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Must List: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Seattle Turkey Trot, Eirik Johnson: ‘Pine’

Your weekly guide to Seattle's hottest events.

By Gavin Borchert, Jason Freedberg and Beau Iverson November 21, 2018

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MUST PONDER

Neil deGrasse Tyson 
(11/26–11/27) Astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson takes the stage at the Paramount to talk shop on science and the universe. Monday’s conversation, “Adventures in Science Literacy,” tackles the importance of scientific knowledge throughout history, touching on the state of science in the U.S. today. On Tuesday, Tyson lightly mentions the significance and implications of understanding our planet in a vast, empty cosmos with a talk titled “The Cosmic Perspective.” Bring your thinking caps. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary. The Paramount Theatre, Downtown, 911 Pine St.; 206.682.1414; stgpresents.org 

Courtesy of Eirik Johnson and G. Gibson Gallery

MUST VIEW 

Eirik Johnson: Pine 
(Through 12/1) Before there were selfies or social media—centuries before—carving words, or even just your initials, into a tree was one way to assert your presence in a medium that would presumably outlast you. It’s still a popular act, as Johnson shows in his shots of these enigmatic memorabilia collected first in a book, Pine, and now in this exhibit. Free. Times vary. G. Gibson Gallery, Lower Queen Anne, 104 W Roy St.; 206.587.4033; ggibsongallery.com 

MUST SCOOT 

Seattle Turkey Trot 
(11/22) Support the Ballard Food Bank while preemptively burning off a few calories before Thanksgiving dinner at the 12th annual Seattle Turkey Trot 5K. Bring the kids, bring the dog: All are welcome to walk, jog or run. (And yes, turkey costumes are encouraged.) Route starts at Sunset Hill and ends at Golden Gardens Park. 9 a.m. Prices vary. Sunset Hill. 32nd Ave. NW and NW 85th St.; 206.684.4075; seattleturkeytrot.org 

MUST DISSENT

Engage: The Art of Protest 
(11/27) Learn about Seattle’s history of civic engagement and protest art and how demonstrating can directly impact democracy. Local activist and artist Lisa Bade hosts this event that includes an exhibit of  MOHAI’s collection of protest artifacts and a make-your-own protest art workshop with climate activist and organizer Shemona Moreno. 6:308:30 p.m. Prices vary. MOHAI South Lake Café, South Lake Union, 860 Terry Ave. N; 206.324.1126; mohai.org

MUST HO-HO-HO 

Santa at the Space Needle 
(11/23–12/24) If you don’t feel like fighting crowds to the downtown tree lighting, here’s another way to welcome the Christmas cheer. The Space Needle transforms into the North Pole as St. Nick holds Christmas court on weekends through Christmas Eve. This truly Seattle Santa photo op takes place on the Needle’s new revolving glass floor, and includes access to the observation deck. Times and prices vary. Space Needle, Queen Anne, 400 Broad St.; 206.905.2100; spaceneedle.com

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