I loved compiling a list of the best things to do in Seattle in September. There’s more to do than most people realize, and fewer tourists to deal with too as kids are back in school. Plus the days are still long, with sunsets around 7:30 PM, and the weather is pleasantly in the mid-60s.
With fall around the corner, restaurants and bars are making use of their patios and hosting the last of their outdoor events, and fall activities like apple picking and fall hikes are finally beginning.
Whether you’re a local or a visitor, you’ll love this list of all the best things to do in Seattle in September!
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Best Things to Do in Seattle in September
Save this list to Pinterest for later, as I’ll update it when I discover more of the best Seattle September events! For a snapshot of more fun activities, check out my Seattle events calendar.
Geek out at PAX and BrickCon
Gamers and VR aficionados are going to want to head to PAX West from Aug 29- Sep 1. It’s a gaming convention highlighting cutting-edge technology with panels, demos, and tournaments.
If you’re more into tactile games like Legos, buy a ticket to BrickCon September 6-7 and get a close-up view of life-sized Lego models, or start building your collection.
Find thrills at the WA State Fair
website | Puyallup (get directions) | dates: Aug 29-Sept 21 | price: ~$13-$15pp admission, more for rides and games | best for: rides
I make it a point to visit the Washington State Fair every year with my nieces so we can go on carnival rides until we get dizzy. To make it more economical, we always get the Dizzy Pass wrist bands for unlimited rides, as tickets per each ride add up quick.
If you’re not really into ride, there’s also a lot of other things to do at the fair. Music lovers should prioritize their concert series, while those who love animals can go to the petting zoo or various animal shows. There is also a ton of fair food, crafts, and carnival games to wile away the day.
Attend an arts fest
Take advantage of the last few sunny days and check out the local art festivals. They’re free to enter, great for families, and often have live music and good food. These arts fest take place in September:
- Arts a Glow (Sept 6)
- Spotlight on the Waterfront (every Thursday in Sept)
- Beacon Arts Street Fair (Sept 13)
- Luminata (Sept 20)
- Edmonds Art Studio Tour (Sept 20-21)
- Walk the Block (Sept 27)
Indulge at a food & drink festival
One of the most fun things to do in Seattle come September is to check out a local food and drink festival. Here are the ones happening in September:
- Slow Food Seattle Happy Hour (Sept 4, $30pp) – Meet other foodies at Carrello in Cap Hill
- Georgetown R-Day (Sept 6, 21+) – Free festival celebrating Rainier Beer
- SLU Cider Summit (Sept 12-13, ~$35-50pp, 21+) – Cider, mead, and cocktail tastings
- Wallingford Brat Fest (Sept 12-13, free entry) – Brats and family-friendly activities
- Bite of PhinneyWood (Sept 14, ~$50-80) – 20+ neighborhood food vendors
- Kent Hops & Crops (Sept 13, ~$35pp, 21+) – Music and beer festival
- Yelp Dinner Party (Sept 22, free) – Meet Yelp Elites and foodies at Aroy Mak in Broadview
- Taste of West Seattle (Sept 25, ~$75pp) – All proceeds go to the food bank
- Dining Out for Life (Sept 25, free to participate) – Dine at participating restaurants for charity
- Ben Paris Salmon Derby Dinner (Sept 25, ~$115+ pp) – Salmon-focused meal paired with Mark Ryan wines
- Crave! NW Lynnwood (Sept 26, ~$65pp) – Enjoy sips and bites from area restaurants and wineries
- C-ID Night Market (Sept 27, free) – Asian street food and vendors
- SIP Puyallup (Sept 27, ~$45-65pp, 21+) – Local wine, beer, and bubbly tastings
Go on a food crawl
With countless restaurants in Seattle, it can be hard to know which ones are worth your time. Save yourself the trouble and do one of my self-guided food tours. They’re regularly updated and include tips on what to order, when to go, and honorable mentions so you can customize your tour.
