Must List: 14/48: Nordo–Food Theater Thunderdome, Northwest Folklife, Emerald City Ride
Your weekly guide to Seattle's hottest events
By Sydney Gladu May 23, 2019
Love the Must List? Get it right in your inbox. Subscribe.
MUST BE RANDOM
14/48: Nordo – Food Theater Thunderdome
(5/23–25) The Worlds Quickest Theater Festival—brought to you by The 14/48 Project—takes on writing, casting, directing, rehearsing, scoring, designing and performing 14 plays in 48 hours. The plays and cast are selected by drawing names out of a hat. In the spirit of randomness, select playwright will be paired with a Café Nordo chef, who will prepare a meal with random ingredients inspired by the theme of the play (vegetarian options will be available). And voilà, dinner and a show. 8 p.m. $65. Café Nordo, downtown, 109 S Main St; 206.209.2002; the1448projects.org
MUST CELEBRATE
Northwest Folklife Festival
(5/24–27) The self-proclaimed ‘For the People by the People’ festival returns to Seattle Center for the 48th year. The local fest features more than 5,000 performers and is one of the largest access-for-all festivals in the nation, powered by 500 plus volunteers. This year Folklife’s theme is Youth Rising, so expect spectacular young talent showcased throughout the weekend. When you aren’t catching workshops on social justice or contra dancing, make sure to check out musical guests like Willie and the Whips, Catherine Bird and Trish Anderson. Times vary. Suggested $10 donation for individuals, $20 for families. Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St.; 206.684.7300; folklife.org
MUST DOCUMENT
Life Wide Angle/Close Up Exhibit
(Through 4/19/2020) Gentrification is changing cities around the country. The vibrant neighborhood cultures of Chinatowns across the U.S, famous neighborhoods formed in the early 20th century like Nihonmachis and Little Manilas have been documented for a multi-media exhibit that will be at the Wing Luke Musem in Chinatown-International District over the next year. Curated by Carina A. Del Rosario—a Philippine born Seattle resident and photographer—the exhibit highlights work from Dean Wong, Mel Ponder, Andrew Hida and Chinatown Art Brigade collective. Times and prices vary. The Wind Luke Museum of Asian Pacific American Experience, Chinatown-International District, 719 S King St.; 206.623.5124; wingluke.org
MUST BIKE THE TUNNEL
Emerald City Ride
(5/26) Our beautiful city is making way for the bike ride of the year through the new 1.7-mile-long SR 99 Tunnel. Cyclists take the streets starting at Pyramid Alehouse then head north through the tunnel and over the Aurora Bridge. Take a pit stop at Gas Works Park for a snack before heading to the finish line via the I-5 express lanes. 7 a.m. Prices vary. Pyramid Alehouse, Pioneer Square, 1201 First Ave S; 206.522.3222; cascade.org
MUST LOVE TANKS
Tankfest Northwest
(5/25) This year Northwest Tankfest showcases World War II tanks, reenactments and special guest Richard Hine—a retired Marine Corps Tank Commander talking battle tactics and what’s it like to serve on an M48. Make sure to check out the local food trucks between the XTREME BMX show and remote-control tank demonstrations. The family friendly event will also feature face painting, a bouncy house and a scavenger hunt. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Prices vary. Flying Heritage & Combat Museum, Bomarc parking lot, Everett, 9205 Airport Rd; 206.342.4242; flyingheritage.com
Follow Us
Studio Sessions: Jo Cosme
The Seattle-based multimedia artist and 2026 Neddy Award winner challenges the postcard version of Puerto Rico and centers the persistence of its people.
Jo Cosme knows how seductive a postcard can be. The Seattle-based Boricua (Puerto Rican) multimedia artist works across photography, installation, video, sound, and interactive elements to examine and pull apart how Puerto Rico is seen, sold, and misunderstood from the outside. Trained in photojournalism, with a BFA in photography from Puerto Rico School of Fine…
Seattle’s Drag Brunch Has History
The city’s Sunday shows started long before the mimosas got bottomless.
There was a time not too long ago, when drag performances—now a mainstay of Seattle’s queer scene—were kept under wraps. And when brunches, complete with singing and dancing queens dressed in dazzling drag as you sipped mimosas, weren’t a Sunday staple. During the 1940s and ‘50s, an era largely shaped by restrictive laws and bias…
Studio Sessions: Sangram Majumdar
Working at the confluence of history, culture, and various painting traditions, UW associate professor Sangram Majumdar is one of this year’s Neddy Artist Award winners.
Discover the art of UW professor Sangram Majumdar, a 2026 Neddy Artist Award winner. Learn about his inspiration and upcoming Seattle exhibition at Cornish.
Rearview Mirror: A Georgian Dinner, Sidewalk Sips, and One-of-a-Kind Clothing
Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).
A new life for old clothes To celebrate one year in its current studio, the FXRY—a clothing repair service available via in-person appointments, home pickup, or mail-in drop off—is dropping its first collection. A small batch of reworked pieces, Second Mark will feature 13 vintage barn jackets, cropped, chain-stitched, and renewed into a completely unique, one-of-one…