Seattle Center Announces Summer Programming

Visitors will find numerous ways to connect at Seattle Center this summer, with a packed calendar of daytime activities, family entertainment and spirited night life that will inspire one and all to return often between now and the end of summer.

Those who visit for the more than 40 acres of open space will discover a variety of gardens and walkways offering poetry, plant life and outdoor art. They'll enjoy a respite from the heat beneath the tall water sprays of International Fountain or dip their toes in more modest waterworks encountered along the way. Children of all ages will test their climbing skills and musical abilities in Artists at Play, while hungry patrons will stop in Seattle Center Armory for freshly prepared foods and virtually travel the globe at free weekend ethnic cultural celebrations. The large outdoor festivals always attract broad audiences, and more still will come for KeyArena concerts, Summer Fitness and movies and concerts at Mural Amphitheatre.

Here are just some of the events and attractions at Seattle Center this summer:

Through Aug. 1: Poetry Garden Art Series #2 art installation by Naoko Morisawa presented in partnerships with the Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture, daily in the Poetry Garden (West of the Armory). (seattlecenter.com/art). Free.

June 16, July 21, Aug. 18 and Sept. 15: Seattle's Best Damn Happy Hour, 5 p.m.-8 p.m. on third Thursdays in Seattle Center Armory (seattlecenter.com/happy hour). Free admission. Must be 21 and over.

May 27-30: Northwest Folklife Festival, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Monday, throughout Seattle Center grounds (nwfolklife.org). Suggested donation of $10.

June 4-5: Seattle Center Festál - Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, Seattle Center Armory and Mural Amphitheatre (festálpagdiriwang.com). Free.

June 11-12: Seattle Center Festál - Festival Sundiata - Black Arts Fest, 12 p.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday, Armory, Mural Amphitheatre and Fisher Roof (festivalsundiata.org). Free.

June 18: Rock 'N' Roll Seattle Marathon & ½ Marathon, 7 a.m., starts at Seattle Center (runrocknroll.com/seattle).

June 19: Robomagellan: robotics contest using GPS technologies, 12 p.m.-5:30p.m., Mural Amphitheatre (robothon.org/robothon). Free.

June 19: Seattle Bot Battles 14, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Seattle Center Armory (westernalliedrobotics.com). Free.

June 21: Go Skateboarding Day, Seattle Center Skatepark (skatelikeagirl.com/sea). Free.

June 21-Aug. 23: Summer Fitness - Zumba Class, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., Tuesdays, Next 50 Plaza. Free.

June 22-Aug. 24: Summer Fitness - Gentle Yoga, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Exhibition Hall Lawn (seattlecenter.com/fitness). Free.

June 22-Aug. 24: Evening Yoga, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., Wednesdays, Exhibition Hall Lawn (corepoweryoga.org). Free.

June 25: Seattle Center Festál - Spirit of Indigenous People, Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Seattle Center Armory and Mural Amphitheatre (sihb,org). Free.

June 25-June 26: Urban Craft Uprising, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Exhibition Hall (urbancraftuprising.com).

June 26: Seattle PrideFest 2016, 12 p.m.-8 p.m., on the grounds (seattlepridefest.org). Free.

July 3: Washington National Guard Band AKA Full Metal Racket Rock Band, 12 p.m.-1 p.m., Mural Amphitheatre. Free.

July 4: Naturalization Ceremony at Seattle Center, 11 a.m., Fisher Pavilion (seattlecenter.org). Free.

July 7-Aug. 25: Skate Like a Girl & Seattle Center present Ladies Night, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Thursdays, Skatepark. Free.

July 9: Seattle Center Festál - Polish Festival, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Armory and Mural Amphitheatre (polishfestivalseattle.org). Free.

July 9- Aug. 13: Skate Like a Girl & Seattle Center present 12 & Under Skate, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Saturday mornings, Skatepark. Free.

July 15-17: Groupon Bite of Seattle, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sunday, throughout the Center grounds (biteofseattle.com). Free admission.

July 23-24: Seattle Center Festál - Arab Festival, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Armory, Fisher Roof, Mural Amphitheatre (arabcenterwa.org). Free.

July 25-Aug. 7: Seattle League of Arts, Art Show & Sale, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, Armory (seattle-league-of-arts.homestead.com/events). Free.

July 30: SeaFair Torchlight Fanfest, 12 p.m.-6 p.m., grounds (Seafair.com). Free.

July 30- Aug. 27: Seattle Center Movies at the Mural, at dusk on Saturdays, with The Princess Bride Quote-Along, Mad Max: Fury Road, Galaxy Quest, West Side Story and Life of Pi. Mural Amphitheatre (seattlecenter.com/moviesatthemural). Free.

July 31: Shakespeare in the Park presented by Seattle Shakespeare Company's Wooden O, Hamlet and Love's Labour's Lost, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., Fisher Pavilion Lawn (SeattleShakespeare.org/woodeno). Free.

Aug. 5-26: KEXP & Seattle Center Present Concerts at the Mural, 5:30 p.m. Fridays at Mural Amphitheatre (seattlecenter.com/concertsatthemural). Free.

Aug 8-Oct. 31: Poetry Garden Art Series #3 art installation by Natalie Ball presented in partnership with the Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture, daily in the Poetry Garden (West of the Armory) (seattlcenter.com/art). Free.

Aug. 13: Seattle Center Festál - Iranian Festival, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Armory (iaca-seattle.org). Free.

Aug. 19-21: Seattle Tattoo Expo, Fisher Pavilion (seattletattooexpo.com).

Aug. 21: Seattle Center Festál - BrasilFest, 12 p.m.-7 p.m., Armory, Mural Amphitheatre and Fisher Roof (brasilfest.com). Free.

Aug. 25: 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Beatles Final Concert at Seattle Center, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Mural Amphitheatre (cremetangerine.com). Free.

Aug. 27-28: Seattle Center Festál - Tibet Fest, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Armory and Fisher Roof (washingtontibet.org). Free.

Sept. 2-4: BumbershootÒ, opening at 11 a.m. daily, Friday-Sunday throughout Seattle Center grounds (check bumbershoot.org for ticket prices and schedule).

Sept. 11: Seattle Center Festál: Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Armory, Mural Amphitheatre and Fisher Roof (seattlelivealohafestival.com). Free.

Sept. 17-18: Seattle Center Festál: Fiestas Patrias, 12 p.m.-11 p.m., Saturday and 12 p.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, Armory, Fisher Pavilion and Seattle Center Pavilion (seattlefiestaspatrias.org). Free.

KeyArena confirmed events (check KeyArena.com for event details):

June 1: Andrea Bocelli

July 21: Sting & Peter Gabriel

July 25-26: Adele

July 30: Modest Mouse + Brand New

Aug. 8-13: Defense of the Ancients (DOTA) 2 Championships

Aug. 21: Demi Lovato & Nick Jonas

Aug. 24: Gwen Stefani

Sept. 2-4: Bumbershoot 2016

Sept. 8: Carrie Underwood

Sept. 16: Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions

Sept. 17: Blink-182

May 22, 26 and 28; June 3, 5, 19, 24, 28 and 30; July 10, 15, 17 and 20; Aug. 26 and 31; Sept. 11 and 18: WNBA Seattle Storm.

Stay up-to-date on our events and gain valuable information on our activities by signing up for Center Flash e-blasts at seattlecenter.com. For super-fast, free Internet connectivity while you're on the grounds, check out Microsoft Wi-Fi at Seattle Center. For more information on the listed events and other summer offerings at Seattle Center, click on seattlecenter.com or call 206-684-7200.

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