COMMUNITY & FESTIVALS

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 2023 Past Event Like List
After the long, hard winter, the best way to shock you out of seasonal depression is to stick your face in a ton of fresh flowers. You’re in luck, because Skagit Valley’s annual Tulip Festival is really something to behold as, quite literally, millions of pink, yellow, purple, orange, and red tulips shoot up from the ground and announce that winter is finally over. (Or at least, it’s over in the rest of the world. It’ll be chilly here through June.) While you could fly to Holland to get your fill of tulips, the trip up I-5 is quicker, safer, cheaper, and, with one mountain range to the east and another to your west, even more Instagrammable than Amsterdam.
Skagit Valley (April 1–30)

U District Cherry Blossom Festival
Past Event Like List It's spring, which can only mean one thing: It's time once again to admire gently wafting pink cherry blossoms in full bloom at the University of Washington Quad. To celebrate, over 70 U District businesses have come together to offer cherry blossom-themed food and drink specials and discounts on retail items. Before or after your petal-gazing excursion, stop by and enjoy treats like cherry blossom frappes from Sip House, the "Shinkansen Express" (a strawberry gimlet with blossom-infused Japanese gin) at Shultzy's, cherry fritters from Donut Factory, sakura ice cream from Sweet Alchemy, pink custard croissant taiyaki at Oh Bear Cafe & Teahouse, and more. 
University District (through April 2)

Norwescon 45
Past Event Like List Celebrating sci-fi and fantasy fandoms since 1978, the volunteer-run Norwescon will return this year with Hugo Award-nominated illustrator Grace P. Fong, NASA robotics engineer Greg Dubos, and Nebula Award-winning writer Phenderson Djèlí Clark as their guests of honor.
DoubleTree Hotel (April 6–9)

Sakura-Con 2023: Northwest Anime Convention
Past Event Like List For one weekend, see life through an anime lens as cosplayers gather again for the Northwest's "oldest and most well-attended" convention devoted to the art, presented by the Asia Northwest Cultural Education Association. It's a members-only festival, but once you're a member, everything else is free—contests, panels, a manga library, gaming, and even a masquerade ball.
Seattle Convention Center (April 7–9)

Washington State Spring Fair 2023
Past Event Like List What's spring without a pig race, demolition derbies, chainsaw carving, and award-winning BBQ? Celebrate the arrival of the season in the most all-American way possible at the Washington State Spring Fair. 
Washington State Fair Events Center (April 13–23)

Seattle Erotic Art Festival 2023
Past Event Like List An expansive event brimming with sex positivity, the Seattle Erotic Art Festival curates top-notch erotic art from around the world to feast your eyes on. During regular festival hours, check out the art, festival store, and daily entertainment including poetry readings, pantomime, and acrobatic displays. After hours, there's a marked vibe change to sexy party times with more titillating performances, DJs, dancing, and a bar.
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall (April 21–23)

Record Store Day 2023 Past Event Like List
Whether you're looking for special RSD releases or just want to support your local record store, drag yourself out of bed bright and early this Record Store Day as shops around Seattle fill up with vinyl-hungry shoppers. Some stores commemorate the holiday with sales, extended hours, in-store performances, and other special events, while others opt out and resume their regular operations (we love both!)
Various locations (Sat April 22)

Independent Bookstore Day
Past Event Like List Each year, Independent Bookstore Day celebrates something we can all rally behind: indie bookstores. Pop by your local shops all day long for special prizes, swag, and meet-cutes with fellow lit lovers—oh, and books, too.
Free (Sat April 29)

LIVE MUSIC

Carmina Burana
Past Event Like List Acclaimed conductor and New Jersey Symphony Orchestra director Xian Zhang will conduct the Seattle Symphony, the Northwest Boychoir, and several operatic powerhouses in a performance of Carl Orff's masterwork,Carmina Burana. Based on a 13th-century medieval poem about love, lust, and indulgence, the piece has become a pop culture staple with its epic opening piece "O Fortuna," appearing in everything from the 1981 film Excalibur to commercials for Applebee's and York Peppermint Patties. Plus, look forward to performances of Rossini's classic William Tell Overture and contemporary composer Qigang Chen's L'éloignement. 
Benaroya Hall (Sat April 1)

Aly & AJ: With Love From
Past Event Like List Sister duo Aly and AJ Michalka found early success on the Disney Channel, making appearances in a wide variety of made-for-TV movies and tween sitcoms. It was easy to be cynical when they began pursuing a music career, but now, 15 years after the release of their album Insomniatic, you can still hear "Potential Breakup Song" randomly blasting at a karaoke night or throwback dance party. The pair are back on the scene with a new album, With Love From, which Pitchfork described as "a breezy album defined by warm harmonies and easygoing pop melodies."
Paramount Theatre (Sun April 2)

Black Flag
Past Event Like List Punk luminaries Black Flag have taken on many forms over the years, most notably forming with vocalist/Circle Jerk frontman Keith Morris before being replaced with perennial high school bully Henry Rollins. One thing that has stayed consistent is guitarist (and primary songwriter) Greg Ginn, who is the sole continuous member of the band. On this tour, pro-skater-turned-punk vocalist Mike Vallely will front the band in a performance of the seminal, grunge-infused 1984 album, My War, in its entirety. 
The Crocodile (Tues April 4)

Key Glock: Glockoma Tour Past Event Like List
Memphis rapper Key Glock began his musical career as the protégé of his cousin, the late rapper/label owner Young Dolph. He will support his debut two-part album, Yellow Tape, which Pitchfork described as "a street-rap saga peppered with such trenchant insights, narrating the lonely world of a 22-year-old who has been through more bad times than any 22-year-old deserves."
Showbox SoDo (Thurs April 6)

Gracie Abrams: The Good Riddance Tour
Past Event Like List Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams (yes, before you Google it, director J.J. is her dad) makes emotional pop songs about heartbreak full of quivering vocals and sparse arrangements. She’s gained notoriety in recent years for her close friendship with Olivia Rodrigo and mutual admiration from big names like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish. Although rubbing elbows with the stars has helped her break through to the mainstream, her sheer talent for songwriting stands on its own. Prepare for the show by listening to her stirring sophomore EP, This Is What It Feels Like.
The Showbox (Fri April 7)

