---

Jump to: Comedy | Community & Festivals | Film | Food & Drink | Live Music | Performance | Readings & Talks | Shopping | Visual Art

---

COMEDY

The 2024 Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy! Past Event Like List
It's not often that you'll find crowd favorites like "openly transgender, obviously Asian, and usually hungry" Juno Men, basketball player-turned-comic Monica Nevi, and trans comedian and Dave Chappelle repellent Andy Iwancio together, cracking funnies on the same stage. The Pacific Northwest's knee-slappin' legends will bring the laughs alongside hilarious up-and-comers with a night of improv and stand-up hosted by one-time Last Comic Standing contestant Emmett Montgomery. Best part? It's presented by The Stranger—and if anyone can put together a comedy show, it's us. LC
SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill (Sat May 4)

Ben Schwartz & Friends Past Event Like List
Your first encounter with Ben Schwartz may have been his role as wannabe baller Jean-Ralphio Saperstein on Parks and Recreation. Since then, he's voiced Sonic the Hedgehog (a role that oddly suits his fast-paced comedy style) and starred in three Netflix improv specials. He'll drop by Seattle on the heels of last year's schlocky horror-comedy Renfield, in which he appeared alongside Nicolas Cage as Dracula. LC
Paramount Theatre, Downtown (Sun May 5)

Michelle Wolf: It's Great to Be Here Past Event Like List
Michelle Wolf's wisecracks about Sarah Huckabee Sanders were so effective that the White House Correspondents’ Association ended the decades-long tradition of having a comic at their annual dinner. Impressive. She'll hit Seattle on the heels of her latest Netflix comedy special, sharing more of the no-holds-barred comedy that The Daily Beast described as "the future of stand-up." LC
Neptune Theatre, University District (Sun May 12)

Isabel Hagen Remind Like List
Isabel Hagen has made the rare transition from in-demand session violist to stand-up comedian. To be sure, there’s nothing funny about the New Yorker’s sonorous contributions to works by revered minimalist composers Steve Reich and Max Richter, art-pop genius Björk, and jazz-funk wizards Medeski Martin & Wood, among others. But while she was bowing her way through courses at Juilliard and at prestigious concerts and studio dates, her mind was teeming with humorous ideas—concepts so rich that she began filming videos and winning stand-up awards, including one at Montréal’s Just for Laughs festival. STRANGER CONTRIBUTOR DAVE SEGAL
Benaroya Hall, Downtown (Fri May 31)

COMMUNITY & FESTIVALS

Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration Past Event Like List
Seattle Center Festál's Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration highlights Asian and Asian American cultures. This year's sights and sounds include performances from Khmer Amarak Performing Arts and lion dance regular Mak Fai; book readings, including former KING 5 news anchor Lori Matsukawa reading her children’s book; a "cultural display of nations"; and local vendors like natural skincare brand Lunaraya and Seattle and Saigon, makers of garlic chili oil. Perhaps most importantly, there will be a humbow eating contest, which was named after Alan Sugiyama, the late community activist and festival chair. Show up in stretchy clothing. JW
Seattle Center, Uptown (Sat May 4)

BonsaiFEST! Past Event Like List
Have you ever looked at a tree and been like, "This is great and all, but what if it were smaller?" If so, bonsai are your best bet. Pacific Bonsai Museum’s annual BonsaiFEST! will bring together bonsai fans and the bonsai-curious for a day of celebration of the artsy trees again this year. The event boasts live bonsai care demonstrations, docent-led tours of the bonsai collection, a nature-lover's merch shop, and an audio tour option. Bring your mom, who almost certainly enjoys cool, small things and avant-garde botanicals. LC
Pacific Bonsai Museum, Federal Way (May 11–12)

16th Annual Flower Festival Past Event Like List
A Mother's Day weekend tradition for 16 years running, the Flower Festival fills Pike Place with delightful blooms from over 30 local flower farms. Don't forget the allergy meds if you're pollen-intolerant; we promise the sights and smells of tulips, daffodils, irises, peonies, and more will be worth it. Pick up a bouquet or two for mom, mother figures in your life, and yourself! Even better, bring your loved ones to pick them out with you and explore one of Seattle's best tourist destinations (that even us locals love). SL
Pike Place Market (May 11–12)

