January 2022
Free state park day
January 1, 2022
All state parks
New Year’s Day is one of the State Parks Free Days, so you can spend it exploring any of the 140 Washington State Parks. Free.
Seattle events January 2022
You can tab to a map radio button below, and then press your keyboard arrows.
New Year’s Day dance
January 1, 2022 (9 p.m.)
Fremont (3.5 miles N)
Dress up in gold for the New Year’s Day Bollywood Party, which has DJ dance music and performances for age 21+ at the Nectar Lounge, 412 N 36th S in Seattle.
Polar Plunge
January 1, 2022 (11 a.m.)
Issaquah (15 miles SE)
“Start New Year’s Day with a splash” at the $10 Polar Plunge by running into the cold water at Lake Sammamish State Park, 2000 NW Sammamish Road in Issaquah. Video (1 minute).
Drive-through lights: Wild Waves
January 1 - 2, 2022
Federal Way (27 miles S)
“Drive through millions of lights perfectly synchronized to holiday music you’ll hear through your radio” at Christmas in Color, featuring giant candy canes, snowmen, and tunnels of lights in the parking lot at Wild Waves, 36201 Enchanted Pkwy S in Federal Way. Video (2 minutes).
Hockey
January 1 - April 29, 2022
Seattle Center (1.2 miles NW)
Watch Seattle Kraken play a home game on the ice at Climate Pledge Arena, 334 1st Ave. N in Seattle.
- Jan. 25 - Nashville Predators
Jazz show
January 2, 2022 (3 p.m.)
First Hill (0.5 miles SE)
Sacred Music by Duke Ellington features the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, plus guest vocalists, a gospel choir, and tap dancers at Town Hall Seattle.
Football
January 2, 2022
Pioneer Square (1.3 miles S)
Watch the Seahawks play an exciting home game at Lumen Field, 800 Occidental Ave. S in Seattle.
- Jan. 2 - Detroit Lions
Lights in Snohomish County
January 2 - 8, 2022 (5 to 10 p.m.)
Stanwood (50 miles N)
See a million lights, beautiful displays, and costumed characters as you drive your car through The Lights of Christmas, 20800 Marine Drive in Stanwood. Open 5 to 10 p.m. Video (1 minute).
Evening choir
January 2 - May 1, 2022 (4:30 p.m.)
Capitol Hill (2.1 miles NE)
Saint Mark’s Evensong Choir performs its monthly Choral Evensong service in the cathedral nave at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave. E in Seattle. Free.
Free museums
January 6, 2022
Seattle (multiple locations)
Visit these free on the first Thursday of every month.
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture at the U.W. Click GET TICKETS on their website and then choose the date.
- Museum of History & Industry at South Lake Union (5 to 8 p.m.) Look for their link to “reserve FFT tickets.”
- Seattle Art Museum downtown. Click GET TICKETS on their website.
Art walk
January 6, 2022 (evening)
Pioneer Square (0.9 miles S)
Head to historic Pioneer Square for this month’s First Thursday Art Walk, when art galleries open their doors to introduce new exhibitions and artists. Free, including parking voucher.
Board game convention
January 7 - 9, 2022
Bellevue (10 miles E)
Play board games, card games, role playing games, and miniatures games during OrcaCon, which includes panel discussions, workshop, and vendors in Hilton Bellevue, 300 112th Ave. SE in Bellevue.
Puyallup Home and Garden Show
January 7 - 9, 2022
Puyallup (37 miles S)
Get help for your home and garden at Puyallup Home & Garden Show at Washington State Fair Events Center, 110 9th Ave. SW in Puyallup.
Festival of short films
January 12 - 20, 2022 (7 p.m.)
Capitol Hill (1.1 miles E)
Watch an eclectic “95-minute theatrical program of seven short films selected from the 2021 Sundance Film Festival program … including fiction, documentary, and animation from around the world” during Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour at Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave. in Seattle.
Italian classical music
January 13 - 16, 2022 (2 p.m.)
Downtown (0.3 miles SW)
Conductor and mandolin player Avi Avital puts a new spin on music by Vivaldi, with a soprano and the Seattle Symphony during Avi Avital: The Four Seasons at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St. in Seattle.
Taste of Eastern Washington
January 14 - 15, 2022 (SOLD OUT)
Chelan (172 miles E)
Your ticket to Taste of the Northwest includes six oysters plus 12 tasting tickets for wine, beer, and whiskey, with live music and food for sale at Campbell's Resort on Lake Chelan, 104 W Woodin Ave. in Chelan.
Monster trucks
January 14 - 16, 2022 (6:30 p.m.)
Tacoma (33 miles S)
Big trucks with big wheels make big noise and excitement at Monster Jam in the Tacoma Dome, 2727 E D Street in Tacoma. [Seattle date is April 2, 2022.]
