Many different and fun events to attend with the family this weekend and even some into the week! Have a great week, hope everyone can find something the whole family enjoys.
Make sure to check out these fun ideas around the Northwest:
- Fairs & Festivals in the Pacific Northwest 2018
- NW Summer Outdoor Movies 2018
- 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!
- Peter Pan – Redmond; $7.50 (reg. $15)
- Seattle Mariners Baseball – Seattle; $$16 – $58 (reg. $31 – $71.28)
- AMC Yellow Tickets – Anywhere Except CA, NY, NJ; $9 (reg. $13.50)
- Comedy Sportz – Seattle; $5 (reg. $10)
- You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown – Renton; $13 (reg. $26)
- 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.
- Improv for Kids – Portland; Comp – $4 – $6 (reg. $8 – $12)
- Portland Thorns FC: National Women’s Soccer League – Portland; $11 – $16 (reg. $15 – $21)
- Portland Timbers 2 Soccer – Portland; $6 – $15 (reg. $10 – $20)
- Find more Cheap Event Tickets for Portland area on Goldstar HERE.
Things To Do in Seattle Area
Friday, August 17th, 2018
Zucchini 500 – Seattle; 4pm – 6pm; Free; Kids will get to build a race car out of a zuchini!
LEGO Americana Roadshow – Seattle; 9:30am – 9:30pm; Free; Witness expert lego crafters install a building out of LEGOS. It will be on display until August 19th. They will also have an area for kids to build as well!
Snoqualmie Railroad Days – Snoqualmie; 5pm – 9pm; Enjoy a fun-filled weekend of different and fun things to do as a family. Including parades, entertainment, children’s field fun and more. Check out the website for the hours on Saturday & Sunday as well as the detailed schedule.
Summer Movies – Seattle; 8:30pm – 11:30pm; Free; Enjoy a free showing of the movie Hook this weekend at Westlake Park. Movie begings at dusk.
PopUp StoryWalk – Kirkland; All Day; Free; Stroll along the Rhododendron Park now through August 26th and read Yellow Kayak by Nina Laden on post boards throughout. Great way to introduce reading and exercise to your children!
Cinema Under the Stars – Everett; 7:30pm – 11:30pm; Free; Enjoy pre-show entertainment at 7:30pm & movie starts at dusk. Thorton A Sullivan Park (Camp Patterson) at Silver Lake. The movie this weekend is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Snacks available for purchase with cash only.
Summer Bash & Movies in the Park – Tacoma; 7:30pm; Free; Enjoy a movie in the park. This weekend the movie Sherlock Gnomes will be playing. Activities at 7:30pm, movie beings at dusk.
Family Fun Fridays – Seattle; 5:30pm – 7:30pm; Adults $5.50, ages 1-17 and seniors $3.75, free younger than 1.; Get out of the heat and enjoy the pool with games, activities, and prizes. This weeks theme is Superhero Swim.
KidsQuest Kids Activities – Seattle; 10am – Noon; Free; Bring the kids and let me take part in an playing with Big Build Structures!
Community Kite Painting – Seattle; 12pm – 2pm; Free; Attend this free event to paint a kite now through August 24th and be included in the Freeway Parks 6th Annual Kite Installation.
Outdoor Movies at Westlake Park – Seattle; 6pm – 11pm; Free; Show up at 6pm and enjoy some activities before the movie. The movie this week is Black Panther and it begins at dusk.
Sailing on the E-Scow – Seattle; 5:30 pm; Free; Every Friday from June to September you can out and enjoy a nice little boat ride with the family.
Open Art Studio – Seattle; 10am – 5pm; $15 age 6 and older, $10 age 5 and younger; This sounds like fun to do, they even provide the materials! I have to admit I’m interested in checking out this “splatter” room they have.
Mommy Matinees at the Movies – Seattle; 9:30am; Children 5 and Under Free, Adult tickets are Matinee Pricing; Every Friday 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. Below are the features they’ll be playing;
- Mission: Impossible-Fallout || 9:50am
- Crazy Rich Asians || 10:00am
- Mile 22 || 10:10am
- Christopher Robin || 10:20am
Saturday, August 18th, 2018
Wizard Festival at Country Village – Bothell; 11am – 5pm; Free; Fun all day with wizard shows, a magical quest, fantasy author Basil Sprig and a Quidditch Run! You can even create a fairy door or wand!
Cedar River Journey – Seattle; 11am – 3pm; Free; Watch the Salmon migration through the Ballard Locks.