U District Street Fair 2024 Remind Like List
The U District Street Fair claims to kick off Seattle's summer event season, which rang true last year when I accidentally wore way too many layers for the warm, sunny weather. Time will tell if they hit that mark this year, but I plan on returning to this community arts and crafts fair that spans nearly a dozen blocks and draws tens of thousands of visitors. Stroll the Ave as you enjoy live music from local bands, food trucks, restaurant specials, beer gardens, activity booths, and more. The best part? The U District light rail station deposits you right in the heart of the action so no one has to deal with parking. SL
University District (May 18–19)

Northwest Folklife Festival 2024 Remind Like List
Folklife started in the '70s and you can still tell, in large part because it has somehow escaped the jaws of capitalism to remain a free community festival that's open and welcoming to all. It's also full of buskers, drum circles, impromptu jam seshes, barefoot dancing, and faded tie-dye. You can explore dozens of stalls selling foods and crafts from around the world, check out workshops and lectures, or just hang out and soak up the vibes. It's very PNW granola, and I love it. SL
Seattle Center, Uptown (May 24–27)

FILM

The Beast Past Event Like List
For a film that begins in 1910 during the Great Flood of Paris, The Beast feels achingly alive with the anxiety of existing in 2024. Based in part on Henry James’s 1903 novella, The Beast in the Jungle, about a man who believes his whole life is steered toward an impending catastrophe, the latest and tenth film by Bertrand Bonello finds that same “deep-seated feeling that something terrible will occur” in the heart of a woman named Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux), and bends eternity around it. Across three lifetimes, Seydoux plays a lovelorn woman who waits for doom. Whatever that doom is, it doesn’t matter; it might as well be the apocalypse. If that seems like the stuff of a great, sappy cinematic romance, it is, but the work of Bonello tends to refuse simple categories. The French multi-hyphenate (director-writer-composer) makes destabilizing films, ever-shifting emulsions of form and genre. Read the Mercury's whole review. PORTLAND MERCURY CONTRIBUTOR DOM SINACOLA
Grand Illusion, University District (May 4–14)

Seattle International Film Festival 2024 Remind Like List
SIFF will return for its 50th year with the best in international and independent cinema à la mode from across the globe, and you know the drill—the city's most well-recognized hybrid festival, which boasts hundreds of films from 84 countries and regions this year, will present screenings virtually and at SIFF venues citywide. Stranger staffers watched and reviewed 35 of the festival's films last year, so peep their opinions to get the gist of the type of cinema you'll see. Some standouts from this year's lineup include the June Squibb-fronted Thelma, the buzzy A24 drama Sing Sing, Ilana Glazer’s Babes, Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow, and Harmony Korine’s infrared vaporwave nightmare Aggro Dr1ft. Hit the film finder to discover your picks, or read what the festival’s programmers are excited about. LC
Various locations (May 9–27)

Paprika Remind Like List
Psychotropic anime and manga auteur Satoshi Kon's Paprika imagines a wacky new piece of technology that allows therapists to observe the dreams of their patients. The gadget's creator, Dr. Atsuko Chiba, also moonlights as a "dream detective" named Paprika—cool job alert—but when the device is stolen by a "dream terrorist," nightmares and reality begin to merge. Paprika has been widely acknowledged as one of cinema's best animated films, and the flick reportedly inspired Christopher Nolan's Inception. LC
Central Cinema, Central District (May 17–22)

Akira Kurosawa's Dreams Remind Like List
I first saw Akira Kurosawa's Dreams in a freshman film survey class—it was projected onto a giant screen, where I watched alongside hundreds of other students in the same lecture hall. At the risk of sounding corny, it was a moment in which I realized what film could really do, and it cut through the noise of aughts-era schlock and twee. The 1990 film unfolds in eight vignettes woven together with nods to Japanese folktales; there are fox weddings, warrior ghosts, radioactive landscapes, and even a Martin Scorsese cameo (he plays Vincent van Gogh). It's also one of Kurosawa's last, and most naturalistic, films. LC
Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill (May 26–June 2)

FOOD & DRINK

Seattle Beer Week 2024 Remind Like List
Seattle’s craft-beer scene is always alive and bubbling with activity, but during Beer Week, that geeky enthusiasm gets kicked into high gear, with a stacked lineup of beer dinners, festivals, socials, pub crawls, and releases galore. A handful of this year's highlights include Cask-O-Rama (12 casks from Seattle breweries on the bar top) at Beveridge Place Pub on May 17, Stour Fest (a dual celebration of stouts and sours) at Brouwer's Cafe on May 18, a beer can derby at the Pine Box on May 19, and a wing sauce tournament at Queen Anne Beerhall on May 22. JB
Various locations (May 17–24)

