Martin Luther King Jr. is Monday so we have quite a few events and celebrations happening this weekend so be sure to check those out. Not to mention a good array of different events to check out. Plenty to see and do for the whole family. Have a great weekend.
Make sure to check out these fun ideas around the Northwest:
- Portland Staycation Ideas
- Seattle Staycation Ideas
- NW Weekend Getaway Ideas on a Budget (updated weekly)
And if you find a fun, frugal event that’s not listed, feel free to leave a comment so we can add that event to our list.
Cheap Event Tickets for Seattle Area
Head to Goldstar and select Family events to easily find these. Some of the tickets sell out fast, so it’s a good idea to buy ahead if you see an event your family would want to attend!
- Little Red – Seattle; $7.50 (reg. $15)
- Little Red – Everett; $7.50 (reg. $15)
- Little Red – Renton; $7.50 (reg. $15)
- Little Red – Shoreline; $7.50 (reg. $15)
- Little Red – Kirkland; $7.50 (reg. $15)
- Narnia: The Musical – Seattle; COMP (reg. $12)
- The Brunch Show – Seattle; $10 (reg. $20)
- Winter Festival Family Concert: The Snow Queen – Seattle; $6 (reg. $12)
- ComedySportz – Seattle; $7.75-$20 (reg. $15.50-$20)
- AMC Yellow Tickets – Various Locations; $9 (reg. $13.50)
- Find more Cheap Event Tickets for Seattle area on Goldstar HERE.
Cheap Event Tickets for Portland Area
Head to Goldstar and select Family events to easily find these.
- Elephant & Piggies: We are in a Play – Gresham; $9 – $11 (reg. $18 – $22)
- Elephant & Piggies: We are in a Play – Portland $9.50 – $11.50 (reg. $19 – $23)
- Find more Cheap Event Tickets for the Portland area on Goldstar HERE.
Things To Do in Seattle Area
Friday, January 17th, 2020
Lake Chelan Winterfest – Chelan; 3pm – 7pm; $5; Snow inspired festivities for the whole family. Such as horse carriage rides, ice slide, ice carving and so much more!
Art & Social Justice Tours at SAM – Seattle; Noon – 12:30pm; Free; They’ll be honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a week of spotlight tours. Tours held daily until the 20th.
Imagine Children’s Museum – Everett; 5:30pm – 9pm; Free; Enjoy free admission to the museum.
PlayDate SEA Magic Show – Seattle; 6:30pm – 7:30pm; $8 – $12; See fairies, wizards, a unicorn queen and other fun characters at this magic show.
Tacoma RV Show – Tacoma; 11am – 8pm; $12, $6 w/military ID, free children age 16 and under; Explore many RVs on site.
Elevated Sportz Hoppy Hour – Bothell; 10am – 12:30pm; $7 for play, $10 for jump, or $12 for both; Jump on trampolines and enjoy the amazing play zone at a discounted rate.
Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink – Bellevue; Times Vary; $10-$15; Ice skating for the whole family. Bring your own ice skates for a discount. It is open weekdays and weekends, check the website for detailed information. Open now until January 20th.
Oly on Ice – Olympia; 3:30pm – 10pm; Pricing Varies, Check the Link for Details; Have fun and enjoy some fun ice skating with the family this holiday season from today until January 20th.
Snow Day at Lake Union – Seattle; 4pm – 11:30pm; Free; Check out the lighting display in Denny Park on display until January 20th.
Mommy Matinees – Seattle; 9:30am; Children 5 and Under Free, Adult tickets are Matinee Pricing; Every Friday you can show up with your young children and don’t have to worry about interrupting anyone with a crying or antsy little one. Actually, enjoy yourself, worry-free.
Saturday, January 18th, 2020
Youth-Led MLK March – Seattle; 9am – 2pm; Free; Honor the life of Martin Luther King Jr. with food, live music, and more.
Bavarian Icefest 2020 – Leavenworth; 9am – 7pm; Free; Celebrate winter with half a million twinkle lights, games, snow sculptures to name just a few things happening at this event.
Tet Festival: Vietnamese Lunar New Year – Seattle; 11am – 7pm; Free; Celebration with a traditional lion dance, live performances, food, crafts, and more.
Family Flick – Tacoma; 10am – Noon; Free; Enjoy a free showing of the movie March of the Penguins. Doors open at 9:30am, seating is first-come, first-served.
Ice Adventures – Olympia; 9am – 5pm; $12.95 – $14.95; Meet costumed Ice Princesses, practice ice shaving, slide on the indoor sock skating rink, watch Dr. Science light ice on fire, and so much more! Event happening until January 20th.
