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. Don’t forget to check out Goldstar for Discount Tickets on many local activities and events, if you are looking for a specific event and want to save some money!
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.
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 August 3rd:
*Seafair Weekend - 8/3-8/5; Activity locations and times vary, see website for specific details. Free general admission on Friday, 8/3. Events include:
- Hydroplane races on Lake Washington, south of the I-90 Bridge.
- Air Show features the U.S. Navy Blue Angels performing, and includes many other flight demonstrations and operations.
- Shore activities at Genesee Park (3800 Lake Washington Blvd. S. Seattle) and along Lake Washington Boulevard include entertainment, food, flight simulators, Kids Zone ($12) and more.
- Get your picture taken at the KIRO 7 news desk and receive a free tote bag
*Blue Angels at The Museum Of Flight – Seattle; 8/3 – 5; 10 am to 5 pm; The U.S. Navy Blue Angels use the Museum of Flight as operational headquarters for the Seafair Air Show. Come enjoy the show, including: flight preparations, pilots’ pre-flight walk downs, and departure and arrival of the jets for free (museum admission is separate).
*King County Fair - Enumclaw; 8/3 – 8/5; See website for times; Tickets are $5, and kids 4 and under are FREE! Oldest fair west of the Mississippi features live music, rides (fee), rodeo, tractor pull, concerts and more.
*Free Entrance To Hands On Childrens Museum – Olympia; 8/3; 5:00pm to 9:00pm; Free entrance for the evening on the first Friday of each month.
* Half Off Admission To KidsQuest Children’s Musuem – Factoria; 8/3; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; First Friday evening of the month offers free admission.
*Free Entrance To Bellevue Art Museum – Bellevue; 8/3; 11:00am to 8:00pm. First Friday of the month Bellevue Art Museum offers free admission.
*Thurston County Fair – Lacey; through 8/5; Times vary check website for details. Music, home arts demonstrations, 4-H and FFA events, carnival rides and food. $7 adults, $5 ages 6 to 14, free ages 5 and younger, $20 family (limited number of tickets, while supplies last). Military day on 8/3. Those with active duty ID get in for $2.
*UmojaFest - Seattle; 8/3-8/5; Times vary check website for details. African Heritage Festival and Parade. Children’s area, parade (noon Sat.), entertainment, Urban Hip-Hop Music Fest, Bite of Africa, vendors and more.
*Pioneer Days – Lake City; 8/3-8/5; 12:00pm to 7:00pm Fri. and 10:00am to 7:00pm Sat.; Street fair, family fun area, salmon bake, parade, model railroad, vintage car show, contests, kids’ activities, and more. Free to attend.
*Kids Day at the Juanita Friday Market – Kirkland; 8/3; 3pm to 7pm; On the first Friday of each month through October, kids can enjoy free crafts and a puppet show.
*Columbia City BeatWalk – Columbia City /Seattle; 8/3; 7:00pm to 10:00pm; BeatWalk always features a diverse line-up of first-rate, local musicians hosted by neighborhood businesses for audiences of all ages. $7 for adults. Free ages 14 and under.
*First Friday Bellevue Artwalk – Bellevue; 8/3; 4pm to 8pm; First Friday in Bellevue, a complimentary art walk event located in Bellevue Place Fountain Court. Enjoy a preview of five, juried local artists, live entertainment and specials from the participating Bellevue Place stores and restaurants.
*Seattle Centers ‘The Next 50′ celebration - Seattle; through 10/21; Join The Next Fifty for a full schedule of activities launching the six-month celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. Most of the events are FREE.
Summer events will include: FREE Movies, FREE Concerts, and FREE Programming at the International Fountain
*Cinema Under The Stars - Everrett; 8/3; Family entertainment pre-show starts at 7:30 p.m., and movie starts at dusk. Enjoy free outdoor showing of Muppets. Bring blankets. Snacks available for purchase.
*Jetty Island Days - Everett; through 9/3; Jetty Islands Open Day is today. Enjoy Sandblast celebration, pirates hunt, crafts and more. Ferry rides to Jetty Island are free, but donations of $2 per adult and $1 per child help offset this cost and are appreciated. Find the calendar for the all of the Jetty Island Days activities here.
*Funtastic Fridays – Mercer Island; 8/3; 1pm; Join the Fun Mobile crew for wacky, zany fun at nine special Friday events this summer for our new program, “Funtastic Fridays! There will be crafts, games and more. This weeks theme is This week: Wacky Olympics.
*FreeTête-à-têter At Frye Museum – Seattle; 8/3; 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.