Mighty-O Tour de Donut Remind Like List
As far as motivation to cycle around the city goes, doughnuts are a pretty good one. Hop on your wheels for a self-guided tour with stops at Mighty-O Donuts' locations in Ballard, Greenlake, Capitol Hill, and Denny Triangle, with mini doughnuts available at each outpost. Your tickets gets you a complimentary doughnut and drip coffee at the location of your choice, as well as a Tour de Donut T-shirt to flaunt your bragging rights.
Mighty-O Donuts, Ballard (Sat May 25)

LIVE MUSIC

Belltown Bloom 2024 Past Event Like List
Technically, spring starts in March, but in Seattle, it's more like May. Welcome the season of blossoms with a two-day festival where women in music take over the entire Crocodile complex. Headliners include global stars like Aluna of electronic duo AlunaGeorge, dance music DJ TOKiMONSTA, and poet laureate/folk star Kara Jackson. The fest was started by two women in the Seattle music scene, and they're doing the work to highlight local acts as well, from sister-fronted local rock band La Fonda to Glitterfox, a folk group formed by a Portland wife-and-wife duo. I'm also stoked for Gustaf, a Brooklyn art punk band that seems to have the time of their lives onstage. SL
The Crocodile Complex, Belltown (May 4–5)

Julia Holter Past Event Like List
If you're ISO an exploratory and uplifting time, California-hailing symphonic singer Julia Holter should help you shake something loose—she's a low-key baroque pop queen whose surreal music is widely hailed by critics. If you're into pop girlies, you'll like Julia. If you're more avant-garde, you'll like, Julia, too. Her dewy, harpsichord-filled 2015 track "Sea Calls Me Home" and its lilting chorus ("I can't swim! Its lucidity! So clear!") helped me glide through the last nine years—as I navigated the end of college, my first "real" writing jobs, and the pandemic, every listen was a swan dive, a rest on a chilly rock as I gazed at the sparkle of sunlight against ocean waves. Since the birth of her daughter and the death of a loved one, though, Holter's brand of dream pop has expanded to become more sensual and nocturnal. Her new album, Something in the Room She Moves, was just released on March 22. LC
The Crocodile, Belltown (Mon May 6)

Thunderpussy with the Seattle Symphony Past Event Like List
Thunderpussy almost didn’t make it. The future looked bright for the band when they released their debut full-length Thunderpussy in 2018. They earned critical acclaim for their riff-filled brand of ’70s-inspired rock, got featured in Rolling Stone as Mike McCready’s “favorite new band,” and ended the year signing to a major label, Republic Records’s subsidiary Stardog. In the years that followed, though, things took a turn. It wasn’t clear whether the band would ever release a second record, let alone exist. But, after years full of heartbreak, loss, and uncomfortable but necessary metamorphosis, Thunderpussy are back, they’re stronger than ever, and they’re ready to blow the lid off Benaroya Hall in May. In the ultimate celebration of the band’s survival, Thunderpussy will (finally!) release their second full-length, West, alongside the full 54-piece Seattle Symphony in a boundary-pushing immersive show. STRANGER CONTRIBUTOR NATHALIE GRAHAM
Benaroya Hall, Downtown (Fri May 10)

Rolling Stones Past Event Like List
Over the last 62 years, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have made the journey from rock & roll bad boys to affable elder statesmen with as much panache as musicians can muster. From about 1965 to 1974, the Rolling Stones were among the 10 best rock groups on the planet—some scholars say the best. To be sure, they've written enough classics in many styles—blues, soul, funk, country, disco, electro, etc.—to coast on their vast catalog till they can't walk anymore. And even then, Keef will probably find a way to coax out more of his indelibly raunchy and tender riffs. Come for “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction,” stay for “Heaven”—which they've never performed live, but maybe if you shout for it loudly enough, they'll comply. It's the least they can do for the hundreds of dollars you spent on this concert. STRANGER CONTRIBUTOR DAVE SEGAL
Lumen Field, SoDo (Wed May 15)