Pacific Northwest Reptile Show – Puyallup; 10am – 5pm; $10 – $15; $5 Children age 6 to 10, Children 5 and under free; Largest reptile show in the Pacific Northwest with educational displays, reptiles, and fun for the whole family.
Thione Diop Concert – Seattle; 11am – Noon; Adults $5, Age 22 and under Free; Listen and enjoy Djembe drumming, dance, and music with the family.
First Concerts: Meet the Trombone – Seattle; 9:30am – 10:30am; $12; Seattle Symphony Principal Trombone will perform short pieces and invite questions from curious little ones in a sensory-friendly environment. Before the show, children can learn how to be musical explorers and try out instruments.
Great Train Show – Puyallup; 10am – 4pm; $10 – $11, Kids are free; Features hundreds of tables of trains and accessories for sale, exhibits, activities for kids, and more.
Skagit Eagle Festival 2020 – Concrete; Times Vary; Free; Happening every full weekend in January. Learn all about eagles, plus watch a raptor show ($) or take a wildlife hayride (free). They also have different scheduled activities listed on the website to check out.
Kindiependent Kids Rock Series – Seattle; 10:30am – 11:30am; $5; Kid-friendly performers to Mount Baker Community Club.
Discovery Days – Des Moines; 10am – 2pm; Free; Checkout over 15 tanks of marine species.
Open Play – Issaquah; 10am – Noon; Free; Enjoy free open play with jumping and snacks.
Sunday, January 19th, 2020
MLK Youth Celebration – Seattle; Noon – 5pm; Free; Food, music, fun celebrating Martin Luther King.
Kids’ Club: Tropical Mason Jar Terrarium – Seattle; 10am – 2pm; $15; Make a mason jar terrarium filled with soil, a tropical plant, decorations.
Sunday Public Sail – Seattle; 10am – 4pm; Free; Center for Wooden Boats offers 45-minute rides on Lake Union. Sign up in person for a slot. Space limited.
Fremont Sunday Market – Seattle; 10am – 4pm; Free; Fun European-style street market with food trucks, handcrafts, produce and more.
Ballard Farmers Market – Seattle; 10am – 3pm; Free; Do some shopping, get some fresh vegetables and fruits. Maybe even try some of the food!
Things to Do in the Portland Area
Friday, January 17th, 2020
Micah and Me Kindie Dance Party – Portland; 10:30am – 11:30am; $5 – $10 suggested donation per child; Dancing and music fun!
Tallulah’s Daddy – Portland; 10:30am – 11:30am; $5 per child or $10 per family suggested donation; Fun, energetic, interactive acoustic music for kids and families.
KiLoFriDay Ft. Zazzy Zoe and Mr. Ben – Portland; 5pm – 6pm; suggested donation $10 per family; Enjoy live children’s music.
Saturday, January 18th, 2020
Red Yarn Performance at Shining Star – Portland; 11am – Noon; Free; All ages performance open to the public!
Me Myself and Us – Portland; 4pm – 5pm; Free; 45-minute family-friendly show with magic, juggling, comedy, and volunteer participation.
Ukulele Party! – Portland; 11am – Noon; Free; Show up and get a chance to learn the ukelele! They’ll even provide the instrument.
Studio Ghibli: Ponyo – Portland; 4pm; $7 – $8.50; Enjoy a showing of the movie Ponyo.
Studio Ghibli: Kiki’s Delivery Service – Portland; 6:30pm; $7 – $8.50; Enjoy a showing of the movie Kiki’s Delivery Service.
Pearson Field Education Center – Vancouver; 10am – 5pm; Free; Enjoy a free open day at the center.
Sunday, January 19th, 2020
Free Expression Art Workshop for Youth on the Autism Spectrum – Portland; 1pm – 3:30pm; Free; Art workshop for autistic people, with friends and family. Check out the age group in which you should show up. They’d appreciate advanced registration.
Studio Ghibli: My Neighbor Totoro – Portland; 4pm; $7 – $8.50; Enjoy a showing of the movie My Neighbor Totoro.
Monday, January 20th, 2020
Martin Luther King, Jr Day – Newberg; 5:30pm – 8pm; Free; Family-friendly celebration with music, dances, and speakers.
National Events:
National Parks Day – Various locations, in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr you can enjoy free admission to national parks on January 20th.
Barnes & Noble Saturday Storytime – Enter your zip code to see special storytime events at your local Barnes & Noble store.