Snow Tha Product
Past Event Like List San Jose-born hip-hop artist and actress Claudia Alexandra Madriz Meza (aka Snow Tha Product) will bring her lightning-speed razor-sharp bilingual raps back to Seattle as a part of her Quince I Never Had tour ahead of the release of her upcoming album, Valemadre.
Showbox SoDo (Fri April 7)

The Music of Couture: Stravinsky and Chanel’s Paris
Past Event Like List If you've ever needed a reason to wear a tweed suit, here it is. The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra will transport you to Paris in the 1920s with a spirited concert exploring the world of iconic (and controversial) fashion designer Coco Chanel. The show will kick off with a performance of the dramatic piece The Soldier's Tale by Stravinsky (who was a rumored lover of Chanel), followed by Germaine Tailleferre's whimsical Image, Darius Milhaud's lively The Creation of the World, and Bohuslav Martinů's jazz-infused La revue de cuisine. Town Hall's Otto Bar will be open throughout the night so you can pretend you're at a real speakeasy. 
Town Hall Seattle (Fri April 7)

Yaeji
Past Event Like List "Occupying the lush soundscape between relaxation and revving up for a night out, Yaeji’s richly textured lo-fi beats are perfect for a cool walk home after partying the night away. Brooklyn-based Kathy Yaeji Lee’s addictive, ASMR-like blend of house, hip-hop, and English-Korean lyrics has all the fun of a DIY affair, and the cool confidence of a music sensation who knows that she’s killing it every step of the way," wrote former Stranger writer Sophia Stephens. Expect to hear songs from her glossy, pop-fueled debut mixtape, What We Drew, along with new tracks from her forthcoming follow-up, With A Hammer (out April 7).
The Showbox (Sat April 8)

100 gecs
Past Event Like List The unhinged hyper-pop of 100 gecs, one of the internet's favorite bands, has been praised as propelling the genre forward, with The New Yorker calling their sound "an impressively precise maximalist exercise with no rules." They've grown exponentially, from their acclaimed 2019 debut 1000 gecs to their recently released album 10000 gecs. Catch the pair supporting the new album alongside Long Island-based electronic project Machine Girl.
Showbox SoDo (Sun April 9)

John Mayer: Solo Tour
Past Event Like List Singer-songwriter John Mayer is known for a lot of things that aren't related to his music (e.g. his orgasmic guitar faces, tumultuous dating history, and his notoriously "stupid mouth"), so we'll just say he's back in town and he'll be playing a solo set of very easy listening hits from throughout his career. Recent setlists from the tour have included rom-com soundtrack staples like "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room," "No Such Thing," "Your Body Is a Wonderland," and even a cover of Beyoncé's "XO."
Climate Pledge Arena (Tues April 11)

Phish
Past Event Like List Vermont's jam rock legends Phish, known for their devoted fanbase and distinctive live performances, will head upstream on their eight-date spring tour with two consecutive shows in Seattle. 
Climate Pledge Arena (Fri April 14)

Fatoumata Diawara
Past Event Like List Former Stranger writer Jas Keimig once compared Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Fatoumata Diawara's captivating vocal range to Sade, noting her unique voice that "skips like a rock over water across different registers." She will get the crowd on their feet with her futuristic blend of traditional Malian folk, Wassoulou music, R&B grooves, and fuzzed-out electric guitars that led her on tour with fellow genre-blending heavies Gorillaz last fall. 
Meany Center for the Performing Arts (Sat April 15)

MUNA
Past Event Like List Los Angeles-based "dark pop" trio MUNA, who recently signed with Phoebe Bridgers' label Saddest Factory, will return to Seattle for a headlining show supporting their critically acclaimed self-titled album. British alt-rock duo Nova Twins will open the night with the futuristic, hip-hop-infused tunes from their album Supernova.
Showbox SoDo (Mon April 17)

Muse: Will Of The People Tour Past Event Like List
Arena-rock trio Muse will bring their super-massive hits to Climate Pledge Arena on their Will Of The People tour, promoting their Grammy-winning album Simulation Theory. If you need a refresher on the group, harken back to the baseball scene in Twilight and you'll remember!
Climate Pledge Arena (Tues April 18)

Feid: Ferxxo Nitro Jam Underground
Past Event Like List Feid takes inspiration from his upbringing in Medellín, Colombia, and his teenage love of American hip-hop artists Drake and T-Pain for his Latin hip-hop and reggaeton bops. Listen to his 2022 album, Feliz Cumpleaños Ferxxo Te Pirateamos El Álbum (translated to "Happy Birthday Ferxxo We Hacked You The Album"), so that you can sing along. 
WaMu Theater (Thurs April 20)

Haley Heynderickx Past Event Like List
In 2021, Mercury contributor Ryan J. Prado wrote, "The aftershock of Haley Heynderickx’s ballyhooed 2018 album, I Need to Start A Garden, is still reverberating in the chests and brains of everyone who’s ever heard it. I personally witnessed a table full of people scream along in solidarity to the lyrics of the title track at a bar in Southeast [Portland] not one week ago. It’s rare when a record receives that kind of adoration, and Heynderickx’s live shows are part of that, too." Don't miss the indie-folk singer-songwriter after an opening set from soulful jazz harpist Sheers.
Washington Hall (Fri April 21)

NCT Dream: The Dream Show2 Past Event Like List
In case you are unfamiliar with the K-pop group NCT (Neo Culture Technology), they are an uber-popular K-pop group that is split into four different bands (NCT U, NCT 127, NCT Dream, and WayV). One of the group's biggest offshoots, NCT DREAM, will embark on a US tour supporting their 2022 album, Glitch Mode, which blends R&B, pop, and hip-hop for a lively, comforting, feel-good pack of bubblegum pop.
Climate Pledge Arena (Fri April 21)

