Something I try to do each year at the beginning of the summer is make a list or calendar of all the different Seattle summer activities there are to do with my family. Sometimes it seems like just about everything fun to do around here happens in July and August – we really have to take advantage of those two months of sun to soak it up for the long grey months ahead. Here’s my list for this year: we won’t do nearly everything on the list (since there’s more than 150 things), but I can look here when I’m looking for things to do, and you can too! Let me know in the comments if there’s something your family especially likes to do in the Seattle area during the summer, and I’ll add it to the list.

Festivals, Fairs and Parades

Parades

• Wallingford Family Parade – Seattle, Saturday July 5, 2014 at 11:00am
• Derby Days Children’s and Grand Parades – Redmond, Saturday July 12, 2014
• West Seattle Grand Parade – Seattle, Saturday July 19, 2014 at 11:00am
• Covington Days Parade – Covington, Saturday July 19, 2014 at 10:00am
• Des Moines Waterland Parade – Des Moines, Sunday July 20, 2014 at 6:00pm
• Greenwood Seafair Parade – Seattle, Wednesday July 23, 2014 at 6:00pm
• Tour de Terrace Parade – Mountlake Terrace, Friday July 25, 2014 at 7:00pm
• Seafair Torchlight Parade – Seattle, Saturday July 26, 2014 at 7:30pm
• Renton River Days Parade – Renton, Saturday July 26, 2014 at 10:00am
• Seafair Fleet Week Navy Ship Parade – Seattle waterfront, Wednesday July 30, 2014 at 1:45pm
• Lake City SalmonFest (formerly Pioneer Days) Children’s and Grand Parades – Seattle, Saturday August 2, 2014
• Magnolia SummerFest Parade and Kids’ Parade – Seattle, Saturday August 2, 2014 at 10:30am
• Brier SeaScare Parade – Brier, Wednesday August 13, 2014 at 7:00pm

Cultural Festivals

• Taste of Tacoma – Tacoma, June 27-29, 2014
• Bellevue Strawberry Festival – Bellevue, June 28-29, 2014
• West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival – Seattle, July 4-21, 2014
• Kent Cornucopia Days – Kent, July 10-13, 2014
• Chinatown – International District DragonFest – Seattle, July 12-13, 2014
• Ballard SeafoodFest – Seattle, July 12-13, 2014
• Mercer Island Summer Celebration – Mercer Island, July 12-13, 2014
• White Center Jubilee Days – White Center, July 12-20, 2014
• Kla Ha Ya Days – Snohomish, July 16-20, 2014
• Bite of Seattle – Seattle, July 18-20, 2014
• Seafair Indian Days Pow Wow – Discovery Park, Seattle, July 18-20, 2014
• Bon Odori Festival – Seattle, July 19-20, 2014
• Covington Days Festival – Covington, July 19-20, 2014
• Tour de Terrace – Mountlake Terrace, July 25-27, 2014
• Renton River Days – Renton, July 25-27, 2014
• Hispanic Seafair – Seattle, July 27, 2014
• Pista sa Nayon Filipino Festival – Seattle, July 27, 2014
• UmojaFest African American Heritage Festival – Seattle, August 1-3, 2014
• SalmonFest Seattle (formerly Lake City Pioneer Days) – Seattle, August 1-3, 2014
• Magnolia SummerFest – Seattle, August 1-2, 2014
• Street Food Festival – Seattle, August 8-9, 2014
• A Taste of Edmonds – Edmonds, August 8-10, 2014
• Kirkland Summerfest – Kirkland, August 8-10, 2014
• South Lake Union Block Party – Seattle, August 8, 2014
• Brier SeaScare – Brier, Wednesday August 13, 2014
• Central Area Community Festival – Seattle, August 16, 2014
• Rainier Valley Culture Festival – Seattle, August 16, 2014
• Brasilfest – Seattle, August 17, 2014
• Viking Days – Seattle, August 16-17, 2014
• Bumbershoot Music Festival – Seattle, August 30 – September 1, 2014