McKinley Hill Street Fair – Tacoma; 10am – 5pm; Free; 85 Vendors, 1200 Free stuffed backpacks and carnival, food truck alley and even a chalk art zone, plus more.
Uwajimaya Renton Polynesian Festival – Renton; 9am – 5pm; Free; This a 2-day event this weekend. They will have live performances, hula, Hawaiian style food and more!
Woodinville Festival – Woodinville; 8am – 5pm; Free; They will have a bunch of different things to do! Like a pancake breakfast, yummy! Parade, festival & fair, children’s activities and so much more to do. Check out the website for the detailed schedule.
Touch a Truck – Everett; 10am – 2pm; Free; Vehicles of all shapes and sizes will be at this event. Let the kids see there favorite truck up close and personal. Also enjoy free ice skating in the Community Ice Rink Noon – 2:00pm! Note: Guests are required to sign a liability and photo release waiver upon entry to the event.
Duwamish River Festival – Seattle; Noon – 5pm; Free; Mulicultural event with food, music, dance performances, boat & kayak tours to name a few things.
Ikea 75th Anniversary Celebration – Renton; 9am – 4pm; Free; Join as they celebrate 75 years! Take part in activities, giveaways, prizes. Such as a $20 gift card giveaway for the first 75 families on Saturday. Lining up will begin at 8:30am. This is a 2-day weekend event.
Global PlaygroundNorthwest Folklife – Seattle; 4pm – 7pm; Free w/ $5 suggested donation; Celebrate community with this fun event. Live music, gigantic jenga, putt-putt and more. Fun for the whole family!
Summer Music Festival – Seattle; 11am – 1pm; Free; Enjoy music from Tsunami Piñata.
Drop-in Skateboarding Lessons – Seattle; 10am – Noon; Free; Free drop-in skateboarding lessons for children 12 and younger. Spots are on a first come first serve basis. Check out the link for location and other days/times.
Saturday Farmers Market – Anacortes; 9am – 2pm; Free; Come rain or shine to enjoy live music while browsing fresh vegetables, hot food, and kids activities. Dogs are welcome too. Click here if you want to check and see if you have a Farmer’s Market in your area that maybe we don’t have listed.
Lawn Yoga – Seattle; 11am – Noon; Free; This would be a nice relaxing thing to do with family, they even provide the mats. It also looks like they’re doing it every Saturday in June!
Sunday, August 19th, 2018
LA Conner Live Summer Concert – LA Conner; 1pm – 4pm; Free; Meet up with the family and enjoy a free live concert every Sunday during the summer. This Sunday they’ll have music from The Naughty Blokes: An Original American Rock Band.
Sunday Public Sail – Seattle; 10am – 3pm; Free; Enjoy a nice 45-minute boat ride. Sign up for a slot in person, they have several trips throughout the day and space is limited.
Alki Point Lighthouse – Seattle; 1pm – 4pm; Free; Take a tour inside a functioning lighthouse. Only 7 and older are allowed to go inside.
Monday, August 20th, 2018
Ikea Family Summer Week – Renton; 11am – Noon; Free; This is a 4-day event this week. Each day will feature something different and you can have a chance to win free tickets to the Cirque du Soleil. These will be held in the restaurant.
- Mon 08/20; Little Artists, Bracelet Making
- Tue 08/21; Fabric Wall Hanging, Make & Take
- Wed 08/22; Little Artists, Painted TOLSBY Frame
- Thur 08/23; Little Artists, Mala Kids Craft, Drawing & Coloring
- Fri 08/24; Little Artists, Pinwheel Making
Washington State International Kite Festival – Long Beach; Time Varies; Free; This is a 7-day event beginning on Monday. It’s a kite celebration and competition held annually during the third week of August. Check out the website for more detailed hours and schedule.
Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018
Kitsap County Fair & Stampede – Bremerton; 10am – 10pm; Pricing Ranges Check Website HERE; This is a 5-day event beginning on Wednesday. Many different things to see such as Xtreme Bulls, Stampede, Carnival, Destruction Derby, and more. (Tickets available online now.)
Thursday, August 23rd, 2018
Evergreen State Fair – Monroe; Varies Checkout Website for Details; Admission Varies; Free admission on opening day until 3pm (with 3 non-perishable food item donations). August 28th is 2 for 1 admission, Kids Day August 30 FREE admission to ages 15 and under all day. Several other special admission days – check the website for information. This event runs from August 23rd to September 3rd! Many different things to do for the whole family to enjoy together.
