Read More ›
Must List: 5 Ways to Ring in the New Year Around Seattle
Fireworks, fancy parties, and a plunge that’ll wake you right up for 2025
By Sarah Stackhouse December 26, 2024
Hey there, hope you’re having a great holiday! The days between Christmas and New Year’s always feel like a little gift — slower, cozier, good for catching up with family and friends. Last night, we hosted our annual Christmas dinner of Mexican food in honor of my grandfather, who owned a Mexican restaurant for 35 years. Since he passed in 2000, we’ve kept his traditions alive, cooking his enchiladas, tamales, rice, Monterey beans, and carnitas. It’s my favorite night of the year, and this time we had a new baby at the table — so much fun.
Seattle Central Library is making space for writers in residence to share their stories — a thoughtful initiative for a city that values creativity. And have you seen the news about Nordstrom going private? It feels like a big shift for such a Seattle institution.
Sing-Along Dance-Along: Noon-Year’s Eve Party
Tuesday, Dec. 31, Noon-12:05 p.m.
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
$20.25
This is one for the kids (and the grown-ups who’d prefer to be tucked in bed by 8 p.m.). Play at the museum, sing, dance, and count down to noon with all-ages fun at MoPOP.
Pink Martini featuring China Forbes – 30th Anniversary Tour
Tuesday, Dec. 31, 7 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.
Paramount Theatre
$49.50+
What better way to glide into 2025 than with Pink Martini’s infectious, globe-trotting sound? China Forbes leads the group in a set that feels like a cocktail party for the world. Two showtimes, same energy.
Smith Tower’s NYE 110 Celebration
Tuesday, Dec. 31, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Smith Tower
$250+
Smith Tower turns 110 this year, and it’s celebrating with a Roaring ’20s-themed New Year’s bash. Expect cocktails, live music, and unbeatable views of the fireworks. Dress up — this one’s swanky.
New Year’s at the Needle
Tuesday, Dec. 31, 10 p.m.-12:09 a.m.
Space Needle
Free
Seattle’s most iconic New Year’s event is back with fireworks, lights, and live music from Sugar Bones at the top of the Needle. Tune in on KING 5 or grab a spot nearby for the full spectacle. We watched the show from a friend’s houseboat last year — dreamy, but it took hours to get out afterward. This year we’ll be staying the night.
Resolution Run 5K and Polar Bear Dive
Jan. 1, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Magnuson Park
$40+
Start the new year on the right foot with this annual 5K run followed by a polar bear plunge into Lake Washington. Refreshing? Definitely. Regrettable? Maybe. You’ll have to let me know.
Visit our events calendar for more ideas.
Follow Us
Autumn Brews and Winter Views: Your Guide to Woodland Park Zoo’s 21+ Season
It’s that time of year! As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, Woodland Park Zoo invites adults to celebrate the changing seasons with 21+ events designed to keep the fun going from autumn through winter in a carefree, kid-free environment. OktoBEARfest is back As the first leaves of autumn begin to fall, Woodland Park…
Seattle Convention Center Steps Outside Its Walls to Energize Downtown
The World Cup offered a glimpse of what downtown Seattle can feel like when public spaces are full of life and activity. This August, the Seattle Convention Center (SCC) is building on that momentum. For several weeks early this summer, downtown Seattle felt different. Streets buzzed as FIFA World Cup visitors joined residents, workers, and…
The 33-Year-Old Show That Still Knows How to Work a Room
The Northwest Event Show doesn’t start on the trade show floor. It starts over dinner, at a table you didn’t choose, next to someone who books the same kind of rooms you book and worries about the same events you worry about. That’s the premise behind NWES. Seattle’s annual gathering of the events and hospitality…
Seattle’s “Monaco Moment” Arrives to the Ballard Locks
On Sunday, June 7, the world’s attention turns to Monaco as Formula One transforms Port Hercule into a dazzling convergence of superyachts, exotic automobiles, luxury hospitality, and global influence. Half a world away, Seattle will celebrate the arrival of its own defining moment, for those who know where to find it. Introducing Terminal One Motor…