It's Valentine's Day weekend, and we've already rounded up all the ways to celebrate for $20 or less. But, if you have a heart-shaped chocolate hangover and you just want to know about the non-holiday-related happenings on the cheap, you're in the right place. Below, find all of your options for last-minute entertainment to last you through the long weekend (happy Presidents' Day!) that won't cost more than $10, ranging from Rare Treats Pop-Up Market to the opening of Agnieszka Polska's new Frye exhibit Love Bite, and from a Presidents' Day rally with Bernie Sanders and Pramila Jayapal to the apocalyptic drag show Soft Shock. For even more options, check out our complete EverOut Things To Do calendar and our list of cheap & easy things to do in Seattle all year long.
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- Bed of Roses
Luscious DJ collective Bed of Roses will take over every second Friday of the month, starting tonight.
(Capitol Hill, free) - The Djangomatics
The Djangomatics live up to their name in that they play a style of jazz deeply influenced by iconic Romani guitarist and composer Django Reinhardt.
(Downtown, free) - Happy Times Sad Times, Antonioni, Black Ends
Join Seattle's Happy Times Sad Times for a night of "trashy indie rock in the vein of Audacity or Ty Segall" (per the band). They'll be joined by Antonioni and Black Ends.
(Ballard, $10) - This Charming Man
A live DJ will spin songs by the Smiths, the Kooks, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, and other seminal rock bands of yesteryear.
(Belltown, free/$5) VISUAL ART
- Exhibitions Opening Reception
Celebrate the openings of Rebecca Brewer: Natural Horror, Subspontaneous: Francesca Lohmann and Rob Rhee, and Agnieszka Polska: Love Bite with a preview of the art and drinks from the cash bar.
(First Hill, free) - 'Qualifications of Being' Release Party
Flip through a copy of trans and Two-Spirit artist Raven Two Feather's comic-based zine, Qualifications of Being, and enjoy a live performance from the Two-Spirit Drum Group.
(Capitol Hill, free) - Art Up PhinneyWood
Walk around charming Greenwood/Phinney (just north of the zoo) and take in art from dozens of venues, from galleries to restaurants to bookshops, including Couth Buzzard Books, Greenwood Space Travel Company, and the Phinney Center Gallery.
(Capitol Hill, free) - Belltown Art Walk
On second Fridays, wander around Belltown and check out the local art scene amidst the waves of drinkers and clubbers.
(Belltown, free) - Shaun Kardinal: Present Tense
Using aerial photographs of forests, deserts, mountains, and polar ice culled from nature magazines, Seattle-based artist Shaun Kardinal creates compelling and interesting collages, reinterpreting the images by using colored thread. The result are compositions that explore space, time, and the disintegration of our environment, often juxtaposing “opposite” ecosystems to call attention to the effect that climate change is having on our home. The embroidered elements of his work bring a sense of order and precision to a world without either. A portion of the proceeds from sales will be donated to the Sierra Club Foundation, funding climate solutions and conservation. JASMYNE KEIMIG
(Pioneer Square, free)
Closing FridayFRIDAY-SUNDAY
- Science Comedy with Dr. Matthew Murtha
Scientist and comedian Dr. Matthew Murtha will prove that researchers can have a sense of humor in his hour-long special. Valerie Bentivegna (Bright Club, Edinburgh Festival Fringe) hosts.
(Downtown, $10)SATURDAY
COMEDY
- Improv for Everyone
Local improvisers will teach you the ropes of spontaneous acting.
(Downtown, free) - Stand-up Comedy Show
Sip local brews and enjoy locally bred comedy with Dain Drumhiller, Jim Stewart Allen, Jaci Terjeson, and Natalie Holt.
(Hillman City, $10) COMMUNITY
- Bird Fest
When your friends and family visit from out of town, impress them with your casual knowledge of the winged creatures in your own backyard by attending Burien's Bird Fest. Coolest of all, you'll get to play a part in the annual Backyard Bird Count.
(Burien, free) - Climate Crisis: A Call to Action
Find out ways to combat climate change at this free workshop.