Tennis: Pollen Tour
Past Event Like List Tennis crooner Alaina Moore sings with a pretty, detached purity that is fully explained by the fact that she honed her skills while singing in a church choir. Moore’s voice is paired with the duo’s fondness for ’70s imagery and lyrics that detail vague, despondent love affairs, creating eerie pop-rock that feels both quaint and melodramatic. Tennis’ songs could soundtrack a slow dance in a high school gym, or salacious suburban adultery. EMMA BURKE
Paramount Theatre (Fri April 21)

Dawes: The Misadventures of Doomscroller Tour Past Event Like List
Los Angeles-hailing indie folk band Dawes will support their eighth album, Misadventures of Doomscroller, which Variety noted as not having a moment on it that "doesn’t sound like it was recorded live in the studio in 1974." Taking cues from the velvety-voiced singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, the band employs warm pianos, vintage guitar riffs, and lyrical references to dated technology (e.g. "a product of my time zone, mixed CDs and dial tones").
Neptune Theatre (Sat April 22)

Goose
Past Event Like List Connecticut-based indie groovers Goose are known for their spirited live performances with improvisational renditions of their songs that are "only possible among small town and longtime friends," according to press materials.
Paramount Theatre (Sat April 22)

KEXP Presents: Nikki Lane Past Event Like List
Claiming the title of a "modern-era Wanda Jackson," Nikki Lane has been busy re-formulating country music with her blend of old-school Americana, early rock 'n' roll, garage-pop, blues, soul, and trademark sass. She's also one of Lana Del Rey's close friends and collaborators (give Lana's "Blue Banisters" a listen for a Nikki Lane namedrop). Anticipate hearing tunes from her latest release, Denim & Diamonds, after an opening set from folk singer-songwriter Leroy From The North.
Tractor Tavern (Sat April 22)

Party101 with DJ Matt Bennett
Past Event Like List Matt Bennett is a sitcom actor first who made a name for himself on Nickelodeon's Victorious before his subsequent roles on The Big Band Theory, Sam and Cat,and Grey's Anatomy. On his latest project, he's trading the soundstage for the DJ booth, hosting nostalgia-driven dance parties that celebrate the music of Nickelodeon and Disney Channel. 
The Showbox (Sat April 22)

SRJO Presents: Thad Jones 100th Birthday Celebration
Past Event Like List Celebrate what would have been the 100th birthday of prolific writer, composer, arranger, trumpeter, and band leader Thad Jones as the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra performs music from throughout his life and 's explores his legendary contributions to the genre. Anticipate tunes from his early years as a soloist in the Count Basie Orchestra as well as his time in the Village Vanguard Orchestra and beyond, including longstanding jazz standards like "A Child is Born," "Three and One," and "The Elder."
Benaroya Hall (Sat April 22)

Vanessa Carlton Past Event Like List
We'd wager that pop pianist Vanessa Carlton has enough star draw to fill a hall larger than the intimate Triple Door, but as part of her Future Pain Tour, she’ll treat a small audience to An Evening with Vanessa Carlton. Could she deny us a live rendition of the ear worm hit single "A Thousand Miles" (which still holds up)? Who cares, this show sounds magical! As long as we get something from her 2002 studio debut—like the similarly effervescent "Ordinary Day," "White Houses" from 2004’s Harmonium, and / or certainly "Future Pain," the lead single from her most recent album Love is an Art, we'll walk a thousand miles—and buy those tickets right now! Speaking of right now, eager fans can revisit the ultra calm vibes on her 2011 Christmas EP, Hear the Bells. JENNI MOORE
Triple Door (Mon April 24)

Lewis Capaldi
Past Event Like List Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi reached the top of the UK charts for his single "Someone You Love," which you may have heard covered by the Jonas Brothers. He was enthusiastic, stating: "First single release, selling out the arena tour, number one album, number one single... all mean fucking nothing compared to the fact the Jonas Brothers just covered my fucking tune. My tune." He'll come back to town with tracks from his sophomore album, Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent, with indie pop artist Medium Build in tow.
WaMu Theater (Wed April 26)

Nils Frahm
Past Event Like List On his latest album, Music for Animals, German composer and musician Nils Frahm follows in the footsteps of the patron saint of ambient music Brian Eno. Along the lines of Eno's 1978 albums Music for Airports and Music for Films, Frahm trades his usual piano for an electronic palette in order to create atmospheric works titled things like "The Dog with 1000 Faces" and "Seagull Scene." Frahm's shows are regularly sold out, so don't miss the chance to experience his moving compositions IRL that land at the intersection of ambient, electronic, and modern classical music.
Paramount Theatre (Thurs April 27)

Y La Bamba Past Event Like List
Led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Luz Elena Mendoza, Y La Bamba's singular fusion of Mexican folk music and dreamy indie-pop has been a PNW treasure for over a decade. Jump on the opportunity to see them with fellow Portlanders Brown Calculus.
Barboza (Thurs April 27)

Caroline Rose
Past Event Like List New York-based singer-songwriter Caroline Rose brings her shapeshifting blend of indie rock back through the town to support her new album, The Art of Forgetting. The album reaches new heights by moving in an avant-folk direction, utilizing finger-picked guitars, textural percussion, and sound collage. 
The Showbox (Fri April 28)

Andre Nickatina Reimagined
Past Event Like List West Coast hip-hop legend Andre Nickatina, formerly known as Dre Dog, will reimagine his hyphy classics like "Smoke Dope and Rap" and "A Yo for Yayo" with the help of a full symphony.
Benaroya Hall (Sat April 29)

Shania Twain: Queen Of Me Tour
Past Event Like List Let's go girls! The queen of country pop Shania Twain will embark on her first tour in five years in support of her new dance floor-ready album Queen of Me, which Pitchfork described as "a dozen tracks of optimistic affirmations and pumping electro-pop rhythms."
Climate Pledge Arena (Sat April 29)

FKJ Past Event Like List
Rapidly rising star of the Parisian electronic scene, FKJ (also known as French Kiwi Juice) is a gatekeeper for the New French House music zone who blends looping and live jazz instrumentation into his infectious dance floor tunes. Catch him supporting his latest output, Vincent, on night one of his Seattle dates (or catch him for a second night at The Showbox.)
Paramount Theatre (Sun April 30)