Street Fairs and Farmers’ Markets

• Fremont Fair – Seattle, June 20-22, 2014
• Puyallup Street Fair – Puyallup, June 20-22, 2014
• Bellevue Farmers Markets – Bellevue neighborhoods, weekly on varying days
• Bothell Farmer’s Market at Bothell Country Village – Bothell, Fridays 12:00 – 6:00pm
• Burien Farmer’s Market – Burien, Thursdays 12:00 – 6:00pm
• Carnation Farmer’s Market – Carnation, Tuesdays 3:00 – 7:00pm
• Everett Farmer’s Market – Everett, Sundays 11:00am – 4:00pm
• Federal Way Farmer’s Market – Federal Way, Saturdays 9:00am – 3:0opm
• Lake Forest Park Farmer’s Market – Lake Forest Park, Sundays 10:00am – 3:00pm
• Renton Farmer’s Market – Renton, Tuesdays 3:00 – 7:00pm
• Seattle Farmers’ Markets – Seattle neighborhoods, weekly on varying days
• Shoreline Farmer’s Market – Shoreline, Saturdays 10am – 3pm
• Tacoma Farmers Markets – Tacoma neighborhoods, weekly on varying days

Country Fairs & Carnivals

• Evergreen State Fair – Monroe, August 21 – September 1, 2014
• Western Washington State Fair (Puyallup Fair) – Puyallup, September 5-21, 2014
• King County Fair – Enumclaw, July 17 – 20, 2014
• Stanwood-Camano Community Fair, August 1-3, 2014

Fourth of July Celebrations

• Grand Old Fourth of July – Bainbridge Island
• Bellevue Family 4th
• An Edmonds Kind of Fourth
• July 4th Colors of Everett
• Joint Base Lewis McChord Freedom Fest
• Seafair Summer Fourth – Seattle
• Tacoma’s Freedom Fair

Art, Music, Culture, Cinema

Family Concerts

• Edmonds Concerts in the Park – Edmonds, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, July 10 – August 28, 2014
• Everett Children’s Concert Series – Thornton A. Sullivan Park, Everett, Thursdays 10-11am, July 10 – August 21, 2014
• Kenmore Summer Concert Series – Saint Edward State Park, Kenmore, Thursdays, 6-8pm, July 10 – August 14, 2014
• Kirkland Summer Concert Series at Juanita Beach Park – Kirkland, Tuesdays 10:00am, July 8 – August 19, 2014
• Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Concert Series – Shoreline, Wednesdays 7pm, July 9 – August 27, 2014
• Ballard Locks Summer Concert Series – Seattle, Saturdays & Sundays throughout the summer
• Sounds of Summer Concert Series at University Village – Seattle, Wednesdays 6:30 – 8:30pm, July 9 – August 20, 2014
• Pepsapalooza – Everett, August 16, 2014

Movies! Movies! Movies!

• Regal Summer Movie Express with $1 kids’ movies  – Bellevue, Everett, Lynnwood, Port Orchard, Renton, Seattle, Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 10:00am June 24 – August 20, 2014
• Outdoor Movies at Marymoor Park – Redmond, Wednesdays 7pm July 9 – August 27, 2014
• Fremont Outdoor Cinema – Seattle, July 12 – August 30, 2014
• Outdoor Movies at Magnuson Park – Seattle, Thursdays 7pm July 10 – August 28, 2014
• Movies in the Park, Willis Tucker Community Park – Snohomish, Thursdays 7:30pm July 10 – August 14, 2014

Children’s Museums

• Imagine Children’s Museum – Everett
• KidsQuest Children’s Museum – Factoria
• Seattle Children’s Museum – Seattle

Child-Friendly Museums

• Future of Flight Museum – watch airplanes being built (kids must be 48″ tall to go on the tour) – Everett
• Check out dinosaur fossils and other artifacts at the Burke Museum – Seattle
• Learn the history of aviation at the Museum of Flight – Seattle
• There’s lots to explore at the Museum of History & Industry – Seattle
• The Seattle Art Museum, Asian Art Museum and Olympic Sculpture Park have plenty for families to do – Seattle

