Calendar of Events

Seattleites will hold a festival at the drop of a rain hat, and summers here seem to revolve around the city's myriad celebrations. To find out what special events will be taking place while you're in town, check the "Ticket" arts-and-entertainment section of the Friday Seattle Times or pick up a copy of Seattle Weekly. Remember, festivals here take place rain or shine. For more specific dates than those listed here, take a look at the calendar of events on Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau website (www.visitseattle.org), which is updated as dates become available.

In addition to the festivals listed here, a series of more than a dozen cultural community festivals is held each year at Seattle Center. Called Festál, this series celebrates Seattle's cultural diversity. In the past they've held Vietnamese, African, Japanese, Filipino, Brazilian, and Tibetan festivals. For information, contact Seattle Center (tel. 206/684-7200; www.seattlecenter.com).

For an exhaustive list of events beyond those listed here, check http://events.frommers.com, where you'll find a searchable, up-to-the-minute roster of what's happening in cities worldwide.

January

Seattle Boat Show (tel. 206/634-0911; www.seattleboatshow.com), Qwest Field Event Center and south Lake Union. At the West Coast's biggest boat show, more than 1,000 boats of every style and size are displayed. January 23 to February 1, 2009.

Chinatown/International District Lunar New Year Celebration (tel. 206/382-1197; www.cidbia.org). Each year's date depends on the lunar calendar. In 2009, the Chinese New Year celebration should be in late January.

February

Northwest Flower & Garden Show (tel. 206/789-5333; www.gardenshow.com), Washington State Convention and Trade Center. This massive show for avid gardeners has astonishing floral displays. February 18 to 22, 2009.

April

Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival (tel. 206/684-7200 or 206/723-2003; www.seattlecenter.com), Seattle Center. Traditional Japanese spring festival. Mid-April.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (tel. 360/428-5959; www.tulipfestival.org), La Conner. An hour north of Seattle, acres and acres of tulips and daffodils cover the Skagit Valley with broad swaths of color each spring, creating an enchanting landscape. Lots of festivities. All month.

May

Opening Day of Boating Season (tel. 206/325-1000; www.seattleyachtclub.org), Lake Union and Lake Washington. A parade of boats and much fanfare take place as Seattle boaters bring out everything from kayaks to yachts. First Saturday in May.

Seattle Maritime Festival (tel. 206/728-3163; www.portseattle.org). Tugboat races are the highlight of this annual Port of Seattle event. Festivities are centered on the Bell Street Pier (Pier 66) on the Seattle waterfront. Early May.

U District StreetFair (tel. 206/547-4417; www.udistrictstreetfair.org), University District. This is the first big street fair of the season in Seattle and includes lots of crafts booths, food vendors, and live music. Mid-May.

Seattle International Children's Festival (tel. 206/684-7338 or 206/325-6500 for tickets; www.seattleinternational.org), Seattle Center. Maori musicians, Persian puppets, Japanese storytellers, West African drummers and dancers -- these are just some of the acts you might see at this festival that celebrates world cultures through the performing arts. Mid-May.

Seattle International Film Festival (tel. 206/324-9996; www.seattlefilm.com), at theaters around town. New foreign and independent films are screened over several weeks during this highly regarded film festival. Late May to mid-June.

Northwest Folklife Festival (tel. 206/684-7300; www.nwfolklife.org), Seattle Center. This is one of the largest folklife festivals in the country, with dozens of national and regional folk musicians performing on numerous stages. In addition, you'll find crafts vendors from all over the Northwest, lots of good food, and dancing. Memorial Day weekend.

June

Edmonds Arts Festival (tel. 425/771-6412; www.edmondsartsfestival.com). For a taste of what regional artists are up to, spend some time at this festival 30 minutes north of Seattle. Second weekend in June.

Fremont Fair (tel. 206/297-6801; www.fremontfair.com). A celebration of the summer solstice with a wacky parade, naked bicyclists, food, arts and crafts, and entertainment in one of Seattle's favorite neighborhoods. Third weekend in June.

Seattle Pride (tel. 206/322-9561; www.seattlepride.org), Capitol Hill. With several days of revelry leading up to and including the last weekend in June, this is the largest gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender march and festival in the Northwest. Last week in June.