If you prefer in-person guided tours, try one of these options:
- The Seattle Coffee Tour
- Early-Bird Tasting Tour of Pike Place Market
- Craft Cocktail Gourmet Food Tour
Sip at the NW Tea Festival
website | Uptown (get directions) | date: Sept 27-28 | price: free, but suggested donation | best for: tea tasting
The Northwest Tea Festival is an educational and fun two-day event showcasing the multifaceted world of tea. There will be panels, tastings, and tea ware suppliers. All ages and levels of knowledge are welcome.
Celebrate Oktoberfest
Beer lovers know one of the best things to do in Seattle in September is Oktoberfest. Several Seattle neighborhoods take this holiday very seriously.
The Edmonds Oktoberfest runs September 19-20 and features local brews, a dog parade, and a kids’ corner. If you want one closer to home, the most popular of the festivals, Fremont Oktoberfest, runs September 19-21. It’s 21+ and includes a dog parade alongside 100+ local breweries and cideries. Plus it’s close to the Ballard breweries, so you can spend the weekend really diving into the Seattle beer scene.
Another hometown option for festive bites, live music, and German beers from Sept 19-27 is Rhein Haus in Capitol Hill. On Sept 20 guests can pay $20 to enter Oktoberfeast, an eating competition with the winner selecting a charity to donate proceeds. Stein-holding competitions will be held throughout both weekends and Bayern Brewing will be on site to tap a keg on Sept 25. They’ll also have schweinshaxe, a traditional Bavarian ham hock dish. The polka band, Oompah Machine, will also perform both weekends, setting the tone for a picture perfect Prost.
Visit the Wooden Boat Festival
website | Port Townsend (get directions) | date: Sept 5-7 | price: ~$28+ pp | best for: wooden boats
The Wooden Boat Festival is a chance for families and boat lovers to learn about Port Townsend’s maritime culture. Tickets allow you to walk aboard the boats, attend presentations, and enjoy live music. There will also be food vendors and a kids’ corner. It’s the perfect excuse to explore all the fun things to do in Port Townsend!
Gawk at the Seattle Modern Home Tour
website | various locations | date: Sept 13 | price: ~$23+ pp | best for: interior design fiends
You don’t have to wait for open houses to snoop in some of the city’s most beautiful homes. The Seattle Modern Home Tour lets you inside 8 of the most meticulously-designed new builds from talented Seattle-area architects.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Nationally observed from September 15 to October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the history, culture, and impact of individuals with ancestry from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It’s the perfect excuse to explore the Seattle’s best Mexican restaurants and street tacos.
Or dive in deeper and celebrate at these events happening throughout September:
- 2025 Sea Mar Fiestas Patrias: “Unifying Our Communities” (Sept 13-14)
- MEXAM NW Festival (Sept 15 – Oct 15)
- Seattle Latino Film Festival (Oct 10-18)
Immerse yourself in a cultural festival
website | Uptown (get directions) | date: varies | price: free | best for: sharing cultures
Every month the Seattle Center hosts cultural festivals. They’re free to the public and designed to share the unique aspects of different cultures. In September, besides the Hispanic Heritage Month events mentioned above, there’s the Hawaiian Festival (Sept 7), the Latin American Sea Mar Festival (Sept 13-14), and the Italian Festival (Sept 27-28).
In addition to the Seattle Center events, there are a bunch of other cultural festivals happening around the city:
- Ukrainian Festival (Sept 6 in Bellevue)
- St. Demetrios Greek Festival (Sept 19-21 in Montlake)
- Salmon Homecoming (Sept 20 Downtown)
Attend a neighborhood festival
Neighborhood festivals are a great way to explore Seattle’s coolest neighborhoods and highlight local artists and vendors through free, family-friendly activities. The Sustainable Ballard Festival (Sept 27) and Bothell Sustainamania (Sept 20) celebrate sustainability through education and eco-conscious vendors.
Newcastle Days (Sept 6) takes place every September at Lake Boren Park in honor of when Newcastle became a city. Expect family-friendly fun, live music, games, and plenty of food.