Sporting Events

• Watch the big league Mariners baseball at Safeco field, then check out the minor league teams the Everett Aquasox and Tacoma Rainiers.
• Catch the Seattle Storm at Key Arena.
• CenturyLink Field is not idle during summer – See the Sounders FC battle their national soccer opponents there.
• Redmond Derby Days Bike Races – Redmond, July 11-12, 2014
• Seafair Milk Carton Derby (homemade boat races) – Seattle, July 12, 2014 9:30am – 4:00pm
• Marymoor Grand Prix Bike Races – Redmond, July 25-26, 2014
• Seafair Hydroplane Races – Seattle, August 1 – 3, 2014
• Evergreen Classic Benefit Horse Show – Monroe, August 6-10, 2014
• Kids Obstacle Challenge at Marymoor Park – Redmond, August 8, 2014

The Great Outdoors

Zoos and Petting Farms

• Outback Kangaroo Farm – Arlington
• Kelsey Creek Farm – Bellevue
• Northwest Trek – Enumclaw
• Forest Park – Everett
• The Reptile Zoo – Monroe
• Farrel-McWhirter Farm Park – Redmond
• Woodland Park Zoo – Seattle
• Seattle Aquarium – Seattle
• Flower World – Snohomish
• City Goat Farm & Zoo – Spanaway
• Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium – Tacoma
• Wolf Haven – Tenino

Amazing Playgrounds and Spray Parks

• Discovery Playground at Les Gove Park – Auburn
• Crossroads Park – Bellevue
• Rotary Centennial Water Playground, Forest Park – Everett
• Lake Meridian Park – Kent
• Ft. Steilacoom Park – Lakewood
• Luther Burbank Park – Mercer Island
• Junior League of Seattle Playground, Magnuson Park – Seattle
• Beacon Mountain, Jefferson Park – Seattle
• Highland Park – Seattle
• Northacres Park – Seattle
• Pratt Park – Seattle
• Willis Tucker Community Park – Snohomish

Urban Hiking, Beaches and Natural Parks

• Luther Burbank Park – Mercer Island
• Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park – Renton
• Discovery Park – Seattle
• Seward Park – Seattle
• Golden Gardens Park – Seattle
• Carkeek Park – Seattle
• Alki Beach Park – Seattle
• Richmond Beach Saltwater Park – Shoreline

State / National Parks

• Deception Pass State Park – Whidbey Island
• Saint Edward State Park – Kenmore
• Mt. Rainier National Park
• Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
• Olympic National Park
• North Cascades National Park

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Cars and Trucks and Things that Go

• Greenwood Car Show – Seattle, Saturday, June 28, 2014
• Kids Safety Day at the Museum of Flight – Seattle,  June 27th 10am – 2pm
• Edmonds Firefighters Waterball Competition – Edmonds City Park, July 4th 2:30 pm
• Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival – Seattle, July 4-6, 2014
• Day Out with Thomas the Train – Snoqulamie, July 11-13 and 18-20, 2014
• Seafair Fleet Week with Navy ship tours – Seattle, July 30 – August 3, 2014
• Snoqualmie Railroad Days – Snoqualmie, August 15 – 17, 2014

Air Shows

• Olympic Air Show – Olympia, June 14-15, 2014
• Gig Harbor Wings & Wheels – Gig Harbor, July 6, 2014
• Arlington Fly-in – Arlington, July 10-12, 2014
• Boeing Seafair Airshow featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels – Seattle, August 1-3, 2014

Fun Day Trips

Downtown Seattle

• Check out the view at the Space Needle or Columbia Tower Observation Decks.
• Pike Place Market
• Pacific Science Center
• Seattle Great Wheel
• Seattle Central Library
• Monorail
• Ride the Duck
• Underground Seattle Tour

Going Farther Afield

• Leavenworth, WA
• Ocean Shores, WA
• Whidbey and Camano Islands, WA

 

I’m sharing this post at some of these great link parties – check ‘em out!