The Emerald Palate

Seattle food tours & retreats

Seasonal Activities, Things to Do ·

Best Things to do in Seattle in July 2026

woman on a lavender farm, one of the best things to do in Seattle in July

There are so many things to do in Seattle in July, likely because it’s the start of Seattle’s brief season of zero rain. With temperatures in the mid-high 70s and sunsets well past 9 PM, it’s the time of year when everyone seeks to soak up the heat and make the most of the long days.

Whether you’re a local looking for the best Seattle July activities or a visitor making the most of a weekend away, here are all the best things to do in July in Seattle.

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Things to do in Seattle in July

Save this list to Pinterest for later, as I’ll keep it updated every year! You can also check out my Seattle events calendar for a constantly-updated list of events.

 

Celebrate the 4th of July

Fireworks

No July 4th would be complete without catching a fireworks show. The largest is the Seafair show at Gas Works Park on Lake Union. You can show up at the park early to snag a spot or book a fireworks cruise (or a 21+ fireworks cruise) and watch the show from the middle of the lake.

If you’d prefer less crowded neighborhood firework displays, here are your options starting ~10 PM (most free):

Festivals & parades

If you don’t care about the fireworks and just want to celebrate, here are some options:

Food

A few restaurants are also offering take-home meals for you to celebrate at home. For example:

Seattle fireworks, one of the best things to do in Seattle in July
Photo by USS Turner Joy courtesy of Visit Seattle

Revel at Seafair 

Seafair doesn’t just put on a firework show. It’s the biggest summer celebration in the PNW! Spanning 10 weeks, you’ll find numerous events in Seattle.

For example, the Chinatown Parade on July 19 promises a 100-ft dragon, drill teams, and traditional Asian performances. There’s also the annual Indian Days Powwow from July 17-19, a free event dedicated to sharing Indigenous food, art, and culture.

If you can only make one event, don’t miss the Blue Angel fighter jets’ Flight Show July 31 – August 2.

Blue Angels at Seafair, one of the best things to do in Seattle in June
Photo courtesy of the US Navy

Go on a food crawl

Going on a food crawl is one of my favorite summer activities in Seattle because the warm weather makes it easy to walk the streets and experience new neighborhoods.

My self-guided Seattle food tours have itineraries for exploring my favorite foodie areas sans the crowds. Or, if you prefer an in-person tour, check out one of these unique food & wine tours:

person holding an ice cream cone in a fish shaped taiyaki cone

Self-guided Seattle food tour of the Ballard neighborhood
Ballard Tour
Fremont Seattle Food Tour
FREMONT TOUR
person diving fork into colorful layered cake from a restaurant on The Emerald Palate's self-guided Seattle food tour of the Georgetown neighborhood
Georgetown Tour

Attend a food & wine event

It seems like all of Seattle’s food and wine events cram together over a few weekends in summer. Here’s the shortlist of the best ones to check out:

person holding cup of beer

Check out an shopping market or art festival

One of my favorite things to do in Seattle in July is scour the multiple art fests for the best PNW artists. They’re often free to the public, great for families, and have food trucks and live music. Here are some happening this month:

Seattle Art Fair, one of the best things to do in Seattle in July

Attend a cultural event

Seattle hosts free cultural festivals year round to showcase the city’s uniqueness and diversity. Here are ones happening in July:

Have fun at Redmond’s Derby Days

website | Redmond (get directions) | dates: July 24-25 | price: free | best for: carnival vibes

Enjoy two days of carnival rides, games, local vendors, and fair food at this annual summer event. Check out the calendar for the parade and music line up. If you stay until the end, you’ll be greeted with a drone light show.

Welcome the season at West Seattle Summer Fest

website | West Seattle (get directions) | dates: July 9-12 | price: free | best for: outdoor music festival

If you’re looking for a classic outdoor festival that’s simply about being outside listening to good music, the West Seattle Summer Fest is one of the best things to do in Seattle in July. With multiple stages, food vendors, a beer garden, and a kids’ zone, it’s an easy way to spend a sunny weekend.

Alki Beach Seattle

Jam at a music festival

Music festivals are among the best things to do in Seattle in July thanks to the abundance of cool neighborhoods and the city’s infamous music scene. There are also quite a few worth the day trip from the city. For example:

Capitol Hill Block Party, one of the quintessential Seattle activities in July
Photo by Javier Ortiz courtesy of Capitol Hill Block Party

Bond with fellow car heads at Wekfest

website | Downtown (get directions) | date: July 26 | price: ~$30pp | best for: custom-built car show

If you or someone you know loves car shows, you’ll want to check out this event. It’s essentially an exhibit highlighting the best custom-built cars from around the world.