Fisherman's Village Music Festival 2024 Remind Like List
Now in its 11th year, Fisherman's Village Music Festival will fill downtown Everett with live music and vendors, reminding us that Everett is more than just a rest stop on the way to someplace cooler. Headliners include Southern rock phenoms Drive-By Truckers, blue-eyed soul singer Allen Stone, indie folk duo Shovels & Rope, and indie pop singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews. There will also be plenty of PNW talent with Seattle-based rapper Sol, Portland's country rock gems Jenny Don't & the Spurs, and indie rock artist Jenn Champion representing the region. AV
Downtown Everett (May 16–18)

girl in red Remind Like List
Twenty-five-year-old Norwegian singer-songwriter Marie Ulven (aka girl in red) initially blew up on YouTube with picturesque music videos that showcase tearful bedroom pop tunes about heartbreak, mental health, and queer love. She will take the stage in support of her second album I'm Doing It Again Baby!, which features an appearance from pop angel Sabrina Carpenter. Don't miss an opening set from Juno Award-winning indie rock quartet the Beaches. AV
Paramount Theatre, Downtown (May 20–21)

Billy Joel Remind Like List
When I was 14, no song captured my tornado of emotions quite like "Vienna" by Billy Joel. The track evokes the painful ambition of teenagerhood in a tone that isn't merely sad or happy, but earnestly reflective. I've since discovered that my love of this song isn't unique—there are approximately 16 million TikToks that use the track (most of which are teenage girls). Gen Z's pop princess Olivia Rodrigo has also contributed to this new generation of fans with a name drop in her smash hit "Deja Vu" and appearances together. Riding the wave of this resurgence, Joel will swing by Seattle for the first time in eight years with his classics like "Piano Man" and "Uptown Girl," along with his first new song in 17 years, "Turn the Lights Back On." AV
T-Mobile Park, SoDo (Fri May 24)

Avril Lavigne: The Greatest Hits Tour Remind Like List
One of my first concerts was a free Avril Lavigne show in the Southcenter Mall parking lot. Although I don't remember many details, I do remember that she played an unplugged set which I felt wasn't very "punk" of her (she's since self-identified as a "rock chick.") Now that I'm older and a little bit wiser, I would do almost anything to see a young Avril perform "I'm with You" and "Things I'll Never Say" on an acoustic guitar again. Luckily, she's heading out on a Greatest Hits tour this month to awaken the tie-wearing tween that lives inside all of us. Need even more nostalgia? Flippy-haired pop punk bros All Time Low are opening. AV
White River Amphitheatre, Auburn (Sat May 25)

Earshot Jazz Presents: Samara Joy Remind Like List
Last year, Samara Joy won the coveted Grammy for Best New Artist, beating out pop radio heavies like Latto, Måneskin, and Wet Leg—and for good reason! On her Verve Records debut, Linger Awhile, Joy puts her own spin on classic jazz standards, making a case for her to join the likes of Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday as Verve's latest jazz singing sensation. Don't miss your chance to catch a national jewel at the very beginning of her career (Joy is only 24 years old!) AV
Benaroya Hall, Downtown (Sat May 25)

Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary Tour Remind Like List
For those born in the 1990s, singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan's featherlight piano ballads may bring to mind heartbreaking images of sheltered animals gazing longingly into the camera. However, fans of Cocteau Twins, Kate Bush, or Sinead O’Connor should consider revisiting her early work. McLachlan’s 1993 album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, is a true touchstone of ethereal folk-infused indie rock. She will celebrate the album's 30th anniversary alongside treasured indie pop artist Feist, who will be supporting her new album, Multitudes. AV
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville (May 25–26)

Pearl Jam Remind Like List
The last time that Pearl Jam played a proper show in Seattle was in 2018. The hometown heroes kicked off their national tour by turning Safeco Field into their playground, and by all accounts, the shows were fire with a 36-song setlist and the band firing on all cylinders. Now, the grunge icons are back to support their critically acclaimed new album, Dark Matter. In a press release, the band writes that the new album "channels the shared spirit of a group of lifelong creative confidants and brothers in one room playing as if their very lives depended on it." Don't miss an opening set from local indie rock band Deep Sea Diver. AV
Climate Pledge Arena, Uptown (May 28 & 30)

Kamasi Washington Remind Like List
Saxophonist/producer/bandleader Kamasi Washington is one of the most renowned contemporary jazz musicians working today. Known mostly for his sometimes-smooth and sometimes-erratic stylings on the tenor sax, Washington has ascended into the realm of world-class artistry; both his studio debut The Epic and its follow-up Heaven and Earth received universal acclaim, and he’s played on an array of important works, like Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, You’re Dead by jazz fusion artist Flying Lotus, as well as Thundercat’s heartbreak-y space-funk single, “Them Changes.” PORTLAND MERCURY CONTRIBUTOR JENNI MOORE
The Showbox, Downtown (Fri May 31)

