The Must List: Japanese Cultural Festival, Arcade Lights & More

What to do this weekend in Seattle

By Seattle magazine staff April 21, 2016

A glass with a logo on it sitting on a table.

Must Taste
Pike Place Market’s Annual Arcade Lights
Friday (4/22, 7 p.m.) Head to Pike Place Market for the annual Arcade Lights Tasting Festival in the North Arcade. Enjoy a night of artisanal foods, beers and Washington wines. Indulge in unlimited snacks and use your five tokens to taste locally crafted drinks.

Must See
Trees in Bloom at the Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival
(4/22 to 4/24, times vary) Japanese cherry blossom trees only flower for a week or two for the entire year, so don’t miss your chance to peek at those pretty pink petals at the Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival. The festival began 40 years ago when 1,000 cherry blossom trees were given to Seattle by Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Miki. Enjoy live performances, taiko drumming, food and games during the two-day event at Seattle Center.

Must Listen
Seattle Symphony Performs Music from Romeo & Juliet and More
(4/21 to 4/24, times vary) Musical director Ludovic Morlot conducts the Seattle Symphony in an evening of Romantic music. On the bill is Mendelssohn’s Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Britten’s Nocturne, Szymanowski’s Symphony No. 3 and Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet Fantasy-Overture.

Must Hear
Author Teju Cole Reads at Town Hall
Thursday (4/21, 7:30 p.m.) The Nigerian-born author’s epic novel, Open City, draws on his heritage to tell the fictional tale of one man’s experiences in a post-9/11 New York. Cole’s most recent novella, Every Day Is for the Thief, follows a nameless protagonist as he returns to Nigeria, reflecting on his personal relationships and coming to terms with his past. He will discuss how his heritage has influenced his writing and creative process.

Must Watch
Velocity Dance Center Presents Karin Stevens
(4/22 to 4/24, times vary) This big-thinking Seattle choreographer presents (Re)Move: Back Toward Again the (Re)Turn Facing, a piece she describes as “a personal and earth exploration at the interchange of science, philosophy, art and the movements of spirit toward a (re)form of imagination for our time.” With music by Seattle’s Wayne Horvitz, Michael Owcharuk and Nate Omdal.