Rock out to a band

If you prefer to focus your energy on a specific concert, there are a ton of options around Seattle. One option is checking out the many outdoor concert series that happen around the city all summer long. For example:

If you prefer national touring concert, here are some musicians coming to Seattle this July that caught my eye:

Vibe at an orchestra concert by candlelight 

Nothing is more romantic than surprising your significant other with a candlelight orchestra concert, especially if there’s a really good cover band in town. Whether you’re in the mood for Lauryn Hill (July 11), Queen vs. ABBA (July 12), or Pink Floyd (July 23), it’s worth going simply for the experience.

I went to the 90s Unplugged show and was stunned at how talented the musicians were. Somehow they mimicked the shrill of The Cranberries’ voice in “Zombie” and the aggression of the electric guitar in Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”. Highly recommend, especially because it’s a cool way to experience random venues around the city.

pianist surrounded by candles on a stage
Photo courtesy of Fever

Cheer at a sports game

Come summer, it’s practically mandatory to wade through the masses past downtown Seattle and head to the stadiums to catch a Mariners, Sounders, Reign, or Storm game. Or better yet, compete on the fields with local athletes and celebrities in the All-Star Classic on July 11 while raising money for charity.

view of the Mariners baseball stadium with Seattle skyline in the background

Take a day trip on the ferry

When thinking of fun things to do in Seattle in July, ferry hopping should be at the top of your bucket list. There are tons of scenic day trips you can take from Seattle by ferry, though I’m partial to Vashon, Bainbridge, Whidbey, and Port Townsend because they’re the closest.

Another option is to hop on the FRS Clipper and take a day or overnight trip to Vancouver Island. It’s the perfect excuse for exploring all the unique restaurants and things to do in Victoria BC. You can also check out Cowichan Valley a short drive from Victoria, which is known for farms, wineries, and hiking.

Victoria Clipper ferry docked in Seattle

Visit a museum on one of their free days 

There are over 25 museums in Seattle, and most offer free days once a month, making it the perfect no-cost way to spend a day in Seattle and escape the summer heat.

These museums offer free admission on the first Thursday of every month (July 2), but because it’s a holiday, double-check before you go to make sure they’re open regular hours.

MOHAI is hosting a free exhibit called Freedom Plane National Tour for America’s 250th birthday July 30 – August 16. Guests with timed-entry reservations can see our country’s founding documents up close. Featured documents include an Original Engraving of the Declaration of Independence (1823), the Secret Printing of the Constitution in Draft Form (1787), the Treaty of Paris, and the Bill of Rights.

Always free museums

Here are the free museums in Seattle with no admission every day:

a bunch of planes hanging in the Museum of Flight
Photo courtesy of the Museum of Flight

See an outdoor movie 

With only a few months’ worth of warm evenings in Seattle, you might as well take advantage of an outdoor movie. Here are some options:

Go berry picking 

Berry picking is a quintessential Seattle summer activity, and I don’t let the season pass by without stopping at my favorite u-pick farms near Seattle. July is when blueberries (sometimes raspberries) are in peak season, so stop by Blueberry Glenn and Harvold Berry Farm for u-pick berries!

There’s also the Vashon Strawberry Festival on July 17-19, which features local vendors, live music, and family-friendly fun. It’s the perfect excuse to check out Vashon Island’s best restaurants while you’re there!

Cruise on a bike ride

July is peak bike riding season. If you really want to jump in the saddle, sign up for the 200-mile Seattle to Portland bike ride July 11. Or, if you’re more of a casual rider, take an easy stroll along the Burke-Gilman or Elliott Bay Trail.

person biking in Seattle, one of the US most bike friendly cities, a fun fact about Seattle

Support the zoo’s annual fundraiser

website | Phinney Ridge (get directions) | date: July 10 | price: ~$150+ pp | best for: up-close animal experiences, food, and auction

Each year, the Woodland Zoo hosts a summer fundraiser where guests can get up close and personal with the animals, indulge in a four-course dinner, sip cocktails, and bid on exciting excursions. I was a photo intern at the zoo in college and got to photograph this event. It’s swank and a fun excuse to dress up!

Enjoy a garden walk 

There are so many beautiful gardens in Seattle, and most neighborhoods offer garden tours to highlight the best-kept ornate gardens. For example:

If you’re hoping to forage on some edible garden items, stop by the Beacon Hill Food Forest for their free monthly guided tours and classes.

closeup of flowers at Butchart Gardens

Attend a pickleball tournament

I had no idea how into pickleball some people can be until I saw my first game. I’m not a player myself, but I respect the ambition and love that it was started on Bainbridge Island. If you think you’ve got what it takes, sign up for the Seattle Metro Classic July 28 – August 2.