PERFORMANCE

Obitchuary Podcast Live!
Past Event Like List Is there anything more perversely satisfying than a scathing obituary about some dead guy that sucked when he was alive? No, you're right, there isn't. Best friends and co-hosts Spencer Henry and Madison Reyes understand this phenomenon well, and their hit podcast Obitchuary compiles the best of the best—prepare for the wackiest, most outrageous, and occasionally vicious obits out there, with a side of macabre history and "funeral facts." We've never been more on board.
The Crocodile (Sun April 2)

Every Brilliant Thing
Past Event Like List Here is our (non-exhaustive) list of brilliant things: The Baby Mop. This weird building in Poland. The Lake Elsinore super bloom, before it was ravaged by Instagrammers. This show. It’s true—Every Brilliant Thing, an "immersive storytelling experience" by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, is pretty brilliant. The hit one-man play blends theater, comedy, and audience-driven improv to tell a complex tale of mental illness and perseverance; it was described as "one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression" by The Guardian.
ACT - A Contemporary Theatre (through April 2)

Hairspray
Past Event Like List It always seems to be up to the teens to challenge outdated, discriminatory bullshit. Enter Tracy Turnblad, a '60s-era teenybopper who lands her dream role on an American Bandstand-inspired variety show and becomes an overnight sensation, but is disgusted by the show's racist practices. Based on the cult '88 musical comedy by cherished slimeball John Waters, this rendition of the Tony award-winning musical Hairspray proves that "you can't stop the beat." It was directed and choreographed for new audiences by unflappable Broadway duo Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell, and features RuPaul's Drag Race season 11 contestant Nina West (aka Andrew Levitt) as a shimmery Edna Turnblad.
Paramount Theatre (April 4–9)

8th Annual Seattle Boylesque Festival
Past Event Like List The 8th annual Seattle Boylesque Festival will bring gender-bending boylesque, variety, and circus performances to the big stage with hilarious hosts Tito Bonito and Shelly Watson. The wide range of local and national glamazons includes Mod Carousel, EmperROAR Fabulous!!!, and Samson Night.
Triple Door (Fri April 7)

Latrice Royale Past Event Like List
"Jesus is a biscuit! Let him sop you up!" Two-time RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars competitor and congenial diva extraordinaire Latrice Royale will request that you "excuse the beauty" for this glam musical comedy performance celebrating her 30th year in show biz. (We hope to hear some piping hot industry tea.)
Neptune Theatre (Fri April 7)

110 In the Shade Past Event Like List
Since 2014, Reboot Theatre Company has experimented with funky interpretations of established works through innovative casting and design modifications, and the results can be pretty transformative—last year's Jesus Christ Superstar offered a unique twist on the relationship dynamics of Jesus, Mary, and Judas, history’s most dramatic throuple. This time around, director Scot Charles Anderson reimagines the '60s-era production 110 in the Shade with a closer examination of the gender dynamics at play. The story follows Lizzie, an independent woman in a small, drought-stricken western town. While being pressured to marry the recently widowed sheriff, Lizzie encounters a stranger with a curious promise to make it rain.
Seattle Public Theater (through April 9)

Drum and Colours: Henry IV Past Event Like List
If we've learned anything from Succession and Game of Thrones, it's that an entrée of political power tends to come with a spicy side dish of family drama. Trace HBO's favorite recurring narrative back to the source in Shakespeare's Henry IV, which follows the king's conflict-ridden rule. The epic tale of taverns, brothels, blood, guts, and a polarized nation will be performed by an all-POC cast.
Seattle Center (through April 9)

Sasha Velour
Past Event Like List Genderfluid drag artist and RuPaul's Drag Race season 9 winner Sasha Velour will present a magical evening of drag, storytelling, and performance art in celebration of her forthcoming book The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag. The book blends drag history with Velour's own story, and was described as "one manicured middle finger to the world" by Beyond the Gender Binary author Alok. Velour will head to the stage for a spellbinding show, which will include a conversation with a special guest star and an audience Q&A session.
Neptune Theatre (Mon April 10)

Christopher Morgan: Native Intelligence/Innate Intelligence Past Event Like List
Blending movement, Hawaiian chant and percussion by Patrick Makuakāne, cello compositions by Wytold, and scenic design informed by lei structures by Brenda Mallory, Christopher Morgan's Native Intelligence/Innate Intelligence thinks carefully about ancestry, home, and belonging, beginning by questioning the vague, politically charged word "native."
On the Boards (April 13–16)

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Past Event Like List George Balanchine's cheeky adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream promises chaotic sprites, misplaced affections, love potions, a 12-foot spider, and a hybrid donkey-man with a fairy girlfriend. The Pacific Northwest Ballet production has brought Shakespeare's impish romantic comedy to the stage for 25 years; they'll return again with costumes in pastel rainbow hues and an enchanted forest setting that evokes the charm of our neck of the woods. 
Pacific Northwest Ballet (April 14–23)

Moisture Festival 2023
Past Event Like List A true testament to the popularity of underground cabaret entertainment in Seattle, the longstanding Moisture Festival has fostered circus performers, comics, burlesque dancers, and musicians for years, and now claims to be "the world’s largest comedy/variety show festival." The month-long fest offers eye-popping events from the (relatively) mild-mannered to the racy and scantily clad end of the spectrum, including the risqué, adults-only Libertease Cabaret.
Broadway Performance Hall (through April 16)

Intiman Theatre: The Niceties Past Event Like List
In playwright Eleanor Burgess's explosive The Niceties, a white Gloria Steinem-era feminist and a Black millennial on an elite university campus clash over the impact of slavery on the American Revolution.
Erickson Theatre Off Broadway (April 18–29)

Step Afrika!
Past Event Like List Blending African American percussive dancing with traditional African grooves, songs, and storytelling, Step Afrika!'s unique approach "uses the body as an instrument" to dramatize the Stono Rebellion of 1729, a little-known South Carolina revolt in which native Africans killed 25 white colonists and slaveholders.
Meany Center for the Performing Arts (April 20–22)

Indigenous Enterprise: Indigenous Liberation Past Event Like List
Native American dance troupe Indigenous Enterprise, which consists of champion dancers from Canada and the United States, will visit Seattle on the heels of their performance at Biden's inaugural "virtual parade" and a feature in the New York Times.
Moore Theatre (Fri April 21)

