Must List: ‘West Side Story,’ Solstice Parade, Make Music Seattle
Your weekly guide to Seattle's hottest events
By Lauren Alexander, Gavin Borchert & Samantha Bushman June 20, 2019
Love the Must List? Get it right in your inbox. Subscribe.
MUST ATTEND
West Side Story
(Through 6/23) Sure, it’s based on Shakespeare, but as long as one tribe feels threatened by a more recently arrived tribe—and every single day brings more tragic evidence that they do—Leonard Bernstein’s masterpiece will never stop being as timely as a CNN news crawl. Spectrum Dance Theater has been tapped to bring the all-important dance element to this production. Times and prices vary. The 5th Avenue Theatre, downtown, 1308 Fifth Ave.; 206.625.1900
MUST CREATE
Cocktails & Clothing
(6/26) A relatively new, but most certainly beneficial trend of sustainable fashion has inspired a get together for local designers to share their knowledge with Seattleites during this one-night celebration. Check out Janelle Abbott’s design demonstration using only recycled fabric, meander through a range of sustainable pop-up shops, and have your fashion future read with oracle cards. And by the way, a complimentary cocktail is included with each ticket. This is a 21 and over event. Prices vary. 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. MOHAI, South Lake Union, 860 Terry Ave. N 206.324.1126
MUST CELEBRATE
Solstice Parade and Fremont Fair
(6/22–6/23) Fremont’s annual human-powered parade, festival and famous naked bike riders welcome summer with true “keep it weird” Seattle style. Check this essential Seattle gathering off your to-do list and celebrate this weekend of live music, street performance, art, food and more. Parade begins at 1 p.m. on 6/22 at NW 39 Street and Leary Way NW, ending at Gas Works Park. Fair takes place 6/22–6/23 west of Fremont Avenue N on N 35th and N 34th streets. Times vary. Free. 206.547.7440; fremontartscouncil.org
MUST JAM
Make Music Seattle
(6/21) Celebrate worldwide Make Music Day, held every year on the summer solstice in locations around the globe; events are geared toward making music accessible to all ages and abilities. Check out Make Music’s map for an interactive list of public concerts, workshops and jam sessions throughout Seattle, taking place at locations such as Westlake Park and Pike Place Market. Times and locations vary. Free. makemusicday.org/seattle
MUST RUN
Bridle Trails 5K Coyote Challenge
(6/22) This scenic trail run/walk is part of a larger event called Party in the Park, which takes place immediately after the run. Come out and support the Bridle Trails Park Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to protect and maintain the Bridle Trails State Park. After the race, enjoy breakfast, activities for kiddos, and a variety of entertainment including equestrian stage combat, driving mini drill team, freestyle dressage and more. Times and prices Vary. Kirkland, 5300 116th Ave. NE. 425.649. 4275; bridletrails.org
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…