On the first Friday of the month Children’s stories are brought to life with movement and play in the Frye Art Museum galleries by Frye educators or librarians from The Seattle Public Library. Visit the galleries after story time. Ages 3 to 5 with adult. Both museum entrance and story time are free
*Free Entrance to Seattle Symphony’s “Soundbridge”- Seattle, Beneroya Hall; 7/25; 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.
* Enchanted Sleeping Beauty Outdoors - Sehmel Park in Gig Harbor; Fri., Sat. and Sun. through the 8/19; 7pm; $5 tickets.
Thanks Sounds Fun Mom!
Saturday August 4th:
*ArtRageous - Auburn; 8/4; 11:00am to 4:00pm; This free one-day art extravaganza invites you to create and celebrate art in the park. The third annual ArtRageous includes hands-on, all-ages art activities, local art organizations, professional artist demonstrations, 20+ art vendors, performances, music, food booths, and more.
*Get OUT Summer with Sam – Seattle (Sculpture Park); Various times and dates throughout the summer; Stay active in the park this summer. Drop by and participate in a weekly line-up of events, including a brand-new Thursday farmers market, performances, social dancing, yoga and drawing in the park on Saturdays and more.
* Free Summer Community Festival: Best of the Northwest - Tacoma; 8/4; 10am to 4pm; Museum admission and activities free all day. Celebrate summer in the Northwest and all that it has to offer. Enjoy an array of art experiences in different media: create landscapes with watercolors, sketch a still life, or collaborate in an immersive, multi-media art project. At 3 pm, join us across the street in Tollefson Plaza to compete in a grand chalk art challenge against local chalk artists.
*Awesome August Kids Day - Bothel; 8/4; Free event including: train rides, pony rides, Art on the Spot, face painting, balloon animals, craft booths, bouncy houses, Dizzy’s Tumble Bus, bubble tub, sidewalk chalk drawing, games, prizes, entertainment and more.
*Greenlake Summer Rowing Regata – Greenlake; 8/4; 6:45am to 5:00pm; Free opportunity to watch more than 1,000 participants from the Pacific Northwest compete in crew races on Green Lake. Parking extremely limited.
*Index Art Festival - Index; 8/4; 10:00am to 6:00pm; Arts and crafts, children and youth activities, poetry readings, music, food, model airplanes and more.
*Free Family Days At Seattle Asian Art Museum - Seattle; 8/4; 11:00am to 2:00pm; Admission to the Seattle Asian Art Museum is free on the first Saturday of each month for families.
*Free Casper Babypants Concert – Seattle; 8/4; See website for schedule; Hear a concert by popular kids’ entertainer Caspar Babypants, featuring music on guitar and piano.
*Beach Explorations – Throughout the Puget Sound; see website for specific locations and times. Join beach naturalists and explore the beach at low tide. Free.
*Bellevue Art Museums Get Crafty Saturday – Bellevue; 8/4; 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.
Wednesday August 8th:
*Wild Wacky & Sometimes Wet Wednesday - Bremerton; 8/8 (every Wed. through Aug.); Join The Naval Undersea Museum where kids and parents are invited to drop in from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Wednesday this summer for hands-on activities about the undersea. Free.
Thursday August 9th:
*Capital Hill Art Walk Blitz – Seattle; 8/9; 5pm – 8pm; On the second Thursday of every month in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, 5pm – 8pm and later. Events include visual arts, musical performances, food and beverage specials, and more. Pick up a printed map at a participating venue and explore Capitol Hill. Art is everywhere! Get FREE admission to the Seattle Asian Art Museum during this time too.
*Half Priced Admission Imagine Childrens Museum – Everett; 8/9; Thursday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. is half priced ( $3.88)
Sounds Fun Mom always has a great list of events local to the South Sound area of WA as well, if you are looking for more ideas!
PORTLAND AREA:
Here’s our list of weekly events for the Portland area.
Friday August 3rd:
*Free Admission To The Children’s Museum - Portland; 8/3; 4:00pm to 8:00pm; The first Friday of the month you Target sponsors free admission to the Childrens Museum. This month you can make a book.
*$2 First Fridays at Art ala Carte PDX sponsored by PDX Kids Calendar – Portland; 8/3; Every First Friday of the month you pay only $2 per child for unlimited art! PDX Kids Calendar picked up the bill for the rest! Better yet…if you bring in a bag of recycled goods, toys and trinkets…you get in FREE!
*Clark County Fair – Ridgefield (Clark County Fairgrounds); through 8/12; Times vary check website for details; Entertainment, exhibits, family activities, animals, concerts, food and more. Tickets are $8, $7 seniors, $5 ages 7 to 12, free ages 6 and younger if you purchase online ahead of time ($.75 service fee will be added). Free pancake breakfast with coupon and admission on 8/3, from 8am to 11am.
