Here is this week’s list of family-friendly free or frugal events for around the Northwest, as well as some events going on around the country.
Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events local to the South Sound area of WA as well, so make sure to check out her extensive list.
Be sure to check out Thrifty NW Moms Summer Fun Page for park reviews and other frugal summer fun ideas, as well as our roundup of Summer Reading Programs in the Pacific NW and our around the Pacific NW too! We’ve got a big list of summer festivals and fair in the Northwest as well.
Don’t forget to check out our big roundup of Father’s Day events & activities, too!
If you see a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.
PUGET SOUND AREA::
Friday June 15th:
*Free Friday Night Live at the Imagine Children’s Museum – Everett; 6/15; 5:30pm – 9:30 pmFamilies can enjoy free admission to the museum tonight.
*Free Admission for Dads at Seattles Bug Safari -Seattle; 6/15; 10am to 6pm; Celebrate Father’s Day with a creepy-crawly, adventurous trip to the Seattle Bug Safari. All dads are admitted free with the purchase of a regular-price child admission (limit one free dad per paid child). Regular admission $8, $6 ages 4 to 12, free ages 3 and younger.
*Puyallup Meeker Days – Puyallup; 6/15 – /17; See website for times; Pierce County’s largest street festival features entertainment, food, arts and crafts, vendors, inflatable rides, car shows and more.
*Edmonds Arts Festival -Edmonds; 6/15-6/17; See website for times; Art, food and entertainment. The Kids Creative Corner features hands-on art and entertainers.
*Berry Dairy Days – Burlington; 6/15-6/17; See website for times; Fresh local strawberry shortcake, spectacular fireworks show, fabulous parades, Kiwanis Salmon BBQ, entertainment stage with live music, nostalgic Berry Cool Car Show and more!
*Free Casper Babypants Concert – Tacoma; 6/15; 6:30pm; Hear a concert by popular kids’ entertainer Caspar Babypants, featuring music on guitar and piano.
*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 6/15; 11:00am to 5:00pm; Frye Museum entrance and parking are free all the time. You can check their events page here, for a list of weekly events.
*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 6/15; 12:00pm to 4:00pm; Soundbridge is a music discovery center and is free each Friday after 12 pm; Ages 2-5, 30 minute interactive storytelling with song & rhythm, dance & musical instruments.
Saturday June 16th:
*Seattle Centers ‘The Next 50′ celebration - Seattle; through 10/21; Join The Next Fifty for a full schedule of Opening Day activities launching the six-month celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. Most of the events are FREE.
*Fall City Days – Fall City; 6/16; 9am to 5pm; Annual festival includes pancake breakfast, fun run, arts & crafts fair, food, pony rides, carnival, inflatable rides, parades, music, watermelon eating contests, the Ducky Derby Race and more.
*Wild Strawberry Festival – Burien; 6/16; 10am to 6pm; Entertainment, games, carnival, car show (Sun.), kids’ activities, vendors, food and more. Grand parade this day!
*Marysville Strawberry Festival – Marysville; 6/16; Citywide events through June 17 include carnival, vendors, food, music, car show, kiddies’ parade and grand parade, fireworks and more.
*World Oceans Day Festival – Camano; 6/16; 10am to 4pm; Interpretive beach walks, demonstrations, hands-on activities and educational booth displays by more than 35 ocean conservation and natural resource organizations. The event also features live music, games, guided trail walks, park tours, face painting, geocaching and arts and crafts. Captain Fuzzybeard and Smokey the Bear return for kids’ storytelling sessions, joined by the American Story Lady.
*Kent International Festival – Kent; 6/16; 10am to 6pm; Ethnic dance, music, traditional attire, arts and crafts, interactive family activities and authentic cuisine.
*Iranian Festival – Seattle; 6/16; 12pm to 6pm; Explore the culture of Iran through dance, music, a traditional tea house and marketplace.
*Father’s Day Prince & Princess Party at Northgate Mall – From 1-3pm; This is for Kidgits members (if you’re not a kidgit member, you can sign up for $5 for the year). Guests will receive goody bags, be entertained by Radio Disney, create art work, enjoy cupcakes & lemonade & will receive a prize if they are dressed as a favorite prince or princess.
