Spend your weekend at neighborhood festivals and activities, see a good movie or stay at home with a new book.
So many neighborhood festivals! Pick one (or three) to check out:
- Rainier Valley: Saturday is bursting with summer fun events in Rainier Valley. You can watch the Heritage Parade, run around at the Big Day of Play at Rainier Playfield and partake of free hot dogs and turkey burgers at Othello Park. But wait, there’s more — the Hillman City Car Show and the South Seattle Community Picnic will be going on, too.
- South Lake Union Block Party: Beware commuters, SLU may be even more crowded on Friday. The music starts at 4 p.m. and features five Seattle bands, including groove masters Beat Connection and the heavenly harmonies of Lemolo. And festival-goers will crown the neighborhood’s best burger.
- Kirkland Summerfest: Kirkland’s largest festival includes food trucks, beer garden, music and dancing downtown and by the waterfront on Friday and Saturday.
- Festival at Mt. Si: Head to North Bend for the usual festival fun, and something you may not see anywhere else: the “Unofficial Wife Carrying Contest.” Yes, that’s a thing.
Too hot in the city? Head for Tofino on Vancouver Island’s ocean-cooled, windswept west coast – the natural hot springs might feel pretty good. Or organize a backpack trip through the North Cascades to remote Stehekin, on Lake Chelan, where there’s a pretty great bakery.
See an exhibit: A taxidermy bra? A dress made entirely from wood? Check out the “World of WearableArt” at EMP Museum. Or let a wave of nostalgia crash over you at MOHAI’s “Toys of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s,” which runs through three decades of toys that have stood the test of time.
See a movie: We know Meryl Streep can sing. But she’s never quite done anything like what she does in “Florence Foster Jenkins,” a comedy about a terrible opera singer in 1940s New York. Other options for the week include Disney’s kid-pleaser “Pete’s Dragon,” and an animated comedy that’s definitely for adults, the very-R-rated “Sausage Party.”
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Grab a book: Want to join the fuss over “Alexander Hamilton”? It’s just one of 16 cool paperbacks out in time for your end-of-summer reading binge. Or, if you’re in need of suspense, pick up one of these three new crime novels by Canadian authors.
For more festivities, subscribe to our Weekender newsletter and check out our complete Summer Guide. Have a great weekend!