Things to Do in the Portland Area
Friday, August 17th, 2018
Pix in the Park – Hillsboro; 7pm – 11pm; Free; Pre-entertainment begins at 7pm, movie starts at dusk. The movie they’ll be playing is ParaNorman.
Open Play Swimming – Portland; 1:45pm – 4:30pm; Free; Enjoy a free pool day at Pier Pool on St. Johns Avenue! Check out the link to view other locations and times.
Flicks on the Bricks – Portland; 7pm; Free; Pre-movie music is at 7pm, movie at dusk. They encourage low back chairs, pillows, bean bag chairs, blankets. This weekends movie is Mean Girls!
Lady Bug Nature Walks – Portland; 10 am; $3-$8 per child (sliding scale); Take your 2-6-year-olds on a nature walk to discover trees, plants, insects, animals, and much more.
Saturday, August 18th, 2018
The Fascinating World of Reptiles – Portland; 10:30am – 11:30am; Free; Reptile Man Richard Ritchey will be showing his snakes, lizards, turtles, and tortoises.
50th Aumsville Corn Festival – Aumsville; 11am – 6pm; Free; Enjoy free corn to eat or buy corn by the bag. Along with a parade, games, prizes and more.
Adventure Play Garden – Portland; 10am – 2pm; Free; Bring the kids and let them enjoy a free open play in the meadow, mud pit and other fun things to explore.
Nadaka Community Festival – Portland; Noon – 3pm; Free; Aztech dancing, free food (while supplies last), live music, face painting to name a few things.
Uwajimaya Polynesian Festival – Beaverton; 11am – 5pm; Free; This a 2-day event this weekend. They will have live performances, hula, Hawaiian style food and more!
NWOF Annual Heirloom Tomato and Garlic Festival – Ridgefield; 10am – 6pm; Free; They’ll be showcasing 20 different varieties of tomatoes and 10 different varieties of garlic all for the tasting. Along with live music, vendors, and activities.
Wings & Wheels – St.Helens; 9am – 5pm; Free; Planes, cars, bikes, vendors, music, food, kids activities and more.
Open Saturdays at Philip Foster Farm – Eagle Creek; 10am – 4pm; $5 per person, or $20 per family; This event sounds fun and educational about pioneer life. Explore and learn all about the Oregon Trail. Don’t forget to pack a picnic to make it even more exciting!
POP Club (Power of Produce) – Portland; 9am – 12:30pm; Free; This is definitely a great way to get a little education into your day while school is out for summer. This runs every Saturday from June to September 1st. Children will get to participate in activities based on foods.
Sunday, August 19th, 2018
Family Movie – Portland; 2pm – 5pm; Free; Enjoy a free showing of the movie Toy Story 3 with the family. Food will be available for purchase.
Fiesta en el Parque – Portland; 2pm – 6pm; Free; Enjoy live entertainment, food vendors, cultural crafts, kids zone, inflatable play structures, and games.
Multnomah Days – Multnomah; 9am – 4pm; Free; This is the last street fair you won’t want to miss it! Deals on clothing and so much more.
Summer Days in Dairyville – Portland; 1pm – 4pm; Free; Every Sunday now until August 26 you can attend and explore this wonderful event! You can explore a western themed town, pioneer exhibit and more! Just don’t forget to stop at the Ice Cream Parlor to enjoy some ice cream before you leave.
Art Spot Stay and Play – Portland; 9am – 1pm; $10 first child, $8 each additional child; If your feeling artsy this weekend, head here for a few hours of drawing, painting and more. It’s basically a child’s art playground!
Monday, August 20th, 2018
Golf for Kids – Portland; 7am – 3pm; Free; Every Monday in the summer beginning June 25th kids can golf for free!
National Events:
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.
Thank 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.
Hi, 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!
Thanks for letting us know – we will get those updates made asap!
I 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!
Thank 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!
Tacoma 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!
I’m taking my kids to see Willu Wonka Jr with Youth Theatre Northwest this weekend.
Hello! We appreciate the shout-out but did want to mention that our name was changed last October to Living Computers: Museum + Labs.
You 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! :)
I wish eastern wa was included in this list!
The Festival of Trees has ended. We tried to go last weekend and there were no trees. Apparently they had already been auctioned off.
Hi 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/
Thank you for posting this great deals.This is exactly what i was looking for.
You’re very welcome – glad that it is helpful for you!
I only find events up to June 25….when will you update your list to include the 28th?
Hi 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!