*Free Wing Luke Museum Entrance – Seattle; 6/16; 10:00am to 8:00pm; The Wing Luke Museum offers free admission on the third Saturday of each month, for family day.
*Fraser Cabin Heritage Program – Bellevue; 6/16; 11am to 3pm; Visitors are encouraged to participate in hands-on activities that relate to 1880s settler life: agriculture, dairy, household tasks, log cabins, games and Eastside history.
*Kids Event at Redmond Saturday Market – Redmond; 6/16; 9am to 3pm; Shop for fresh, local produce, plus kids can enjoy fun with KidsQuest Museum from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. music and stories by Mr. Darby from 10 a.m. to noon
*Beach Explorations – Throughout the Puget Sound; see website for specific locations and times. Join beach naturalists and explore the beach at low tide. Free.
*Camlann Village Weekend – Carnation; Noon to 5 p.m. Through July 22 and Sept. 1-23. Live portrayals of medieval villagers and every-day village activities. $5 suggested donation, free ages 4 and younger.
*Bellevue Art Museums Get Crafty Saturday – Bellevue; 6/16; 1:00pm to 3:00pm; Free craft time for kids each Saturday. $2 material fee or free with admission.
*Pond Boat Sailing – Seattle; Saturdays and Sundays through November; 11am to 2pm; Join The Center for Wooden Boats for pond boat sailing in Lake Union Park’s Model Boat Pond. Ages 5 and older. $5 suggested donation for boat rental, free first Saturdays.
* Science & Technology Center (MaST) – Saturdays 10am – 2pm; kids can explore sea life with touch tanks & more. Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!
Sunday June 17th:
Happy Fathers Day!
*Emerald Downs Family Fun Days - Auburn; 6/17; Family Days include a moonwalk, pony rides, face painters and other free activities on Sundays from June 17 through September 3. Admission is $7 for adults, kids 17 and younger are free.
Thursday June 21st:
*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 6/21; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)
PORTLAND AREA:
Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area. For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.
Friday June 15th:
*Siletz Bay Music Festival - Lincoln City; 6/15 – 6/24; See website for full schedule of musical events!
*Animal Activities at Blue Lake Park – Portland; 6/15; 1pm to 5pm; Free event ($5 parking fee). Find animal footprints, see what brings butterflies and how to help birds eat better. Enjoy fun activities such as critter rock painting, animal origami, potato stamp footprinting and wildlife journaling. Three and up. Adult supervision required.
*Family Movie Night at Café Sip-n-Play - Portland; 6/15; 5:00pm; Free Movie Night. Grab a bite to eat, relax, and unwind while you enjoy a movie with the little atmosphere.
* Art & More , Be A Messy Monkey - Portland; 6/15; 10:00am to 12:00pm; Drop-in Art, play and relax while enjoying a warm beverage, socializing with other families & making art! Each week we offer a special project and additional 2-3 sensory art stations. 8 hr/per parent and child . Due to popular demand you must pre-register here
*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 6/15; 11:00am to 12:00pm; Mr. Hoo will be singing songs with and for kids. He’ll play his guitar and sing some original songs, some Alphabeticians songs, some classic kid songs and Hoo knows what else? $3 suggested donation pp.
*Sing a Long With Tyleena – Portland; 6/15 & 6/16; 10am; Join us for a musical sing a-long and story time with the fantastic Tyleena! Sing along to your favorite songs and books. Pick up a tambourine, drum or shaker and jam with us while learning some basic rhythm skills. Fun for the whole family! $3 donation.
Saturday June 16th:
*Oregon Voices Grand Opening Celebration – Portland; 6/15; 10am to 5pm; Free admission all day. To celebrate the opening of our new permanent exhibit, Oregon Voices: Change and Challenge in Modern Oregon History, OHS is opening its doors for free on Saturday, June 16. Explore the exhibit’s interactive areas with theatre instructor Morgan Cox. At 1 PM, listen to historian and author Bill Robbins’ talk, “Reflections on Modern Oregon.” After learning about Oregon’s natural resources, kids can decorate their own backpack and fill it with fun tools for exploring Oregon’s great outdoors!