Check out a music festival
Seattle is a city for music lovers, and fortunately, many outdoor shows are held in September. Here are a few that caught my eye:
- Ballard Locks Free Summer Concert Series (Sept 1)
- Chateau Ste Michelle Summer Concerts (Sept 1-21)
- Jackson St. Jazz Walk (Sept 6)
- Remlinger Farm Concerts (Sept 6-27)
Attend an orchestra concert by candlelight
Nothing says romance quite like surprising your partner with a candlelight orchestra of their favorite cover band. Catch covers of Bad Bunny (Sept 13), The Beatles (Sept 18), and my personal favorite, 90s Unplugged (Sept 27). I went to this last one and it was so nostalgic. Some of the songs were so haunting when played on orchestra music. For example, I almost cried at Zombie by The Cranberries!
See a band
Take advantage of Seattle’s music scene and catch one of your favorite performers live. Here are some that are on my list to check out:
- Goo Goo Dolls with Dashboard Confessional (Sept 1)
- The Offspring (Sept 3)
- Lil Wayne (Sept 3)
- Neil Young (Sept 4)
- Sublime with The Ataris & friends (Sept 12)
- Ludacris (Sept 13)
- Modest Mouse & Friends (Sept 13-14)
- Everclear (Sept 14)
- Haim (Sept 18)
- Taking Back Sunday with Coheed & Cambria (Sept 21)
- Jonas Brothers (Sept 22)
- Linkin Park (Sept 24)
- The Who (Sept 25)
Watch a theater or comedy performance
It’s safe to say there’s always a live performance in the city. Here are the ones happening in September:
- Comedian Sheng Weng (Sept 12)
- Twilight in Concert (Sept 13)
- Suffs (Sept 13-27)
- Piff the Magic Dragon (Sept 14)
- Some Like It Hot (Sept 16-21)
- Grand Kyiv Ballet – Giselle (Sept 27)
- Hokus Pokus Live (Sept 29)
Cheer at a sports game
September is when all the most popular major league sports overlap. Between the Mariners (baseball), Seahawks (pro football), Huskies (college football), Storm (basketball), Sounder (men’s soccer), Reign (women’s soccer), and Kraken (hockey) leagues, you have a lot of options!
Visit the Edmonds Classic Car Show
website | Edmonds (get directions) | date: Sept 7 | price: free | best for: car buffs
If you’re a classic cars and motorcycles fan, you’ll want to check out the Edmonds Classic Car Show. It’ll feature 250+ classic vehicles alongside a beer garden, vendors, and bites served by some of the best restaurants in Edmonds.
Go wine tasting
Seattle has no shortage of wine tasting rooms, especially in the SODO neighborhood where you’ll find most of the city’s urban wineries. If you’re up for a short drive, Woodinville is under an hour away and has over 130+ Washington wineries.
Several neighborhoods in Seattle host wine walks, where you can walk to multiple tasting rooms and get special deals on tastings and bottles. There’s the Downtown Issaquah Art & Wine Walk (Sept 5), Mercer Island Uncorked (Sept 6), and Magnolia’s Vino in the Village (Sept 13).
Laugh at SketchFest
website | Downtown (get directions) | dates: Sept 11-14 | price: ~$18pp for GA | best for: sketch comedy
SketchFest Seattle pays tribute to comedy with original sketches performed by local and national talent. There will be multiple featured shows and numerous performers taking the stage to entice and entertain.
Go apple picking
One of the best things to do in Seattle in September is something I eagerly wait for each year: apple-picking at farms near Seattle. Most orchards are in eastern Washington, but there are a few in Snohomish if you’re hoping to stay close to Seattle, like Bailey Farm, Swans Trail Farms, and Skipley Farms.
There are also a number of farm stands and u-pick fields in Skagit Valley, like Pleasant Ridge Farms, Jones Creek Farm, and Gordon Skagit Farms. It’s the perfect excuse to explore all the fun things to to in Skagit and the best Skagit restaurants.
Visit a state or national park for free
In honor of National Public Lands Day, all national and state parks are free to enter on September 27. If you’ve always wanted to explore Rainier National Park, one of the best Pacific Northwest national parks, now’s your chance!