Michaels’ Kids Club – every Saturday from 10am-noon; $2 for children ages 3 and up with all supplies included. There are also special projects for spring break. Check your local Michael’s store to see if they are participating in this weeks’ project.
Lakeshore Learning Stores– every Saturday from 11am-3pm there are fun free crafts at Lakeshore Learning Stores for ages 3 and up. Check with your local store to see if they are participating.
lori harris says
February 20, 2015 at 8:51 PMThank u, thank u, thank u for going back to original format- took no time at all to check and plan. I am one of your biggest advertisersn- I tell all the school moms about your site – love it.
Rice NW Museum says
April 3, 2015 at 10:54 AMHi, Thrifty NW Mom! Thanks for featuring our Thundereggstravaganza event. I’d like to share a couple of small corrections: our event runs from 10 AM through 5 PM, not 11 to 1. (We are having talks at 11 and 1). Also, please note that children 4 and under are free!
Sia says
April 3, 2015 at 11:36 AMThanks for letting us know – we will get those updates made asap!
Sarah says
April 18, 2015 at 8:58 AMI agree with Lori! I haven’t been to your site in a while because I found the other style to difficult to use. I just came back and am thankful you changed back. So much more user friendly. Thank you!
Jen says
April 18, 2015 at 5:07 PMThank you for the feedback, Sarah! We’re sorry it was a frustrating experience, please always tell us if you’re having any frustrations and we will work on solutions. We definitely want this as user-friendly as possible!
Rachel says
August 5, 2016 at 8:03 AMTacoma Concert Band: Clarinets and Brass at the Museum of Glass
2pm Saturday Aug 6th FREE, just outside the Museum of Glass in Tacoma.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1783589378579421/
Here’s the info from their e-mail
—————————–
Tacoma Concert Band presents…
Clarinets and Brass
at the Museum of Glass!
Free and fun for the whole family!
TCB band members are performing a free summer concert featuring a clarinet choir (12 clarinets) and a brass quintet, on the terrace of the Museum of Glass.
Join us on Saturday afternoon, August 6th, at 2:00 p.m.
for a delightful hour of music, played by members of the Northwest’s premier symphonic band.
You’ll also have a chance to learn about the TCB’s upcoming season, which will feature, among others, world-class guest soloists on clarinet (Robert Spring) and brass (trumpet virtuoso Allen Vizzutti and saxophone soloist Erik Steighner).
Bring the whole family. The weather should be great, the setting beautiful, and the music sublime.
See you there!
Karina says
February 3, 2017 at 2:27 PMI’m taking my kids to see Willu Wonka Jr with Youth Theatre Northwest this weekend.
LCM+L says
July 7, 2017 at 11:16 AMHello! We appreciate the shout-out but did want to mention that our name was changed last October to Living Computers: Museum + Labs.
Krista says
August 26, 2017 at 10:58 AMYou can meet Catboy from PJ Masks today from 12-4 at Learning Express Toys in The Landing in Renton. My sons are excited to meet him! :)
ashley says
October 27, 2017 at 10:31 PMI wish eastern wa was included in this list!
V Gani says
December 22, 2017 at 6:24 PMThe Festival of Trees has ended. We tried to go last weekend and there were no trees. Apparently they had already been auctioned off.
Sarah Fairchild says
February 4, 2018 at 1:58 PMHi there! There is a free production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
The show will be provided free and open to all ages!
Charles Schulz’s classic musical “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” comes to Newcastle this February presented by the Newcastle Players in partnership with Newport Creative Arts. The show, produced by Tony Ventrella Productions and King County’s 4Culture, is the first of the inaugural season for the theater group.
Starring Adam Minton as Charlie Brown, Jenn Ollivier as Lucy, Jelani Kee as Snoopy, Sarah Fairchild as Sally, Jake Atwood as Linus, and Manny Golez as Schroeder, the charming and uplifting story based on Schulz’s comic strip “Peanuts” with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner will run six shows including two matinees over the course of two weekends in February at the Newport Covenant Church in Bellevue. Choreographed by Tony Pallozzi with Musical Director Benjamin Bentler and Directed by Mary Rudd.
https://www.facebook.com/events/191670521568553/
Hayk S says
February 17, 2018 at 10:32 PMThank you for posting this great deals.This is exactly what i was looking for.
Jen says
February 19, 2018 at 12:44 PMYou’re very welcome – glad that it is helpful for you!
Natalie says
June 26, 2018 at 8:51 AMI only find events up to June 25….when will you update your list to include the 28th?