July

Fourth of Jul-Ivar's (tel. 206/587-6500; www.ivars.net), Myrtle Edwards Park, north end of Seattle waterfront. Fireworks over Elliott Bay. July 4.

Washington Mutual Family Fourth at Lake Union (tel. 206/281-7788; www.familyfourth.org). Seattle's other main Fourth of July fireworks display. July 4.

Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival (tel. 206/382-2628; www.cwb.org), Center for Wooden Boats. Featured are classic speedboats and wooden boats, both old and new, from all over the Northwest. Races, demonstrations, food, and entertainment. July 3 to 5, 2009.

Out to Lunch (tel. 206/623-0340; www.downtownseattle.com). Free lunchtime music concerts in plazas and parks throughout downtown. July through August.

Seafair (tel. 206/728-0123; www.seafair.com). This is the biggest Seattle event of the year, with daily festivities -- parades, hydroplane boat races, an air show with the Navy's Blue Angels, the Torchlight Parade, ethnic festivals, sporting events, and open houses on naval ships. Events take place citywide. Early July to early August.

Chinatown/International District Summer Festival (tel. 206/382-1197; www.cidbia.org). Music, dancing, arts, and food of Seattle's Asian district. Second weekend in July.

Tivoli/Viking Days (tel. 206/789-5707; www.nordicmuseum.org), Ballard. Seattle's Ballard neighborhood was founded by Scandinavians, and that heritage is still celebrated each summer at the Nordic Heritage Museum. Lots of Scandinavian crafts and foods. Second weekend in July.

Pilchuck Glass School Open House (tel. 206/621-8422; www.pilchuck.com), Stanwood. If you're a fan of glass artist Dale Chihuly, you won't want to miss an opportunity to visit the school that helped him make a name for himself. The open house is immensely popular, so buy tickets early. Mid-July.

Bite of Seattle (tel. 425/283-5050; www.biteofseattle.com), Seattle Center. Sample bites from local restaurants or taste some wines. Third weekend in July.

Sequim Lavender Festival (tel. 877/681-3035 or 360/681-3035; www.lavenderfestival.com). Each summer the purple haze of lavender farms adds splashes of color to the landscape surrounding the town of Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula. This festival features farm visits and vendors selling lavender-themed art, crafts, cosmetics, and foods. Sequim is a 30-minute ferry ride and an hour's drive from Seattle. Third weekend in July.

Bellevue Arts Museum ArtsFair (tel. 415/519-0770; www.bellevuearts.org), Bellevue Square, Bellevue. This is the largest arts-and-fine-crafts fair in the Northwest. Last weekend in July.

Camlann Medieval Village Summer Village Festivals (tel. 425/788-8624; www.camlann.org), Carnation. Knights, ladies, jousting, and plenty of good cheer make this anachronistic festival great fun. You can even rent a costume for the day and attend a medieval banquet at Ye Bors Hede Inne. Mid-July through late August.

August

Chief Seattle Days (tel. 360/598-3311), at Suquamish tribal headquarters. A celebration of Northwest Native American culture across Puget Sound from Seattle. Third weekend in August.

September

Bumbershoot, Seattle's Music & Arts Festival (tel. 206/281-7788; www.bumbershoot.org). Seattle's second-most-popular festival derives its peculiar name from a British term for an umbrella -- an obvious reference to the rainy weather. Lots of rock music and other events pack Seattle's youthful set into Seattle Center and other venues. You'll find plenty of arts and crafts on display, too. Labor Day weekend.

October

Issaquah Salmon Days Festival (tel. 425/392-0661; www.salmondays.org). This festival in Issaquah, 15 miles east of Seattle, celebrates the annual return of salmon that spawn within the city limits. First full weekend in October.

November

Seattle Marathon (tel. 206/729-3660; www.seattlemarathon.org), around the city. With all these hills, you have to be crazy to run a marathon in Seattle, but plenty of people do it every year. Sunday after Thanksgiving.

December

Argosy Christmas Ship Festival (tel. 800/642-7816 or 206/623-1445; www.argosycruises.com), various locations. Boats decked out with imaginative Christmas lights parade past various waterfront locations. Argosy Cruises offers tours. Throughout December.

New Year's at the Needle (tel. 206/905-2100; www.spaceneedle.com), Seattle Center. The Space Needle ushers in the new year with a big fireworks show at midnight sharp. December 31.