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
- September 8, 2019: Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival
- September 14 – 15, 2019: Seattle Fiestas Patrias
- September 28 – 29, 2019: The Italian Festival
- October 6, 2019: CroatiaFest
- October 19 – 20, 2019: Turkfest
- October 26, 2019: Diwali: Lights of India
- 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
Seattle Lunar New Year (photo supplied by Tet in Seattle)
When
September 28, 2019-September 29, 2019
What
Free Italian festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
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When
October 6, 2019
What
Free Croatian festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
October 19, 2019-October 20, 2019
What
Free Turkish festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
October 26, 2019
What
Free Diwali lights festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
November 2, 2019-November 3, 2019
What
Free Dia de Muertos festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
November 9, 2019
What
Free Hmong New Year harvest festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
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When
January 18, 2020-January 19, 2020
What
Free Vietnamese Lunar New Year festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
March 14, 2020-March 15, 2020
What
Free Irish Festial at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
March 22, 2020
What
Free French festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
April 24, 2020-April 26, 2020
What
Free Japanese cherry blossom festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
May 3, 2020
What
Free Asian Pacific Islander festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
May 16, 2020
What
Free Chinese festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
May 30, 2020
What
Free Spirit of Africa festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
June 6, 2020-June 7, 2020
What
Free Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
June 13, 2020
What
Free Indigenous People Festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
June 20, 2020-June 21, 2020
What
Free Sundiata African American festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
June 27, 2020
What
Free Iranian festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
July 11, 2020
What
Free Polish festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
August 8, 2020-August 9, 2020
What
Free Arab festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
August 16, 2020
What
Free Brazilian festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
When
August 22, 2020-August 23, 2020
What
Free Tibetan festival at Seattle Center
Where
Seattle Center Armory
Cost
FREE
Add to Calendar: Google Outlook/iCal