Sia says
June 26, 2018 at 9:02 AMHi Natalie – The list is updated every Thursday. This list is the one that includes all the events we highlighted through the 28th (many of the weekday events are library events, or community parks ones, so you should be able to find those in your local library or parks departments listings. Thanks!
Dacha Theatre says
November 26, 2018 at 4:07 PMDacha Theatre is touging an original, musical fairytale show for all ages, called “The Bee-Man of Orn” through Ballard and Phinney Ridge. There are sliding scale ($20/$10) and Pay-What-You-Can tickets available for every performance!
Saturday 12/1 — Ballard Underground — 5:30PM
Saturday 12/8 — Phinney Neighborhood Association — 5:00PM
Friday 12/14 — Phinney Neighborhood Association — 6:30PM
Friday 12/21 — Ballard Underground — 6:30PM
More info on the ticket website: https://beeman.brownpapertickets.com/
Thank you!
Jen says
November 26, 2018 at 11:04 PMThank you for sharing! We will work to get these added to our list for these upcoming weekends & you can email us in the future if you have more details: [email protected] – thank you!
iBrent says
January 31, 2019 at 6:27 PMHello, thrifty moms! Here is a free live music event.
iBrent
DATE Saturday, February 23, 2019
TIME 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm PST
WHERE Third Place Books – Lake Forest Park
17171 Bothell Way NE
PERFORMANCE TYPE Music
AGE RECOMMENDATION Toddler, Preschool, Elementary School, 30 somethings
WHAT IS THE COST? Free!
DESCRIPTION
Catchy, colorful, kindie pop-rock for the full fun-loving family. Acoustic Show!
MORE https://www.reverbnation.com/ibrent
See you there ;)
Sarah Lacey says
February 23, 2019 at 2:41 AMThank you for sharing these, especially the national events. The Bank of America Museums will be of interest to our readers at https://foodstampsnow.com, most of whom are on low income.
A similar program is https://museums4all.org/, which provides free or discounted admission for people with EBT cards.
Jami Geppert says
May 24, 2019 at 5:51 AMI love in Tacoma, WA but noticed not one single event listed for my area. Is thus a standard for Thrifty NW MOM? Your answer is appreciated.
Sia says
May 24, 2019 at 7:52 AMHi Jami – we definitely include events in the Tacoma area when we find them, my kids and I love heading there for family fun (we usually highlight the larger events, so not library days etc), but we are not aware of too many events there this weekend. If we missed something we can definitely add it. You might want to also check out Sounds Fun Mom (https://www.soundsfunmom.com/) if you do not already follow her She shares about South Sound events and happenings, so should have lots of great info for where you live. Thanks so much! Sia
Kat KOch says
July 31, 2019 at 9:02 PMHow can I register an event?
Katherine Koch says
July 31, 2019 at 9:05 PMHow can I register an event.?
It’s a great FREE family event
https://www.facebook.com/cascadegemandmineralshow/
I can send you more info.
Sia says
July 31, 2019 at 9:08 PMHi Katherine, feel free to send us the details at [email protected]. Thanks!
Angie Edwards says
October 16, 2019 at 4:30 PMhttps://www.facebook.com/events/975750919432868/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2564916460223581/
Christine Hoffman says
October 21, 2019 at 6:18 PMHi team: Here’s a fun free event coming up soon.
Goldfish Swim School of Shoreline Grand Opening Party
Saturday, Nov. 2 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Goldfish Swim School of Shoreline
15901 Westminster Way North
Shoreline, WA 98133
RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/2273423982767828/
Goldfish Swim School, the leading premier learn-to-swim franchise, will host its grand opening event: a fun-filled party the whole family will enjoy. The swim school will open its doors for a free family swim with music, face-painting, balloons, a selfie station and more. Attendees are encouraged to test the waters—literally—and get to know the school’s certified instructors and lifeguards who help teach children a life-saving skill in a fun and positive environment. Goldfish Swim School will provide light snacks and drinks.
Jen says
October 23, 2019 at 7:16 PMThanks for sharing, Christine! Feel free to email us if you ever have any free or frugal events – thriftynorthwestmom (at) gmail (dot) com
Jayne Stevens says
November 5, 2019 at 1:25 PMHello! Here is a great family fun event in Oregon City.
Clackamas Rep’s
Wing It, An Interactive Show for Kids
December 7 and 14 at 10:30am
Osterman Theatre
19600 Molalla Ave Oregon City OR 97045
Tickets are $5 cash or check at the door
http://www.clackamasrep.org
Wing It is an interactive show that teaches kids about theatre with song, dance and lots of audience participation.