Play glow-in-the-dark golf
website | Tukwila (get directions) | date: Sept 26 | price: $60pp | best for: a unique spin on a rec sport classic
Enjoy a round of Glow Ball at Foster Golf Links. You’ll play 9 holes using glow-in-the-dark balls, competing as teams of two in an alternate-shot format. Guests will get glowing swag and a $10 gift card to Billy Baroo’s Bar & Grill.
Attend Farm Fest
website | Rainier Beach (get directions) | date: Sept 20 | price: free | best for: urban farming festival
Farm Fest is hosted by Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands. Each year they host an urban agriculture celebration with activities and seminars geared toward green living, growing your produce, kids’ craft activities, and cooking demos.
Frolic at a sunflower festival
I think one of the best things to do in Seattle in September is check out the sunflowers when they’re in full bloom. Here are a few happening this year:
- Rutledge Family Farm (Aug 16 – Sept 1, ~$17.50pp)
- Bob’s Corn & Pumpkin Farm (Aug 23 – Sept 7, ~$21pp)
- Lora Lee’s Family Farm (Aug 15 – Sept, ~$16pp)
- Maris Farms (Sept 6-21, ~$20pp)
- Stocker Farms (Sept 20-21 & 27-28, prices TBA)
Watch your heart out at a film fest
Film festivals are a fantastic way to support local film schools and view films you might not otherwise come across. Here are some festivals happening in September:
- SEA-Nordic Film Festival (Sept 5-7)
- Port Townsend Film Festival (Sept 18-21, virtual Sept 22-28)
- Local Sightings Film Festival (Sept 19-28)
- Gig Harbor Film Festival (Sept 25-28)
- Manhattan Short (Sept 25-29) – One week of film festivals shared around the world, with venues on Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, Dayton (near Walla Walla), Mt. Vernon, and Langley on Whidbey Island.
Attend a boat show
website | Kirkland (get directions) | date: Sept 11-14 | price: ~$24+ pp | best for: boat enthusiasts
The Boats Afloat Show is the perfect excuse to browse that boat you’ve always been dreaming of. You’ll get to enjoy views of South Lake Union will touring boats of varying sizes and styles. There will also be free seminars, live music, kids’ activities, food, and a beer garden.
Go swimming with your pup
website | Kirkland (get directions) | date: Sept 6 | price: ~$10 per dog | best for: fun with the dogs
Celebrate the closing of pool season by bringing your pup to swim at the Peter Kirk Pool. This fun, family-friendly event will feature vendor booths, food trucks, and lots of soggy, happy dogs!
Find peace at the Branch Out Bonsai Fest
website | Federal Way (get directions) | date: Sept 29 | price: ~$150pp | best for: bonsai trees
The Pacific Bonsai Museum is hosting their annual fundraising event and celebrating their 10th anniversary. Expect an evening of peacefully strolling past bonsai exhibits alongside live music, good food, and libations.
Get inspired at a fashion show
website | Kirkland (get directions) | date: Sept 4 | price: ~$125pp | best for: sustainable fashion show
The Kirkland Chamber of Commerce is hosting their annual sustainable fashion show featuring local boutiques, creative outfits, and a silent auction. There will be complimentary bubbles and a plated lunch, and you’ll even leave with a swag bag of fun surprises.
Visit a museum on one of their free days
Most Seattle museums offer free admission at least once a month so locals and families can enjoy the arts without spending a fortune. These museums offer free admission on the first Thursday of every month (September 4):
- Seattle Art Museum
- Seattle Asian Art Museum
- National Nordic Museum – Must be reserved in advance
- Museum of History and Industry – 5-8 PM
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
- Henry Art Gallery – Also free on Sundays
- Museum of Flight – 5-9 PM
- Volunteer Park Conservatory – Also on the first Saturday (Sept 7)
- Washington Park Arboretum Walking Tour – 11:30 AM-1 PM
- Seattle Japanese Garden
These are free Seattle museums every day:
- Frye Art Museum
- Olympic Sculpture Park
- Center for Wooden Boats
- The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center
- Klondike Gold Rush Museum
- Center on Contemporary Art
More Seattle activities
After you check off all the best things to do in Seattle in September, check out my other guides to making the most of late summer and early autumn!