How I Learned What I Learned
Past Event Like List Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson's one-man show follows a journey of excavation to discover what it means to be a Black artist in America. Originally performed by Wilson himself, this 20th-anniversary production of How I Learned What I Learned will star stage veteran Steven Anthony Jones.
Seattle Repertory Theatre (April 21–May 14)

Sweeney Todd
Past Event Like List Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s '79 melodrama musical Sweeney Todd is a spine-tingling penny dreadful that offers up a surprising taste of anticapitalist revenge with a side of camp. Expect endless witticisms, strange pies, gory thrills, and a body count only rivaled by The Last of Us.
The 5th Avenue Theatre (April 21–May 14)

Twelfth Night Past Event Like List
This boisterous contemporary adaptation of the Bard's slapstick tale was named one of the best theatrical productions of 2018 by Time, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Washington Post. An onstage band will bring the story of mistaken identity to new life with a jazzy, soul-driven score by lauded New York composer Shaina Taub.
Seattle Center (April 25–May 21)

Ayaka Nakama: Freeway Dance Past Event Like List
Informed by her friends' and family's first memories of dancing, Japanese dancer Ayaka Nakama choreographed Freeway Dance, an exploratory four-hour performance. (In case you're wondering, my first memory of dancing is in my childhood living room, where I wiggled haphazardly to steel drum tunes on The Little Mermaid'ssupplementary VHS, Sebastian's Caribbean Jamboree.) If four hours sounds like a long time, never fear—audiences will be invited to freely explore the performance space, an indoor planted garden where "phenomena that induce new dance, stimulated by her dance, lurk everywhere." LINDSAY COSTELLO
On the Boards (April 27–May 7)

Billy Porter
Past Event Like List Best known for his trailblazing roles both on the screen and on stage (TV shows like Pose, American Horror Story, and Tony-winning Broadway musicals like Kinky Boots), the multi-hyphenate fashion icon Billy Porter has also been a successful recording artist since 1997, with his self-titled neo-soul debut. Don't miss this rare performance from the national treasure as he supports his upcoming album, Black Mona Lisa, which Porter teased as his "magnum opus."
Paramount Theatre (Sat April 29)

COMEDY

Bill Maher Past Event Like List
If you're reading this, you probably disagree with Bill Maher on a lot of things, but in the words of Stranger writer Dave Segal, "Maybe that’s the key to his success—outrage everybody and you’ll gain substantial mindshare in the attention economy." He'll undoubtedly continue to press buttons at this performance.
Paramount Theatre (Sat April 1)

Jessica Kirson
Past Event Like List Comedy Cellar regular, Relatively Sane podcast host, Nightlife Award winner, and Howard Stern Show prank caller Jessica Kirson will stop by Seattle with silly stand-up and thoughts on her therapist mom's demands.
Neptune Theatre (Sat April 1)

Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino Past Event Like List
If the phrase "Bambi-eyed bitch" has meant anything to you over the last few weeks, you might already have tickets to this live taping of Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino, in which the pop culture aficionado chats about Real Housewives, Selling Sunset, Vanderpump Rules, and more. (For the record, we're team Ariana.)
Neptune Theatre (Wed April 5)

Janeane Garofalo Past Event Like List
Beloved actress and comedian Janeane Garofalo has appeared in over 50 films, but she's also an outspoken feminist and activist, and the incendiary comedy queen's unflinching opinions inform her brutally honest stand-up style. Head to this show to witness a witty legend who's suspicious of celiac disease.
Here-After at the Crocodile (Thurs April 6)

Noel Miller: Everything Is F#&ked Past Event Like List
One-liner expert, biting satirist, and Call of Duty: Warzone Twitch streamer Noel Miller, who also co-hosts the Tiny Meat Gang podcast with fellow comedian Cody Ko, will stop by Seattle to ask the important questions.
Moore Theatre (Fri April 14)

The Disabled List Presents: Live Comedy
Past Event Like List Kayla Brown and Dan Hurwitz, creators of the award-winning mockumentary This is Spinal Injury, will return to host another showcase of local funny folks with disabilities. 
Northwest Film Forum (Fri April 14)

Ziwe: In Conversation Past Event Like List
Ziwe's 2022 interview with Chet Hanks is the stuff of legend. The snazzy satirist and queen of discomfort has a gift for bringing out cringe-inducing behavior in privileged people, and she tends to do it all in Cher Horowitz-chic outfits. She'll drop by Seattle with more pointy, incisive critiques.
Moore Theatre (Sat April 15)

Depths of Wikipedia
Past Event Like List If you're as terminally online as we are, you might already follow Annie Rauwerda's Instagram account, Depths of Wikipedia, where she digs up the encyclopedic website's most delightfully strange stuff. Now Annie's taking the concept on tour, leading audiences into the depths of Wiki weirdness on stage. You know you're intrigued.
Here-After at the Crocodile (Thurs April 20)

Megan Stalter, Patti Harrison, and Sarah Sherman: The Live Nude Girls Tour Past Event Like List
Hacks star and LA-based comedian Megan Stalter will stop by Neptune Theatre with a witty style that Harper's Bazaar once described as “a soothing comedy balm for a scathing grease fire of a year.” (That quote is from 2020, but doesn't "grease fire" kind of describe every year nowadays?) Check out the surreal oasis that is Stalter's sense of humor at this show, where she'll head to the stage alongside other millennial comics like Shrill and Theater Camp star Patti Harrison and SNL featured player Sarah Sherman.
Neptune Theatre (Fri April 28)

READINGS & TALKS

Lane Moore with Lindy West and Angela Garbes: You Will Find Your People Past Event Like List
Comedian and former Cosmo sex and relationships editor Lane Moore will chat about her new book You Will Find Your People, which tackles the thorny topic of adult friendship, alongside former Stranger staffer Angela Garbes and incisive opinion writer and fat acceptance activist Lindy West.
Town Hall Seattle (Sat April 1)

