Festal is a year-long series of FREE cultural festivals that honor the richness and diversity of the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle Center Festál presents these free world festivals on weekends throughout the year. Each event highlights the distinct cultures and common threads of ethnic communities in the Puget Sound region through traditional and contemporary art, music, foods, youth activities, workshops and more.
Festal was founded in 1997, though the origins of the program date back to the 1962 World’s Fair exhibits that showcased international cultures. In 1988, then Seattle Mayor Charles Royer and Seattle Center Director Virginia Anderson encouraged development of a series of cultural festivals, with 11 festivals presented in the inaugural year.
These free cultural festivals are presented by Seattle Center and the generous support by the City of Seattle, Seattle Center Foundation, and many other businesses sponsors.
2019/2020 Seattle Center Festal events
- November 2 – 3, 2019: Dia de Muertos: A Mexican Celebration to Remember Our Departed
- November 9, 2019: Hmong New Year Celebration
- January 18 – 19, 2020: Têt in Seattle – Vietnamese Lunar New Year
- March 14 – 15, 2020: Irish Festival
- March 22, 2020: Seattle’s French Fest: A Celebration of French-Speaking Cultures
- April 24 – 26, 2020: Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival
- May 3, 2020: Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration
- May 16, 2020: A Glimpse of China – Chinese Culture & Arts Festival
- Memorial Day Weekend: Northwest Folklife Festival
- June 6-7, 2020: Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival
- June 13, 2020: Indigenous People Festival
- June 20-21, 2020: Festival Sundiata presents Black Arts Fest
- June 27, 2020: Iranian Festival
- May 30, 2020 Spirit of Africa
- July 11, 2020: Polish Festival Seattle
- August 8-9, 2020: Seattle Arab Festival
- August 16, 2020: BrasilFest
- August 22 – 23, 2020: Tibet Fest
- September 13, 2020: Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival
- September 19 – 20, 2020: Sea Mar Fiestas Patrias
- September 26 – 27, 2020: The Italian Festival
- October TBA, 2020: CroatiaFest
- October 10-11, 2020: Turkfest
- October 17, 2020: Diwali: Lights of India
Seattle Lunar New Year (photo supplied by Tet in Seattle)