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Unlimited Love Tour Remind Like List
Founding fathers of funk-rock The Red Hot Chili Peppers will stop by the Gorge to support their 2022 albums Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen. Recorded during the same studio sessions, the albums' sound calls back to the band's beginnings with organically crafted jams, funky basslines, and rap-infused vocal stylings from Anthony Kiedis. Plus, the recordings marked the rejoining of founding member/guitarist John Frusciante for the first time since 2006's Stadium Arcadium. Trap rapper Ken Carons and funk-infused indie rock band Irontom will open. AV
Gorge Amphitheatre, George (Fri May 31)

PERFORMANCE

The Lion Tells His Tale Past Event Like List
American traveling history museum The Unspoken Truth, presented by creator Delbert Richardson, compiles authentic artifacts and storytelling to offer unique perspectives on American history told through an Afrocentric lens. The museum will be translated for the stage in this production, which blends music, dance, and spoken word to "recreate the journey from Africa to enslavement, the Jim Crow era through today" and reflect on an African proverb: "Until the lion tells his tale, the hunt will always glorify the hunter." LC
Broadway Performance Hall, Capitol Hill (May 1–5)

Fat Ham Past Event Like List
This 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which the Seattle Times deemed a "must-see," follows Juicy, a queer Black man whose mother marries his uncle after his father's death. Problem is, Juicy's dead dad shows up as a spooky apparition during what was supposed to be a chill family barbecue. If this all sounds suspiciously familiar, it's because—you guessed it—Fat Ham is inspired by the Bard's Hamlet. While promotional materials describe the show as "sparkling and uproarious," the show also addresses complex themes. LC
Bagley Wright Theater, Uptown (May 1–12)

FKK by Lavinia Vago Past Event Like List
Set within the historic industrial surroundings of the Georgetown Steam Plant, Lavinia Vago's FKK is an immersive performance where "kittenish foolhardy experimental dreamscapes and physical machineries surrender reality." Devised by a laundry list of local and international guest artists, the performance was "founded upon the demonic and angelic spirits that inhabit underground dance floors" and features "ethereal cathartic painting that traces time." If it sounds like I'm not completely sure what this performance is...you'd be right. But it sounds cool as hell, yeah? Lavinia Vago self-describes as an Italian dance freak with "a hypermobile body and A LOT of energy to share with you," so I'm excited. LC
Georgetown Steam Plant, Georgetown (May 3–4)

Dina Martina Past Event Like List
Seattle's own "Second Lady of Entertainment," master humorist, and demented drag diva will return to the stage for some uncouth razzle-dazzle. I'm expecting more of the surreal comedy and "overburdened costumes" for which she's been known and loved for over 25 years. (The freaky queen's art form goes beyond your standard drag show—John Waters once described Martina's act as "some new kind of twisted art"—so buckle in for something beautifully gnarly.) LC
Triple Door, Downtown (May 6–9)

ALOK Past Event Like List
The transfeminine writer, performer, comedian, fashion icon, activist, and public speaker ALOK wears...a lot of hats. If you're into the #DeGenderFashion movement or their book, Beyond the Gender Binary, you're already well aware that ALOK is a boundary-pushing changemaker to watch. The multitalented creative has developed a unique blend of poetry, comedy, and vulnerability on stage, often touching on topics of trauma and belonging. Get into it at this performance. LC
Neptune Theatre, University District (May 14–15)

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Remind Like List
Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me!, NPR's Peabody Award-winning quiz show, will hit the stage with host Peter Sagal leading a team of comics, listeners, and celeb guests. I'm confident it will manage to be both hilarious and whip-smart. Expect an evening of stand-up that'll get you thinking, plus a refresher on recent news. LC
Paramount Theatre, Downtown (Thurs May 23)

READINGS & TALKS

Aidan Koch presents Spiral and Other Stories Past Event Like List
I'm a long-time fan of Institute for Interspecies Art and Relations founder Aiden Koch's dreamy environmental comics, which feel cool and simple, but imbued with a subtle mysticism. The Mojave Desert-based artist will celebrate her new collection, Spiral and Other Stories, with a visit to Seattle. The comics blend watercolor, pencil, crayon, charcoal, and collaged elements to build vast, lonely worlds full of yearning. LC
Third Place Books, Ravenna (Wed May 1)

