will be all weekend long! In addition to lunch and dinner options, there will be imported deli items available to buy. Get details at biteofgreeceseattle.com
All these cool things and more are going down this weekend. Know of something going on? Let me know at PaulH@kiroradio.com
Paul Holden, KIRO News Radio
t's a long holiday weekend, and the weather might not be the summer kickoff we were hoping for, but never fear! There's still plenty to do.
It's the World's Longest Garage Sale on Long Beach Peninsula. You'll want to put on your best walking shoes as you walk along the coast looking for cool trinkets and more. The sale runs all weekend long.
If you are looking to catch some tunes this weekend the concert slate is LOADED. Portugal the Man is at Remlinger Farms on Friday. Also on Friday, Girl and Girl is live at Easy Street records, Billy Joel is at T Mobile Park and if you can find second hand tickets, the Young Fresh Fellows is at the Tractor Tavern. Saturday at the White River Amphitheater it's Avril Lavigne's Greatest Hits Tour, All Time Low is also on the bill. Sarah McLachlan is performing at the CHateau Ste Micchelle Winery in Woodinville on Saturday and Sunday. There's plenty more bands so check your favorite local spot to see the latest lineup.
On Sunday at the Neptune Theater it is Massive Monkees Day. Their website describes Massive Monkees as "a world-renowned hip-hop crew consisting of DJs, emcees and most notably, 20+ b-boys and b-girls". The event will be celebrating 25 years of Massive Monkees with a variety of dancing competitions. There will be Breakin battles, footwork battles, open style battles and more. Get tickets at the Neptune's website.
Sometimes you have to ask yourself the tough questions like... what's a better reward a donut or a beer? On Saturday in Ballard it is the Mighty-O Tour de Donut. This ride will take you around the city with stops in Ballard, Greenlake, Cap Hill and Denny Triangle. For each stop you make, you will be rewarded with a free donut and drip coffee, or a mini donut and a kid's drink if you are a youngin. If beer is more your motivator, the Tour De Pints is for you. The ride is described as 20ish miles and starts at Flying Bike Brewery. The rest of the stops are a mystery and reveled as you go along. A note if you do want to check out Tour De Pints, helmets are REQUIRED so make sure you strap that brain bucket on before you ride.
All weekend long at the Seattle Center is the 53rd Annual Northwest Folklife Festival. You can learn about the arts, heritage and traditions of Pacific Northwest communities. There will be art and music and that's just scratching the surface. Get more details and a full schedule of events on nwfolklife.org
If you are looking to check out some sports this weekend, the Seattle Storm take on the Washington Mystics on Saturday night at Climate Pledge. Tip Off is at 6. Tonight is the home opener for the two time USL champion Ballard FC. The match starts tonight at 7 at Memorial Stadium. Tickets available on the club's website.
Monday is Memorial Day and multiple Ceremonies will be taking place on Monday. To name a few there will be ceremonies in Arlington, Kent, Lynwood and at the State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake. Look on your community websites for details about events in your area.
Hope you all enjoy the long weekend and as always if you know of stuff going on in your area, let me know at PaulH@kiroradio.com
Paul Holden KIRO News Radio
Chris Porter, the Bumbershoot music program director, has returned to the festival after a number of years away and is excited about the 2024 edition's musical lineup, which was released Tuesday morning. The lineup includes headliners Pavement, James Blake, Cypress Hill, Courtney Barnett, Kurt Vile, Kim Gordon, Freddie Gibbs, and Aly & AJ.