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Must List: Tet in Seattle, Bavarian Ice Fest, ‘Fiddler on the Roof’

Your weekly guide to Seattle's hottest events

By Jorn Peterson January 16, 2020

Chinese dragon
Chinese dragon

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MUST SHARE CULTURE

Tet in Seattle
(1/18-1/19)
This annual festival celebrates traditional Vietnamese culture and influence in the Northwest with art, food, music and other customs. The festival includes traditional lion dance, firecrackers, a cultural village, cooking competition and food eating contest. Come hungry!
11 a.m. Free. Seattle Center, Lower Queen Anne; tetinseattle.org

MUST TOE THE SNOW

Bavarian Ice Fest
(1/18-1/19)
Washington’s European winter wonderland will further embrace its snowy surroundings with half-a-million lights and a weekend of chilly fun. Come for live ice carving, snow sculptures and snowshoeing, stay for ice games and the 6 p.m. fireworks show on Sunday. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. Leavenworth;
leavenworth.org

MUST CELEBRATE CHANGE

Expansions MLK Unity Party
(1/19)
 KEXP and Clock-Out Lounge are pairing up to host Expansions’ 20th annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., with music, dancing and a live broadcast. Join the local, listener-powered radio station for two live broadcasts of Expansions, with a post-midnight after party to follow. This is a 21-and-older event. 6 p.m. Prices vary. Clock-Out Lounge, Beacon Hill;
https://www.kexp.org/events/kexp-events/expansions-mlk-unity-party/

MUST EMBRACE THE UNPLEASANT

From Struggle to Survival: Creating Beauty out of Tragedy
(1/20)
Commemorating the life, work and example of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., writers and musicians will come together to present original music and poetry as means of telling stories about their struggles and what it takes to survive. Themes include bringing hope in dark times and finding beauty in times of difficulty, as in times of joy.
7 p.m. Free. Elliott Bay Book Company, Capitol Hill; Facebook: ‘From Struggle to Survival: Creating Beauty out of Tragedy’

MUST SEE A CLASSIC REBORN

Fiddler on the Roof
(Through 1/19)
Experience the classic production that was once the longest-running Broadway musical of all time. Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Scher and Israeli choreographer
Hofesh Shechter string together a contemporary performance that embraces the story’s timeless sentiments of faith, family and tradition. Times and prices vary. Paramount Theatre, downtown; stgpresents.org

Coming up:
These events are weeks away but are bound to sell out—get your tickets now.

MUST TASTE, SAMPLE & POP!

Pop! Bubbles + Seafood
(2/21)
This taste-it-all seafood and wine event at Seattle’s elegant Union Station features the premiere seafood from around the region, including clams, oysters and salmon, paired with Spanish Cava, Italian Prosecco and other sparkling wines from across the globe.
6 p.m. $85. Union Station, International District; seattlewineandfoodexperience.com

MUST SAMPLE CHARITABLY

Soul of Seattle
(2/7)
Join James Beard Award-winning chef Edouardo Jordan and James Beard Award-winning author and historian Toni Tipton-Martin for a night of fundraising and feast. This inaugural event will showcase food from local chefs of color while raising money to support organizations that empower black youth in Seattle. Enjoy local beverages, small bites and a silent auction. A VIP ticket gets you a dinner specially curated by Jordan and Tipton-Martin.
7 p.m. Prices vary. Northwest African American Museum; urbanleague.org

MUST GET THE SCOOP

NYT reporters Jodi Kantor & Megan Twohey at Benaroya Hall
(1/29)
Take a deep dive with the two New York Times journalists who broke the story of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual abuse scandal, an investigation that reignited the #MeToo movement and sparked an ongoing societal conversation. From their October 2019 book, She Said, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters tell the backstory of a front-page headline. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary. Benaroya Hall, downtown;
lectures.org

MUST FERMENT FAVORABLY

Cider Making Class
(2/8)
Learn the basics to cidermaking while tasting from the expert batch. Schilling Cider House’s cider making course will teach you the essentials of cider and see you off with a batch to continue fermenting at home. All necessary ingredients are included with the class, along with cider tasting and light snacks.
11 a.m. $50. Schilling Cider House, Fremont; schillingciderhouse-sea.com

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