Ari Shapiro with Dan Savage Best Strangers in the World Tour
Past Event Like List Ari Shapiro, award-winning Portland-raised NPR journalist and host of All Things Considered, will head to Seattle for this conversation with our very own Dan Savage in celebration of Shapiro's new tome, The Best Strangers in the World. The "witty, poignant book" (Ronan Farrow), which follows Shapiro as he globe-trots in cool leather jackets, chats with Obama on Air Force One, and hits the pavement with social justice activists, serves as a testament to the journalist's passion for connection. Alan Cumming described Shapiro as "a beacon of idiosyncratic frankness," which is as strange and wonderful an endorsement as they come.
Town Hall Seattle (Mon April 3)

Chris Abani
Past Event Like List If words are involved, Chris Abani does it exceptionally well—the Nigerian-born thinker is a lauded novelist, poet, essayist, screenwriter, and playwright. (Abani published his first book at 16, and was jailed three times, tortured, and even sentenced to death in Nigeria for his political writings.) Just in time for National Poetry Month, Abani will head to Seattle for a discussion on his latest work, Smoking the Bible, a poetry collection that "mines individual, cultural and geographic losses, creating a collection that is emotional and linguistically expansive" (Chicago Review of Books).
Rainier Arts Center (Mon April 3)

Mircea Cărtărescu presents Solenoid with Ileana Marin
Past Event Like List Romanian wordsmith Mircea Cărtărescu, an award-winning novelist who has been previously nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature, will touch down in Seattle for a reading from his new novel, Solenoid. The book pulls from Cărtărescu's own experiences as a high school teacher to reflect on the harsh realities of early '80s Communist Romania, and was named one of the best books of 2022 by the New Yorker.
Seattle Public Library - Central Library (Wed April 5)

Lindy West: Every Castle, Ranked
Past Event Like List Lindy West, the former Stranger film editor and brilliant wordsmith behind the essay collection Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman, is nothing if not discerning. In Every Castle, Ranked, she'll revisit the magical castles of her childhood daydreams, which now appear to be nothing more than creaky old military forts for rich dudes. The 40-something-year-old will lead the audience on a "hilarious, bittersweet journey through her own disillusionment," which promises a pit stop to discuss the history of toilets. Sign us up!
Neptune Theatre (Thurs April 6)

Book Talk with Clint Smith
Past Event Like List Presented in partnership with Elliott Bay Books, this chat with New York Times bestselling author Clint Smith will be moderated by Marcus Harrison Green, the Northwest African American Museum's 2022 Baldwin Circle Fellow. Smith will share the details on his latest poetry book, Above Ground. This quote really deserves to be shared in entirety, so here's Ross Gay on the collection: “I think there is an emergent theory, and maybe also a demand, when Clint Smith considers the brutalizing facts and language of war almost alongside a reverie about sprinkling sand on his baby’s feet; when he mourns the long and brutal and ongoing history of American slavery almost alongside making French toast with the kids or dancing until the whole family falls down. When he makes us witness the most incomprehensibly awful (and daily) brutalities not only beside but almost in tandem with the most incomprehensibly tender (and daily) actions of care. It’s a theory, and a demand, to which I think we must pay very close attention.”
Northwest African American Museum (Tues April 11)

Anastacia-Renee: Side Notes from the Archivist
Formidable poet, genre-crossing artist, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and former Seattelite Anastacia-Renee will drop by her old stomping grounds in celebration of Side Notes from the Archivist: Poems, a funky, feminist new collection that illuminates Black femme culture through coming-of-age poems set in '80s Philly. 
Elliott Bay Book Company (Fri April 14) & Third Place Books Seward Park (Thurs April 27)

Word Works—Jonathan Escoffery: Earning Your Readers’ Attention
Past Event Like List Hugo House's Word Works craft talks continue with this engaging discussion on capturing readers' attention, led by 2020 Plimpton Prize for Fiction winner Jonathan Escoffery alongside wordsmith and Seattle University assistant professor Juan Carlos Reyes. In Escoffery's 2022 novel If I Survive You, which follows the experiences of a Jamaican immigrant family in Miami,"the "you" his characters are trying to survive is America itself" (NPR). Makes sense! We're stoked to hear more about Escoffery's approach to holding readers' interest, which is grounded in sly humor and relatability.
Hugo House (Fri April 14)

Masha Gessen Past Event Like List
Russian American journalist Masha Gessen, author of the National Book Award-winning The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia and Surviving Autocracy, will head to Seattle for a discussion of their journalistic coverage of the current political unfoldings in Russia. Gessen, a trans nonbinary person, is also an activist covering LGBTQ+ issues throughout the world.
Town Hall Seattle (Mon April 17)

A Conversation with James Spooner Past Event Like List
AFRO-PUNK director, Afropunk Festival co-founder, graphic novelist, and tattoo artist James Spooner will drop by Seattle fresh on the heels of his 2022 graphic coming-of-age memoir The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere., which was one of The Washington Post's 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2022. ("Punk positioned me to listen," Spooner writes.)
Town Hall Seattle (Thurs April 20)

MOHAI's 2023 Innovation Exchange: Pushing the Boundaries of Aerospace Technology Past Event Like List
Centering the Puget Sound region’s contributions to aerospace, MOHAI's 2023 Innovation Exchange will blast off with talks by Seattle innovators and visionaries in the space industry. The event will serve as a launchpad for discussions on "satellite and spacecraft technology, earth observation, rocket launches, and more," featuring industry leaders like Phil Joyce, Tim Kienberger, Brian E. O'Toole, and Mike Sinnett.
Museum of History & Industry (Thurs April 20)

National Geographic Live: Adaptation
Past Event Like List Environmental anthropologist and filmmaker Alizé Carrère travels from Vanuatu's island waters to the ice pyramids of Ladakh in northern India to discover how people around the world are adapting to a changing climate. Her discoveries of innovations and ancient techniques might give you some hope for our very warm future. Find out more at Adaptation, presented as part of the National Geographic Live series, which shares the efforts of its diverse, adventurous contributors.
Benaroya Hall (April 23–25)