UW Public Lectures: An Evening with Margaret Cho Past Event Like List
Margaret Cho is a household name, so listing all of the accolades that the trailblazing comedian, actress, and LBGTQ activist has acquired over her three-decade career feels pretty unnecessary. If Cho's brand of dry, unapologetic, and continually crude comedy appeals to you, you probably already know it and have followed her work for years. She'll offer more of her candid, sure-footed thoughts on her career and activism at this moderated discussion. LC
Town Hall Seattle, First Hill (Wed May 1)

Alison Roman Gives Solicited Advice (Live) Past Event Like List
You've probably seen food writer Alison Roman's viral recipes, like #TheCookies and #TheStew, on your Instagram feed. The controversial cookbook author, known for her unfussy approach to cooking and her strong culinary opinions, is bringing her podcast Solicited Advice to the Neptune Theater and will dispense guidance to audience members. JB
Neptune Theatre, University District (Sun May 5)

Taha Ebrahimi — 'Street Trees of Seattle' Past Event Like List
It was kind of by accident that Taha Ebrahimi wrote a book. Especially an illustrated one about trees. "This is a kismet, happenstance COVID project," she told me. "Basically, during COVID, I had all this extra time, and I was always interested in trees, but I don’t have any background in illustration or horticulture. I always thought people who knew stuff about plants and trees, those were the people who had authority. I don’t know why! Those Latin names, they just give you this impostorism." Street Trees of Seattle: An Illustrated Walking Guide is a charming book full of hand-drawn maps, detailed sketches of leaf and petal shapes and bark patterns, and tons of very nerdy, very fascinating history about how certain species of trees got to Seattle in the first place. STRANGER CULTURE EDITOR MEGAN SELING
Third Place Books, Seward Park (Mon May 6)

A Conversation with Pailin Chongchitnant: In‑Person & Online Past Event Like List
Over 1.7 million subscribers tune in to watch the ebullient Cordon Bleu-trained chef Pailin "Pai" Chongchitnant on her cooking channel Pailin's Kitchen, where she breaks down Thai cuisine for home cooks of all levels, demonstrating how to whip up dishes like pad kra pao and coconut pancakes. Chongchitnant grew up in southern Thailand and osmosed the fundamentals of cooking from hanging out in the kitchen as a kid. Today, she's the author of two cookbooks, Hot Thai Kitchen and Sabai: 100 Simple Thai Recipes for Any Day of the Week. She'll join local author J. Kenji López-Alt for a conversation about her passion for Thai food. JB
Town Hall Seattle, First Hill (Thurs May 9)

Author Talk: Koreaworld, Deuki Hong & Matt Rodbard Past Event Like List
With their new cookbook Koreaworld, chef Deuki Hong and journalist Matt Rodbard delve into the thrilling world of modern Korean cuisine, including "sweet-spicy barbecue, creative rice and seafood dishes, flavor-bombed stews, and KPOP-fueled street food," telling stories through interviews with chefs and home cooks as well as splashy photography. Dig into craveable, complex dishes like giant short ribs, samgyetang roast chicken, pineapple kimchi fried rice, and cold broccoli salad with ssamjang mayo. Hong and Rodbard will be joined in conversation by Sara Upshaw of OHSUN Banchan, followed by a Q&A and signing. JB
Book Larder, Fremont (Tues May 14)

Anastacia-Reneé with Gary Copeland Lilley — Here in the (Middle) of Nowhere Past Event Like List
Former Seattleite, formidable poet, genre-crossing artist, TEDx speaker, and podcaster Anastacia-Reneé's funky, feminist collection Side Notes from the Archivist: Poems illuminated Black femme culture through coming-of-age poems set in '80s Philly, and it had me awe-inspired just last year. ("The deft tonal shifts of Anastacia-Reneé’s words and delivery amuse, disarm and devastate," said the Seattle Times.) She's somehow already back with Here in the (Middle) of Nowhere, a "bold hybrid collection of poetry, flash fiction, and Afrofuturism sci-fi," which sounds incredible. Show up to her talk with poet and musician Gary Copeland Lilley to become a superfan. LC
Third Place Books, Seward Park (Thurs May 16)

An Evening With Phil Rosenthal Of "Somebody Feed Phil" Remind Like List
Phil Rosenthal, creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, has since developed an obsession with all things epicurean—he travels the globe to foodie-fave locations like Mexico City, Marrakesh, and our humble region for Netflix's Somebody Feed Phil, gobbling up whatever gourmet nosh he finds along the way. Rosenthal's recent release Somebody Feed Phil the Book: Untold Stories, Behind-the-Scenes Photos and Favorite Recipes: A Cookbook, includes never-before-heard stories and viewer-fave recipes. Mmmm. LC
Moore Theatre, Belltown (Fri May 17)

