Seattle’s Top 10 : Festivals & Parades

1. Seafair

   A
   parade along 4th Avenue in early July kicks off Seafair, a celebration
   of maritime and aviation history highlighted by the aerodynamic
   “derring-do” of the Navy’s Blue Angels F/A-18 fighter pilots, an All
   Nations Pow Wow at Daybreak Cultural Center, hydroplane races on Lake
   Washington, and battleships open to the public on the waterfront.

2. Bumbershoot

   Performers from all over the world converge for this Labor Day weekend festival  that transforms Seattle Center into the arts capital of the Pacific NW.
   Its three days are packed with concerts, intimate theater productions,
   independent film presentations, and literary arts.

3. Seattle Pride March

   The Seattle Pride March
   runs from Westlake Park to Seattle Center. Sponsored by the gay,
   lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community, it attracts huge crowds
   from every orientation. Expect outrageous floats, dancing, and the
   popular “Dykes on Bikes”, a motorcycle outfit whose members freely show
   what they have beneath the leather.

4. University District Street Fair

   Dating
   from 1970, Seattle’s first street fair stretches over ten blocks of
   “The Ave” and its sidestreets in May. Innumerable crafts booths, food
   vendors, and local rock music performances attract families from all
   over town.

5. Fremont Fair Solstice Parade

   All
   floats at this innovative parade must be entirely human powered,
   stimulating the imaginations of Fremont’s anarchic arts community. Crews
   propel samba bands, dancers, and rock quartets using battery-operated
   amplifiers. It’s held on or near the summer solstice (June 21).

6. Seattle Maritime Festival

   Aficionados
   of tugboats and ships flock to this May festival. It makes for a free,
   fun, and family-friendly way to learn how the working waterfront has
   become a major factor in Seattle’s economy and culture. The fair centers
   around the Bell Street Pier, which is adjacent to the Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center. An exciting and humorous highlight is the tugboat race on Elliott Bay.

7. Northwest Folklife Festival

   A
   free May celebration of the Pacific NW’s ethnic music, dance, and arts
   and crafts, Folklife is a magnet for all the old (and new) hippies in
   the region. Given the diversity of Seattle’s Pacific Rim population,
   it’s virtually a festival of and for the world.

8. Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF)

   One
   of the most respected and comprehensive film festivals in the US, the
   SIFF screens more than 300 new works from at least 50 countries during
   May and June. Even midnight showings of cult films sell out, and notable
   directors attend many premier screenings.

9. Earshot Jazz Festival

   The
   shoestring staff at the non-profit Earshot Jazz held between October
   and November present a well-respected event. The festivals have
   consistently showcased successful as well as struggling jazz artists,
   enriching and enlightening the Seattle community at large. Well-known
   performers have included Bill Frisell and John McLaughlin.

10. Seattle Improvised Music Festival (SIMF)

    The
    largest and longest running music festival of its kind anywhere, SIMF
    is dedicated to the esoteric art of spontaneous composition. Local
    performers join eclectic international musicians to improvise sets that
    defy category, but always impress. After 19 thrilling annual
    productions, the ever-popular February festival draws larger audiences
    each year.

Top 10 Festal Cultural Events