Gretchen Rubin Past Event Like List
Gretchen Rubin, the Happier podcast host and New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project, will stop by Seattle in celebration of her new tome Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World. (Self-help queen Glennon Doyle describes the book as an invitation "into the seismic shift toward a life grounded in sensation, vitality, and innate intelligence.") Rubin will chat with The New York Times Magazine writer-at-large Jon Mooallem.
Third Place Books Lake Forest Park (Wed April 26)

Anastacia-Renee presents Side Notes from the Archivist: Poems
Past Event Like List Formidable poet, genre-crossing artist, TEDx speaker, podcaster, and former Seattelite Anastacia-Renee will drop by her old stomping grounds in celebration of Side Notes from the Archivist: Poems, a funky, feminist new collection that illuminates Black femme culture through coming-of-age poems set in '80s Philly.
Third Place Books Seward Park (Thurs April 27)

Hugo Lit Series—Second Chances: Danez Smith, Rachel Khong, Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello, Zan Fiskum
Past Event Like List After the last few years, the idea of "rebirth" sounds pretty appealing. This season's Hugo Literary Series draws on rebirth as a conceptual theme, inviting writers of all stripes to reflect on revival and resurgence through prose, poetry, and songs. This session will feature writers Danez Smith, Rachel Khong, Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello, and Zan Fiskum will invite audiences to try again with new works based on the juicy sub-theme of "second chances."
Hugo House (Fri April 28)

Crosscut Ideas Festival
Past Event Like List Think big at the Crosscut Festival, a gathering of political leaders, authors, journalists, and scholars centering the most pressing topics of our time. Attendees can tune in from home or head to in-person keynotes and activities—there's something for everyone, with events focusing on artificial intelligence, mental health, medical advancements, and more. Key speakers include Deepak Chopra, The Daily host Michael Barbaro, UBI advocate Andrew Yang, CNN anchor Audie Cornish, and Jeopardy! whiz Ken Jennings, among many others.
(April 29–May 6)

FILM

Springtime with Jacques
Past Event Like List We can think of few better ways to celebrate spring than with the films of Jacques Demy, who largely shirked the French New Wave's stylish black-and-white ambiguity in favor of whimsy and color. Northwest Film Forum will screen four Demy faves on Wednesdays in April, including the shimmery, satirical fairy tale Donkey Skin, the pastel musical The Young Girls of Rochefort, the labor rights melodrama Une Chambre en Ville, and an intimate docudrama on Demy’s life, Jacquot de Nantes, created by his larger-than-life partner Agnès Varda.
Northwest Film Forum (April 5–26)

Mountains on Stage - Summer Edition 2023
Past Event Like List Rappelling into Seattle just in time for spring, the Mountains on Stage film festival will bring the best of mountain sports to the screen with a curated selection of high-elevation flicks, including the heartfelt Himalayan journey Lumdo Kolola.
SIFF Cinema Uptown (Wed April 19)

Battleship Potemkin
Past Event Like List This screening of Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 masterwork Battleship Potemkin will bring new life to the silent film with a full symphony orchestra performing an accompanying soundtrack created by conductor and film expert Frank Strobel. The striking score will set the scene for the tale of oppression and victory set during the Russian Revolution of 1905.
Seattle Symphony (Thurs April 20)

Seattle Nordic Film Festival Past Event Like List
This three-day festival will showcase the best in contemporary Nordic cinema, from shorts and documentaries to lauded feature films. The lineup includes an opening night screening of Ali Abbasi's serial killer thriller Holy Spider, the Danish entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards.
National Nordic Museum (April 21–23)

Cadence Video Poetry Festival 2023
Past Event Like List Programmed in collaboration with artist Râna San and Seattle writer Chelsea Werner-Jatzke, this experimental festival explores the boundaries of video poetry through screenings, workshops, and discussions. In celebration of National Poetry Month, the festival honors video poetry as both a literary genre and a complex visual landscape, facilitating opportunities for critical and creative growth within the medium.
Northwest Film Forum (April 27–May 7)

National Film Festival for Talented Youth 2023
Past Event Like List This forward-thinking film fest spotlights fresh work by emerging filmmakers, with a focus on work by young women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and others from traditionally marginalized communities. Similar to the 2022 lineup, the youth will continue to hone in on society's most critical issues—look out for films that grapple with racial equality, gender, Indigeneity, and more.
(April 27–May 7)

VISUAL ART

Opening Reception: Jaku (寂) by Shogo Ota
Past Event Like List While the melting tigers and psychedelic lizards in Shogo Ota's bright, graphic works could hardly be called quiet and meditative, they somehow fit in at the Seattle Japanese Garden. In Jaku (寂), Ota reflects on his own desire to "live and create quaintly beyond time and place" with works that feature flora and fauna found in the garden space. Admission is free all day on April 6, and visitors can meet Ota during the exhibition's opening reception.
Seattle Japanese Garden (Thurs April 6)

Taking Care: Collection Support Studio
Past Event Like List A lot goes on behind museum doors, and in this exhibition of pieces from the Henry's permanent collection, the often-invisible process of assessing, cataloging, and photographing artworks will be in full view. Featuring works by Nan Goldin, Los Carpinteros, Vik Muniz, Kiki Smith, and other heavy hitters, Taking Care: Collection Support Studio will allow visitors to see pieces "removed from the wall one by one" for assessment by the museum's collection team as they work to improve their records.
Henry Art Gallery (April 1–Aug 20)

Sarah Cain: Day after day on this beautiful stage
Past Event Like List Sarah Cain will present a site-specific project commissioned by the Henry for their East Gallery, which engages with the double-height space through a series of paintings, furniture pieces, and other "architectural interventions." The Los Angeles-based painter and installation artist draws from diverse aesthetic inspirations, blending abstract expressionist, graffiti, and pop music references to create a color-drenched, kaleidoscopic point of view that's incredibly fun to observe.
Henry Art Gallery (April 1–Aug 27)

Jodi Rockwell: The Passage Past Event Like List
Koplin Del Rio's curation has been fire lately, and Seattle-based sculptor Jodi Rockwell's solo exhibition is no exception. Stop by the gallery for a peek at Rockwell's "shape-shifting" wheel-thrown ceramic works in The Passage—each work "emit[s] a human presence and ethereal connectivity," and Rockwell's naturalistic forms look soft and inviting enough to touch.
Koplin Del Rio Gallery (through April 15)