Paul Giamatti's Chinwag Remind Like List
If there were ever a celebrity podcast I'd actually listen to, it would be Paul Giamatti's. Think about it: Don't you kinda want to know what he thinks about, well, anything and everything? Luckily for us, he DOES have a podcast, and he talks to a philosophy professor (Stephen T. Asma, who's also the author of 10 books) on it. Chinwag "may or may not dive really, really, really deep into the edge of the known [and] topics like aliens, science fiction, and imagination." Okay, I'm on board. Giamatti and Asma will drop by town, hopefully to tell me whether or not we're living in a simulation. LC
Town Hall Seattle, First Hill (Fri May 17)

Book Signing: The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl Remind Like List
As a restaurant critic for the New York Times in the 1990s, legendary food writer Ruth Reichl gained renown for her acerbic observations and penchant for donning disguises to maintain her anonymity in restaurants, and she went on to become the editor-in-chief of the now-defunct Gourmet magazine. Reichl has since penned five best-selling memoirs as well as a cookbook and a novel, has won six James Beard Awards, and is known for her warm voice and fierce advocacy of home cooking. In her latest fictional work, The Paris Novel, she tells the story of Stella, a woman who receives a one-way ticket to Paris after her estranged mother dies. Of course, Reichl's cozy ode to the City of Light is full of sparkling descriptions of decadent French cuisine, vintage fashion, and dazzling art, making it a perfect escapist romp for when you're consumed by wanderlust. JB
Book Larder, Fremont (Sat May 18)

Miranda July with Laurie Frankel: A Novel of Alluring Adventure Remind Like List
Miranda July, a strong candidate for the coolest person ever born in Vermont, is also a novelist to be reckoned with—if you're into her vision at all, you've probably picked up The First Bad Man, No One Belongs Here More Than You., or It Chooses You already. The heroine at the center of July's latest novel, All Fours, is a 45-year-old artist staring down the rest of her life. I am not 45, but I am already anticipating the barrage of thoughts on monogamy, domesticity, bodily autonomy, and despair that one might face at that age. July tackles it all with her thrilling, freaky, and subtly comical voice. She'll be joined in conversation by novelist/essayist  Laurie Frankel. LC
Town Hall Seattle, First Hill (Tues May 21)

Kathleen Hanna - Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk Remind Like List
As a longtime student of Riot Grrrl, I've annihilated every piece of literature about the movement that I can get my paws on. Some favorites through my studies have included Sara Marcus's Grrrls to the Front, Carrie Brownstein's Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl, and Marisa Meltzer's Girl Power: The Nineties Revolution in Music. Most of these music memoirs and anthologies include the story of the precocious Evergreen State College student Kathleen Hanna, who propelled the movement with the creation of feminist art space Reko Muse, and later, with the trailblazing feminist punk band Bikini Kill. Now, Hanna is telling her story in her own memoir, Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk. The book chronicles her life of activism, music, friendships, illness, love, and limitless amounts of determination. Hanna will be joined in conversation by a special guest. AV
Town Hall Seattle, First Hill (Wed May 22)

Author Talk: Rebekah Peppler, Le Sud Remind Like List
I am forever deeply envious of Rebekah Peppler's glamorous expat lifestyle—she's a stylish food and travel writer residing in Paris's 18th arrondissement, where she throws dinner parties for her cadre of cool queer friends. (As a fellow curly girl, I also want her to drop her hair routine.) Her newest cookbook Le Sud picks up where her previous releases Apéritif and À Table left off, offering a "definitive guide to the food, drink, and lifestyle of southeastern Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur." This book is probably the closest I'll get to traveling to the sun-drenched south of France for a while, so in the meantime, you'll find me whipping up recipes like pink peppercorn marinated chèvre, pan bagnats, and citron pressés for my own besties and me to enjoy while soaking up vitamin D at Denny Blaine this summer. Rebekah will chat about all things Provence with local author and Spilled Milk podcast host Molly Wizenberg. JB
Book Larder, Fremont (Thurs May 30)