Festival at Lake Chelan
January 14 - 23, 2022
Lake Chelan (180 miles E)
Dress warmly for Lake Chelan Winterfest, which features ice sculptures, live music, wine & ale tasting, kids’ activities, a polar bear splash, a giant beach bonfire, and fireworks on the sunnier side of the state.
Woodinville wine walk
January 15, 2022 (6 to 8 p.m.)
Woodinville (21 miles NW)
Bring a glass to Pour for Northshore, which includes “six tasting coupons exchangeable for 1.5-ounce pours at participating wineries” within walking distance, beginning at Elevation Cellars, 19495 144th Ave. NE in Woodinville.
MLK Day rally & march
January 17, 2022
Central District (2.4 miles SE)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day includes an 8:30 a.m. job fair at Garfield High School, a rally at 11 a.m., a march at 12:30 p.m. to city hall, and then a bus ride back. Free.
Free state park day
January 17, 2022
All state parks
Martin Luther King Day is one of the State Parks Free Days, which allows you to visit any of the 140 Washington State Parks. Free.
Free national park day
January 17, 2022
All national parks
Entry is free at Mount Rainier and Olympic National Parks on Free Entrance Days in the National Parks. Expect more people and less parking than usual.
Free museum
January 17, 2022 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Tacoma (34 miles S)
Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with online events and activities, or enjoy free admission today at the Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Ave. in Tacoma.
UW dance show
January 19 - 23, 2022 (SOLD OUT)
University District (4.6 miles NE)
UW Dance Presents “showcases original choreography by internationally recognized faculty and visiting artists” in Meany Hall—Studio Theatre at Meany Center for the Performing Arts, 4040 George Washington Lane NE in Seattle.
Live better with less
January 20, 2022 (7 p.m.)
University District (4.4 miles NE)
Learn how to live better with fewer belongings when Netflix and YouTube stars Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus bring The Minimalists: Love People, Use Things Tour to The Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th St. in Seattle. Video (3 minutes).
Tacoma RV Show
January 20 - 23, 2022
Tacoma (33 miles S)
Check out hundreds of recreational vehicles at the Tacoma RV Show in the Tacoma Dome, 2727 E D Street in Tacoma. Children age 16 and younger are free. Repeats in Oct.
Music of Aretha Franklin
January 21 - 23, 2022 (2 p.m.)
Downtown (0.3 miles SW)
Aretha: A Tribute features Capathia Jenkins and four other vocalists performing Respect, Think, A Natural Woman, Chain of Fools, Amazing Grace and more with the Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St. in Seattle.
Model trains - Puyallup
January 22 - 23, 2022 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Puyallup (37 miles S)
The Great Train Show features model train layouts and hundreds of vendors at Washington State Fair Events Center, 110 9th Ave. SW in Puyallup.
Chamber music
January 26, 2022 (7:30 p.m.)
University District (4.6 miles NE)
(im)migration: music of change shares the experience of migration using “a bold combination of chamber music for winds and strings” performed by a quintet (Imani Winds) and a quartet (Catalyst Quartet) at Meany Center for the Performing Arts, 4040 George Washington Lane NE in Seattle.
Mozart’s birthday party
January 27, 2022 (7:30 p.m.)
First Hill (0.5 miles SE)
A ticket to Mozart Birthday Toast includes chocolate, champagne (or a sparkling beverage), and glorious music performed by a pianist, a violinist, and a cellist at Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave. in Seattle.
Music of the South Pacific
January 29, 2022 (7:30 p.m.)
First Hill (0.5 miles SE)
Small Island Big Song presents music ranging “from oceanic grooves to soulful island ballads” with eight musicians and vocalists from Australia, Madagascar, Mauritius, the Marshall Islands, Taiwan, and Papua New Guinea at Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave. in Seattle. [Tacoma is Feb. 4.]
Fun basketball show
January 29, 2022 (2 & 7 p.m.)
(began this month on January 27)
Seattle Center (1.2 miles NW)
Harlem Globetrotters perform ball handling wizardry, rim-rattling dunks, trick shots, and comedy bits in an entertaining show at Climate Pledge Arena, 334 1st Ave. N in Seattle.
Beer + science experiments
January 29, 2022 (7 to 10 p.m.)
Fremont (4.3 miles NW)
Seattle Science Night promises “an evening of drunken experiments” with liquid nitrogen, levitating metal, 3D art, Tesla coils, and lasers in the theater at Hale’s Ales, 4301 Leary Way NW in Seattle.
Remodeling expo
January 29 - 30, 2022
(began this month on January 28)
Downtown (0.2 miles E)
Get ideas for your dream home from speakers, vendors, and remodeling experts at the Northwest Remodeling Expo at Washington State Convention Center, 705 Pike St. in Seattle.
Cabaret set in 1890s Hungary
January 29 - 30, 2022
(began this month on January 20)
Downtown (0.3 miles S)
Bohemia is a “macabre and mystical dream cabaret” combining classical music, art nouveau, green fairies, aerial numbers, dance, burlesque, classical piano battles, comedy, and original songs at The Triple Door, 216 Union St. in Seattle. [Must be age 17+, or age 21+ beginning 8 p.m.]