Body Language: Reawakening Cultural Tattooing of the Northwest
Past Event Like List Spotlighting the vivid history of Indigenous tattoo artistry on the Northwest coast, Body Language: Reawakening Cultural Tattooing of the Northwest presents photography, artifacts, and contemporary artworks that underscore how these practices have persevered despite historical attempts at disruption.
Burke Museum (through April 16)

Michèle Landsaat: The Alchemy of Love Past Event Like List
Seattle-based writer and illustrator Michèle Landsaat will share new drypoint etchings and papier-mâché sculptures in The Alchemy of Love, a delicate, whimsical exhibition that speaks to the artist's interest in alchemical processes, storytelling, and the "transformative potential of loss."
Davidson Galleries (through April 29)

The FRIENDS Experience: The One in Seattle Past Event Like List
Fans of Monica's compulsive cleanliness, "Smelly Cat," and "the Rachel" shouldn't miss this utterly '90s experience, which will feature nostalgia-stuffed rooms with original props and costumes from FRIENDS, plus set re-creations, a retail store, and more.
Pacific Place (through April 30)

From the Ground Up: Black Architects and Designers
Past Event Like List From the Ground Up: Black Architects and Designers looks closely at the history of Black pioneers in the architecture field, whose structural innovations can be found in ancient temples, cultural institutions, and soaring skyscrapers. The traveling exhibition spotlights groundbreakers like Georgia Louise H. Brown, Philip G. Freelon, and Roberta Washington, and considers how these experts have navigated racism and discrimination in the field to imagine better buildings and better worlds.
Museum of History & Industry (through April 30)

GUM BABY: Tariqa Waters
Past Event Like List Tariqa Waters, contemporary artist and founding owner of Martyr Sauce Pop Art Museum and Gallery, presents glass sculptures and subversive imagery in GUM BABY. The immersive installation and "temporary memorial to the assured" references the distorted tall tales of Americana; Waters calls out contradictions through a larger-than-life, technicolor aesthetic. 
Museum of Museums (through April 30)

FOOD & DRINK

Tipsy Fools' Wine, Beer & Spirits Walk Past Event Like List
Channel your inner jester with goofy hats and jingly shoes and merrily traipse through Bothell, sampling over 60 wines, beers, ciders, and spirits at 24 participating businesses.
Downtown Bothell (Sat April 1)

Polish Spring Bazaar Past Event Like List
Discover Polish traditions at the Polish Women’s Club's annual Spring Bazaar, where you can fill up on handmade pastries and Polish dishes and browse a selection of amber, books, crafts, Bolesławiec pottery, and other goods.
PB Kitchen at Polish Home Association (Sat April 1)

Carnival of Cocktails Past Event Like List
You'll find pop-up cocktail bars, tastings, bar takeovers, food trucks, classes, demos, and more at this "carnival of cocktails," which serves as the main event of Seattle Cocktail Week. With a dozen tasting tokens included with your ticket, you can try several neat spirits samples.
Fisher Pavilion (Sat April 1)

In Person Author Talk: Alison Roman, Sweet Enough Past Event Like List
You've probably seen food writer Alison Roman's viral recipes, like #TheCookies and #TheStew, on your Instagram feed. The author of Dining In and Nothing Fancy, known for her unfussy approach to cooking and her strong culinary opinions, is now returning to her pastry chef roots with her first baking book Sweet Enough. She'll chat with First Generation author Frankie Gaw.
SIFF Cinema Egyptian (Mon April 3)

In Person Author Talk: Hannah Che, The Vegan Chinese Kitchen Past Event Like List
In her debut cookbook, Portland-based author Hannah Che, creator of the blog The Plant-Based Wok, shares over 100 plant-based recipes for Chinese cuisine, drawing on the thousand-year-old tradition of vegetarian Chinese cooking that has its roots in Buddhist temple kitchens. She'll chat with Chinese Soul Food author Hsiao-Ching Chao and sign copies after the talk.
Book Larder (Tues April 4)

Melissa Miranda Guest Chef Dinner Past Event Like List
Musang chef Melissa Miranda, who was recognized as one of the best new chefs in America in 2022 by Food & Wine, will visit Bainbridge Island's modern Vietnamese restaurant Ba Sa to prepare a multi-course Filipino tasting menu, with dishes like kinilaw (kombu-cured steelhead), pancit palabok (shrimp and pork ragu, grilled Argentine langoustines, palabok noodles, smoked tinapa, scallions, and eggs), and banana cake with jackfruit sorbet and fried lumpia paper.
Ba Sa, Bainbridge Island (Wed April 5)

One Night Only with Pangina Heals
Past Event Like List Thai drag queen and Drag Race Thailand co-host Pangina Heals will stop by Seattle in her stilettos to kiki with local MX stars. Yummy local pop-up Thai-U-Up will be on site with creamy panang curry, spring rolls, and other Thai bites.
Queer Bar (Sat April 8)

Cascadia Spring Tea Festival 2023 Past Event Like List
Channel your inner Uncle Iroh at the second edition of this new festival dedicated to all things tea. Bliss out with "activi-teas" like tea tastings and tea-themed crafts, and browse brewing tools, gently used tea wares, and vendor booths. Don't forget to bring your own tasting cup for maximum enjoyment. You can also get a tea charm with donations over $5.
Floral Hall, Everett (Sat April 15)

Burien Uncorked Past Event Like List
Stroll through downtown Burien, exploring local retailers and tasting wines at each location. Wines will be available for sale if you find something you like.
Discover Burien Association (Fri April 21)

'23 Spring Foodie Fest Past Event Like List
Celebrate the arrival of spring and browse a selection of pop-ups, small businesses, and more at this second annual festival from the Stone House Cafe.
The Stonehouse Cafe (Sat April 22)

Chowder Social Past Event Like List
Indulge in a smorgasbord of creamy chowders at this annual event benefiting the historic Foss Waterway Seaport. The evening includes live entertainment, passed appetizers, cocktails, and an auction.
Foss Waterway Seaport (Sun April 23)