SPORTS & RECREATION

Windermere Cup Week 2024 Past Event Like List
The Windermere Cup has been celebrating Seattle's rowing community long before The Boys in the Boat drew the public's interest. Expanded to an entire week of activities and drawing teams from Italy and Wisconsin, this rowing extravaganza features a 21-and-up Party in the Cut on Friday night with live music, followed by the races in the morning on Saturday and the boat parade at noon. Bring the fam and celebrate the official opening of Seattle's boating season with food trucks, a build-a-boat station for kids, and lots of cheering along the north and south shores of the Fremont Cut as you watch the boats pass through. You can even stake out a spot on the Montlake Bridge for the races, just be sure to get off in time for them to raise it for the parade. SL
Montlake Cut, Montlake (May 1–4)

Bike Everywhere Month 2024 Remind Like List
As someone who lived in SF and was told if I rode a bike in the city I "would get hit by a car at least once, that's just how it is," I feel comfortable saying that Seattle has an impressive biking infrastructure. The Cascade Bicycle Club and League of American Bicyclists encourages you to put that to the test as you ride your faithful two-wheeler across the city, ideally foregoing all other forms of transportation for the entire month. Meet up with fellow cycling enthusiasts for the Emerald City Ride over the West Seattle Bridge on May 5, Bike Everywhere Day on May 17, and even Mighty-O's Tour de Donut on May 25. That last one is technically unaffiliated, but we think it captures the spirit of the month perfectly (with the added bonus of tasty vegan treats). SL
Various locations (May 1–31)

VISUAL ART

Nordic Utopia? African Americans in the 20th Century Remind Like List
Shirking trendier art locales like Paris, African American visual and performing artists (Doug Crutchfield, Herb Gentry, Dexter Gordon, William Henry Johnson, Howard Smith, and others) sought new opportunities in Nordic countries, but their work—and stories—have often been overlooked. ("Life in the Nordic countries could appear idyllic, but upon examining [the artists'] stories more closely...you begin to see hints of elements of the African American past, like cotton fields and a shanty," National Nordic Museum explains.) Curated by Dr. Ethelene Whitmire and Leslie Anne Anderson, Nordic Utopia? African Americans in the 20th Century examines the complicated experiences these artists had in Nordic countries. LC
National Nordic Museum, Ballard (May 1–July 21)

Soft Power Remind Like List
While you might not be welcome to touch the works in the cozy-sounding Tacoma Art Museum exhibition Soft Power, visitors are encouraged to join in on the creation of a large-scale, collaborative soft artwork in the gallery space. Soft Power includes textile explorations of cultural heritage, personal narratives, social criticism, and expressions of care, including works by key contemporary creators like Allyce Wood, Alexis Lee Ortiz-Duarte, Marie Watt, Marita Dingus, Monyee Chau, and many others. LC
Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma (May 1–Sept 1)

Dolls of Gratitude: A Community Art Collaboration Remind Like List
This community-based project was conceived in collaboration with the Frye Art Museum, local artist Ixtli White Hawk, arts nonprofit Path with Art, and other social service partners. At art-making parties led by White Hawk earlier this year, participants created dolls with repurposed fabrics and recycled materials; the project aimed to "showcase the project’s mission to encourage positive self-reflection and honor the artist within us all." Visitors can view the multimedia dolls at this sweet exhibit. LC
Frye Art Museum, First Hill (May 1–Dec 5)

Seattle Art Book Fair Past Event Like List
Prepare your tote bags, people: The Seattle Art Book Fair, an annual roundup of experimental publishers, DIY designers, and independent creatives who consider books to be Art with a capital A, will return this month. The festival celebrates all things art book-related, with a variety of talks, activities, and (natch) artists slinging chapbooks and zines. Far-flung creatives and local presses will be present. Don't forget, you live in a UNESCO City of Literature. Act like it!! LC
Washington Hall, Squire Park (May 11–12)

Calder Symposium Remind Like List
Hope you like mobiles!! I was once lucky enough to spot Alexander Calder's buoyant abstract mobile Lizard (Lézard) at the Palm Springs Art Museum, and therefore must recommend you thrill your eyeballs at this all-day exploration of Calder's work, which comes free with museum admission. Visitors can check out public talks, gallery tours, and film screenings that delve into the kinetic modernist sculptor's career, process, and impact. While you're there, you should obviously spend some time with the current museum exhibition Calder: In Motion, which offers a non-chronological narrative of the artist's mobiles, stabiles, paintings, illustrations, and more. Dynamic works are installed throughout SAM's galleries, including its double-height gallery, with overlooks from the floor above. LC
Seattle Art Museum, Downtown (Sat May 18)