* Yamhill County Fair & Rodeo - McMinnville; August 1-4, Come enjoy the Rodeo and there will be a Demolition Derby & Motorcross. There is a Junior Livestock Auction and much more. See event for full schedule details.
* Clatskanie Bluegrass Festival – Clatskanie; August 5-7, Three days of great bluegrass music here, you’ll also be treated to a free breakfast each morning. Pancakes, bacon and eggs are there for the taking. Donations are appreciated but not required.
*First Friday Art Walk - SE Portland; 8/3; 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm; Hosted by Portland’s Eastside art galleries and alternative art venues, First Friday provides arts enthusiasts the opportunity to wander from gallery to gallery for artist receptions and openings during extended hours on the First Friday of every month
* Camas First Friday - Portland; 8/3; 5:00pm to 8:00pm; Come and join us for January’s First Friday- Game, Craft & Cocoa Night! Enjoy family friendly games and crafts throughout participating downtown merchants. Have fun and the chance to win prizes!
*Vancouver First Friday Art Walk - Vancouver; 8/3; 5:00pm – 7:00pm; Join us for a fresh spring evening with refreshments, stimulating conversation and inspiring art! Walking maps will be provided to all attendees. This event is free to attend, but an RSVP is requested by replying to this email at firstfriday.artwalk@yahoo.com.
*Free Walk Climbing Wall – Portland; Now through end of September ; The Rock Climbing wall starts to travel throughout Portland for free rock climbing fun for all. Check website for locations, dates and times in your area!
*Pier Pool - Through 8/3; 1:30pm to 3:30pm; Admission is free every Friday!
*Free Movies In The park Summer Series - Portland; See website for specific times. Come enjoy free movies at various Portland area parks all summer. Pre-movie entertainment begins at 6:30 pm. Movie begins at dark.
*Free Playground Programs & Free lunch – Portland area playgrounds. Enjoy free playground programs and free lunch for kids 0 -18 all summer. See website for locations and times.
*Family Movie Night at Café Sip-n-Play - Portland; 8/3; 5:00pm; Free Movie Night. Grab a bite to eat, relax, and unwind while you enjoy a movie with the little atmosphere.
*Music From Mr. Hoo from The Alphabeticians – Portland; 8/3; 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.
Saturday August 4th:
*Free Movies In The park Summer Series - Portland; See website for specific times. Come enjoy free movies at various Portland area parks all summer. Pre-movie entertainment begins at 6:30 pm. Movie begins at dark.
*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.
*Family Movie Night at Café Sip-n-Play - Portland; 8/4; 5:00pm; Free Movie Night. Grab a bite to eat, relax, and unwind while you enjoy a movie with the little atmosphere. This weekend: .
* Free Family Swim At Marshall Community Center - Vancouver; 8/4; 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 ; 8/4; 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 – 8/4; 10:00am to 11:30am; Enjoy free guided walks with park ranger..
Monday August 6th:
*Washington County Museum Free Admission – Portland; 8/6; 10:00am to 4:30pm; Admission is free to this museum every Monday.
*Mondays On The Mall – Portland – Downtown Central Transit Mall; 8/6; Various Times; Free events all day including Wii play, caricatures, the original photo booth and entertainment.
For more Portland happenings, check out the PDX Kids Calendar, a comprehensive events-based website for families in the Portland area.
NATIONAL EVENTS:
*Free Craft Activities at Lakeshore Learning Stores– Sat. 8/4; 11am to 3pm; Kids can come to this free craft time each week for a new craft (plus print a $5 off $25 coupon).
*Bank Of America Museums On Us Free Entrance – 8/4 & 8/5; Bank Of America card holders can get free entrance to Museums Nationwide. Check website for participating museums in your area.
*Home Depot Kids Workshop –8/4; 9:00am to 12:00pm; Kids can participate in free building projects the first Sat. of the month. Build a Cork Board.
*Lego Build - 8/7; 5pm; One day each month you can learn how to build a cool LEGO mini model, and take it home – for free! Event is open to children aged 6 to 14 only. While supplies last. Build a shark this week.
*Kids Skate Free Program – Kids 12 and under can get 2 free skate passes per week during the summer.
*Kids Bowl Free – 2 free bowling passes per child per day for the summer months.
*Kids Bowl Free AMF Program - Kids 15 and under can bowl 2 free games per day through Sept. 3rd.
* Summer Movie Express - $1 movies on Tues. & Wed. through the summer with this program.
*Barnes and Noble Free Storytime - 7/28; Times and events vary by location. Check your location for specific story’s available this weekend.