Chamber music
January 29 - 30, 2022 (Fri., Sat., Sun.)
(began this month on January 21)
Downtown (0.3 miles S)
Seattle Chamber Music Society’s Winter Festival at Nordstrom Recital Hall in Benaroya Hall has a free recital before each performance. Repeats in July.
Musical: Anastasia
January 29 - 30, 2022
(began this month on January 25)
Downtown (0.3 miles NE)
Sundance Film Festival
January 29 - 30, 2022 (7 p.m.)
(began this month on January 28)
Capitol Hill (1.1 miles E)
Watch a curated selection of eight films from the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, plus a short film program at Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave. in Seattle. All tickets.
Lights at Seattle zoo
January 29 - 30, 2022 (4 to 8:30 p.m.)
(began this month on January 1)
Phinney Ridge (4.1 miles N)
WildLanterns features “large-scale animal and nature scape lanterns representing wild places from around the globe” including bugs, dinosaurs, tigers, peacocks, and dragons, with snacks for sale at Woodland Park Zoo. Closed Mondays. Free parking.
Tacoma Home and Garden Show
January 29 - 30, 2022
(began this month on January 27)
Tacoma (33 miles S)
The Tacoma Home & Garden Show features home-improvement vendors, seminars, and thousands of plants in the Tacoma Dome, 2727 E D Street in Tacoma.
Beauty and The Beast
January 29 - Feb. 6, 2022
(began this month on January 21)
Downtown (0.2 miles SE)
Based on the Disney film and the classic fairy tale, Beauty and The Beast is a story about transformation and tolerance, featuring a girl (Beauty) and a prince under a witch’s spell (Beast), live onstage at The 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 5th Ave. in Seattle. Closed Mondays.
Emotional drama set in Egypt
January 29 - Feb. 20, 2022
(began this month on January 28)
Downtown (0.4 miles E)
Hotter Than Egypt explores the interactions between an American couple in a troubled marriage and the Egyptian couple they hired as tour guides at ACT Theatre, 700 Union St. in Seattle.
Cabaret brunch
January 29 - Feb. 26, 2022 (Sat. 1 p.m.)
Capitol Hill (1.1 miles NE)
Throwback Brunch is an “extravaganza themed drag brunch show” with over-the-top costumes, giant wigs, and outrageous celebrity impersonations for age 13+ at Julia's on Broadway, 300 Broadway E in Seattle. Food is optional.
Cirque show
January 29 - March 13, 2022
(began this month on January 18)
Redmond (16 miles NE)
“Aristocratic ideals of the old guard are challenged by the revolutionary ideals of a youth in revolt” in Alegría, a classic Cirque du Soleil show in a giant tent at Marymoor Park, 6046 West Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE in Redmond.
Exciting things to do
January 29 - Dec. 31, 2022
(began this month on January 1)
Discount tickets
- Axe throwing in Seattle
- Balloon ride in Snohomish
- Escape room in Lynnwood
- Go-kart racing in Lakewood or Mukilteo
- Helicopter tour in Seattle
- Horseback riding in Auburn
- Skydiving in Shelton
- Sports car laps in Monroe
Dining cruise
January 30 - May 2, 2022
Eastlake (1.3 miles N)
Enjoy brunch or dinner at your private table aboard Waterways Cruises, including a two-hour tour of Lake Union and Lake Washington, departing from Chandler’s Cove, 901 Fairview Ave. N in Seattle for age 13+. [You cannot use discount tickets Feb. 7 to 17.]
Wildlife show
January 30 - June 7, 2022
Downtown (0.3 miles SW)
National Geographic Live presents scientists, photographers, filmmakers, and adventurers live on stage with amazing photos and video at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St. in Seattle.
- Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 – The Secret Life of Bears
- Feb. 27 to March 1 – A Voice for Nature
- March 27 to 29 – Secrets of the Whales
- May 1 to 3 – Improbable Ascent [climbers]
- May 22 to 24 – Greenwood [race massacre]
- June 5 to 7 – How to Clone a Mammoth
Tasting tour of the market
January 30 - Dec. 31, 2022
Downtown (0.4 miles SW)
The highly rated two-hour Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market introduces you to artisan vendors and includes a dozen delicious treats. Your tour begins at Simply Seattle, 1600 1st Ave. in Seattle.
Make glass
January 31 - June 30, 2022
Belltown (0.4 miles NW)
An instructor helps you use tools and materials to create glass art in the Ornament or Paperweight [or Heart] Glass-Blowing Class at Seattle Glassblowing Studio, 2227 5th Ave. in Seattle for age 11+. Then pick up your piece after two days of cooling, or pay for shipping.
Seattle attractions
save 47%
Seattle CityPass includes:
- Seattle Aquarium
- Space Needle
plus any three:
- Chihuly Garden and Glass
- Harbor Cruise
- Museum of Pop Culture
- Woodland Park Zoo