Enjoy Shakespeare in the Park

I love living in a theater city. Come the summer season, there are quite a few park performances, including not one but two Shakespeare in the Park festivals. Make it a picnic and it’ll become one of the most romantic things to do in Seattle!

Not into Shakespeare? The Courage to Right a Women’s Wrongs is playing for free at Highline SeaTac Botanical Gardens July 24.

Visit a flower farm

July is when lavender and other types of flowers start blooming. Few things are as wholesome as walking through a lavender field and listening to the bees buzzing in unison. The Sequim Lavender Festival starts July 17-19 and offers live music, food, farm tours, and u-pick lavender. It’s on the peninsula, so it’s the perfect excuse to explore Port Townsend too.

For a farm visit that doesn’t require a ferry, stop by Evergreen Valley Lavender Farm and find out why Olympia’s worth a visit.

Love tea? Willowbrook Manor in Sedro-Woolley is offering u-pick chamomile tea on their farm, followed by scones and tea.

woman sitting in a lavender field, one of the best things to do in Olympia, WA

Go back in time at the Renaissance Faire

website | Snohomish (get directions) | dates: weekends July 18 – August 16 | price: ~$40+ pp | best for: medieval merriment

If you’ve always wanted to watch a joust or munch on a massive turkey leg, now’s your chance. The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire is an immersive experience, offering visitors a weekend filled with battles, improv, dancing, markets, and local ales and mead samples. You can even camp on-site to be closer to the action. I used to go to the Renaissance Faire growing up on the east coast and always had a great time!

Marvel at the Exotic Car Show

website | Redmond (get directions) | dates: Saturdays in July | price: free | best for: car buffs

A bunch of beautiful and rare cars descend on Redmond Town Center almost every Saturday 8-11 AM from April through September. There are often themes for the different days, such as Italian cars on July 11. Note, they’re taking a few weeks off in July due to conflicting events.

Spend the day beer or wine tasting

Seattle’s craft beer scene grows every year, and most breweries offer ample outdoor seating in the summer. Every neighborhood has a cluster of breweries and tap houses, but Ballard is my favorite because a bunch of tasting rooms are within walking distance from each other. I wrote a whole guide on my favorite Ballard breweries, so check it out if you want to explore some of Seattle’s best breweries.

If you’re more into wine, you’ll find that Seattle is also budding with urban wineries. Or, if you’re up for a short drive, you can check out the cluster of Washington wineries in Woodinville.

wine tasting at a Bainbridge Island winery

Learn about a rare shark at Shark in the Park

website | Des Moines (get directions) | dates: July 12 | price: free | best for: shark enthusiasts

Did you know Redondo Beach in Des Moines is one of the best places in the world to see the near-threatened and rarely-seen sixgill shark? Learn more about them at this event featuring live science demos, hands-on ocean activities, shark-themed exhibits, and local vendors.

Get on the water

One of the best parts about living in Seattle is getting out on the water the second it warms up. The first weekend in July, you can usually find Dan and me giddily renting a kayak and getting out on Lake Union, or paddle boarding Green Lake. If you’re on the Eastside, you can rent kayaks or take a tour with Best Kayak Rentals.

If you’re more of a boat-tour person, you can rent an electric boat on your own or take advantage of one of these boat tours:

viewpoint in Seattle of Fremont Bridge and Lake Union from Burke-Gilman Trail

Lounge on the beach

What is a summer vacation without spending a day lazily relaxing on the beach? Seattle has quite a few beaches nearby, namely, Golden Gardens in Ballard and Alki Beach in West Seattle.

If you’re craving a coastal beach, you can easily take a day trip to explore Long Beach, Seabrook, or Ocean Shores. For more things to do on the Washington Coast, check out my guide to best Washington coast attractions and dreamy Washington coast cabins.

woman walking on beach, one of the best things to do in Seabrook, WA

Go on an adult field trip

The more I research, the more I’m blown away by how many farmsteads and food expedition trips exist near Seattle. This 4-day field trip puts you to work on the Quillisascut Farm Camp from July 23-26. You’ll be milking goats, making cheese, and foraging. In exchange, you’ll be rewarded with wood-fired sourdough, pizza, jams, yogurt, and more.

Alternatively, you can go on various kayaking and camping trips throughout the month. If you’re lucky, you may kayak with orcas on one of these excursions:

Need to get kids out of the house? Tom Douglas has a kids cooking camp happening July 6-9 and July 20-23

woman kayaking in the San Juan Islands

Raid the farmers markets

Washington is a major agricultural hub, and our commitment to sustainability means many small farms can find success at the local farmers markets. Seattle alone is home to over 15 markets, so check out my guide to the best Seattle farmers markets to find one in your neighborhood!

best Seattle farmers markets

More things to do in Seattle

After you experience these things to do in Seattle in July, check out my other guides for your next adventure.

 

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