Alicia Erickson

Washington’s Spring Festivals Go Way Beyond Tulips
From cherry blossoms in Seattle to shorebirds on the coast, these spring festivals celebrate the state’s natural abundance.
From our rivers flowing with snowmelt and salmon to valleys dotted with wildflowers and berries, to forests filled with mossy trees and mushrooms, nature is an inseparable part of Washington’s culture and ecosystem. It shapes what we eat and drink, what inspires our art and outdoor lifestyle, and even our cities. Nature is part of…

Here’s Your Earth Month To-Do List
Local cleanups, trail work, and ways to get outside this April.
In the Pacific Northwest, a region deeply connected to water, forests, and ecosystems, the climate conversation has never been theoretical. It shows up as shrinking snowpack, severe flooding, and warming streams. If the planet’s future—and that of our own backyard—can feel overwhelming, this year’s Earth Day theme, “Our Power, Our Planet,” puts the action back…

Your Guide to Plant-Based Game Day Food Around Seattle
Vegan and vegetarian dishes to nosh on all baseball season long.
With baseball season starting today and the Mariners back on the field, bars around the city are gearing up for several months of game day gatherings. Whether you’re pregaming at a neighborhood bar or chowing down at the stadium, food is part of the ritual. Sports food culture often defaults to meaty wings and sliders,…

These Women Helped Shape Seattle
From early civil rights leaders to today’s chefs and writers, a handful of women whose work left a mark on the city.
Playwrights and authors. Mayors and activists. Chefs and restaurateurs. From its earliest days, Seattle has been shaped by the tenacity of powerful, creative, and innovative women. While there are far too many to include here, in honor of Women’s History Month, we wanted to highlight just a handful of the women whose work left a…

Ways to Support Women in Seattle This March
Where to gather, shop, connect, and explore around Seattle.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Give to Gain,” a concept that encourages generosity and collaboration, which in turn will expand opportunities and support for women. In an ever-uncertain world where it can feel like women’s rights are backsliding several decades, solidarity, investment, and support are as important as ever. So how can…

Black History Month in Seattle
Events, landmarks, and businesses to support year-round.
Black pioneers first arrived in Seattle in the mid-19th century. The city’s earliest known African American resident was Manuel Lopes, who arrived in 1852 from Cabo Verde. A couple of decades later, African Americans began migrating to the Pacific Northwest from Southern states to work in coal mines. During this period, two Black enclaves began…

In Praise of Winter Solstice
Five ways to welcome the longest night with intention.
I dreaded the arrival of winter for most of my life. The cold, dark days left me feeling claustrophobic and daydreaming of sunnier days. For years, I fled the Northern Hemisphere during the darkest and coldest months of the year, chasing warmer climates. Eventually my winter escapism caught up to me. I realized I was…

Skip the Sales
Spend Black Friday doing something that feels good and keeps you grounded.
Black Friday deals seem to arrive earlier and earlier. This year, I spotted pre-Black Friday sales creeping into my inbox as early as October. While I don’t mind a good deal on something I need, excess sales promote over-consumerism that leaves me feeling empty. Skip the Black Friday frenzy altogether and embrace a season of…

Honoring Native Heritage Across Washington
From Port Townsend’s storytelling trail to Tulalip’s cultural center, these sites invite reflection and honor Indigenous history and living traditions.
Washington State is the Indigenous land of 29 federally recognized Native American tribes, including the Makah, Muckleshoot, and Lummi Nations. In Seattle, we are privileged guests living on the Native land of the Duwamish Tribe. From trails through state parks and landmarks within the city to well-known sites like Snoqualmie Falls (sacred to the Snoqualmie…

Scenes from Seattle’s ‘No Kings’ March
Photos capture a mile-long procession of about 90,000 demonstrators moving from Seattle Center to downtown in a peaceful, creative show of unity.
Over the weekend, on a gray, chilly Saturday afternoon, Seattle showed up by the thousands to partake in the second “No Kings” march. An estimated 90,000 people joined Seattle’s primary protest—starting at Seattle Center and marching into downtown—surpassing June’s protest of the same name by about 20,000 participants. The “No Kings” protests began earlier this…

Celebrating Diwali in Seattle
The Festival of Lights fills the city with feasts, performances, and community events.
My introduction to Diwali was in 2016 during my first visit to India. I wandered the streets of Jaipur, twinkling with white, blue, and purple fairy lights. I snacked on treats with my host family, designed rainbow-colored patterns with sand, and carried flickering diyas (oil lamps) to the neighborhood temple before watching fireworks explode over…

Hispanic Heritage Month in Seattle
Celebrate Hispanic history, art, culture, and food in the city this fall.
Seattle’s Hispanic roots are much older than many realize. Often overshadowed by the history of British exploration of the Pacific Northwest, Spanish exploration in and around Washington dates to the late 1700s. Think of places like the San Juan Islands and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, where the evidence is in the names. From…

How to Celebrate the Sea on World Ocean Day
Numerous events across Seattle mark World Ocean Day on June 8
Seattle and Western Washington are inseparable from the ocean. Maybe you fish or forage from it, kayak or sail on it, surf its swells, hike and camp along its coast, or simply enjoy the sight of the water on a regular basis. The ocean is intertwined with our way of life here. And sometimes it’s…
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