*Oregon Maritime Museum Family Saturday – Saturday; 5/19; 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Families are invited to discover Portland’s maritime history with a craft project to take home. Museum Family Saturdays, on the third Saturday of every month, are free to families with children under 18.
*Lets Go Camping – Various state park locations, weekends through 8/24; $20 per family. Tent, sleeping bags and mattress pads provided if iy need them. Lots of fun activities for everyone. There are 17 weekend events scheduled at various state parks. A very secure event with ranger-led activities and experienced volunteers on hand to assist you 24/7. Call 888-953-7677 to reserve spots. For more information head here and click on the Let’s Go Camping link on the left side of the page.
*Berry Jam Festival - Sauvie Island; 6/16 – 6/17; 11am to 4pm; Free event; The annual festival features hayrides, kids’ jam making, face painting, live music (yes more jamming), strawberry shortcake, and plenty of strawberries to pick and eat.
*Scandanavian Mid-Summer Festival - Portland; 6/16; 11am to 9pm; Celebrate the coming summer solstice Scandinavian style—that means dancing, food, a beer garden, kids’ activities, and yes, the raising of the Maypole.
*Dad’s Day Necktie Bookmark Making - Portland; 6/16; 11am to 4pm; Dad won’t mind another necktie if it’s one of these clever and crafty little bookmarks made from a vintage tie. Free.
*Safety Saturday at Belmont Firehouse – Portland; 6/16; 10am to 3pm; The firehouse is open to the public and features exhibits, an interactive fire engine simulator, and education and fun for the whole family.
*Kids Cook At The Market – Portland; 6/16; Cooking classes for kids 7 to 11 at the Portland Farmers Market. This weeks class i sBerry Bonanza Salad and is $5 per child.
*Family Movie Night at Café Sip-n-Play - Portland; 6/16; 5:00pm; Free Movie Night. Grab a bite to eat, relax, and unwind while you enjoy a movie with the little atmosphere. This weekend: .
*Family Happy Hour at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 6/16; Every Saturday from 4-6, join us for family friendly music and happy hour food and drink specials with some of Portland’s finest kids acts! Every week, two different acts take the stage to enlighten and entertain. Guests include: The Alphabeticians, Professor Banjo, The Snail People, Mo Phillips, Mr. Ben, and more!
* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 6/16; 4:45pm to 6:30pm; Bauman Chiropractic is sponsoring free family swims at Marshall Pool Saturday evenings.
* Kids Saturday Morning Skate Session At Oaks Park – Portland ; 6/16; 10:30am to 12:00pm; For $5.50 children 10 and under can skate (skates included). Parents free with paid child admission.
*Free Guided Nature Walk – Portland – 6/16; 10:00am to 11:30am; Enjoy free guided walks with park ranger.
Monday June 18th:
*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 6/18; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.
*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 6/18; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.
Thursday June 21st:
*Lunch Time With Mr. Ben at Eat. Art. Theater - Portland; 6/21; Every Thursday from 11-12pm, join us for family friendly music! Every week Mr. Ben performs and kids are free to interact.
NATIONAL EVENTS:
*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 6/16; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time and make a flip flop note pad (plus print a $5 off $25 coupon).
*Michaels Make It Take It Event - 6/15; 6:00pm to 8:00pm; Make a Fathers Day Duck Tape Wallet . Free with purchase of mug, Make-It Take-It event.
*Michaels Make It Take It Event - 6/16; 10:00am to 12:00pm; Make a Fathers Day T-shirt /tie. Free Make-It Take-It event, with purchase of t-shirt.
* Summer Movie Express - $1 movies on Tues. & Wed. through the summer with this program.
*National Geographic Little Explorers World Oceans celebration at Pottery Barn Kids -6/9; 10am; Kids 3 and up can enjoy hands on activities at this event. Receive an Explorer Badge and a Dr. Seuss Book
*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime - 6/16; Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.