(University District, free) - State of Africatown 2020: The African American/African Gathering
Get the latest on the goals, opportunities, and challenges facing Seattle's African American and African Diaspora community in 2020 and beyond.
(Central District, free) FOOD & DRINK
- Seattle Night Market: Lunar New Year
This massive indoor night market will pop up for the Lunar New Year, bringing over 100 local Asian-inspired vendors and food trucks, plus a live DJ, to Magnuson Park.
(Sand Point, $1) MUSIC
- Atrocity Girl, MTR Project, Nurse Ratchett
Femme thrashers Atrocity Girl will head up a punk-rock show with fellow local groups MTR Project and Nurse Ratchett.
(West Seattle, $8) - Cedar Teeth, Jacob Navarro, Navid Eliot
Enjoy a night of rootsy folk-rock and dream-pop with Northwest acts Cedar Teeth, Jacob Navarro, and Navid Eliot.
(Ballard, $10) - Dream Queen, Glass Boys, Brutal Poodle
Vancouver rock trio Brutal Poodle and local lo-fi pop-rockers Glass Boys will warm you up for a set from psych-rock headliners Dream Queen.
(Belltown, $8) - Free at the Frye: Michael Kudirka
Hailed as a virtuosic performer, Michael Kudirka will perform a program true to his background as a classical guitarist and his world travels as a recitalist and chamber musician.
(First Hill, free) - FRISK Jockstrap PARTY with DJ Robbie Nielsen
It's a dance party by men in jockstraps, for men in jockstraps with DJ Robbie Nielsen bringing "house music tribal beats."
(Capitol Hill, $6/$8) - Fuego! - A Reggaeton Dance Party
Get down to Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee, J. Balvin, and others at this reggaeton DJ dance party.
(Capitol Hill, $5) - Graceland Manila
Thrust along to hits by the King performed by local Elvis cover band Graceland Manila.
(Beacon Hill, free) - Haute Sauce: M0MLYN, Swervewon, Vega, Miguel Rockwell
M0MLYN, Swervewon, Vega, and Miguel Rockwell will be your DJs at this edition of "Seattle's home for hip-hop and dance music."
(Capitol Hill, $10) - The Hot McGandhis
Get down to "funky jazz and boogaloo tunes" from a quintet of seasoned Seattle musicians as they play standards from the 1960s to the present.
(Downtown, free) - Lovesick's 50th Birthday Party!!
Seattle's DJ Lovesick is turning 50 years old. Join the festivities with a night of "crazy drink specials" and tunes from the birthday boy himself and DJ Peg.
(West Seattle, free) - Neighborhood Watch: Robot & Ravidat, Jayomi, Powerbleeder
Dance to indie pop-rock with Robot & Ravidat, Jayomi, and Powerbleeder.
(Downtown, $10) - Noah Byrd, Jesse Blake Hay, Maddy Smith, Spencer Carlson
Singer-songwriter and Elliott Smith stan Noah Byrd will headline with a live set and viewing party for his new "Living Room" music video. He'll be joined by Jesse Blake Hay and Maddy Smith.
(University District, $10) - Original Music Inspired by the Works of Shakespeare
The Bushwick Book Club will perform live music inspired by the works of everyone's favorite Bard, William Shakespeare.
(Capitol Hill, $10) - Pint & Dale - Songs and Stories of the Seven Seas
Regulars William Pint and Felicia Dale will play songs about their adventures while you eat snacks.
(Greenwood, free) - Sweet Jesus, Swinson & The Expedition, Will Rainier and the Pines
Sweet Jesus blends post-punk and garage-rock with psychedelic folk. Join them for a night out with Swinson & the Expedition and Will Rainier and the Pines.
(Pioneer Square, $8) - A Swinging Night with the Unknowns and Ranger and The Re-Arrangers
The Unknowns will bring you a night of jazz standards, soulful ballads, and lively swing jams with support from g*psy jazz outfit Ranger and the Re-Arrangers.
(Columbia City, free) - The World’s Greatest Emo and Pop Punk Party
Go beyond the throwback DJ night and opt for live emo and pop-punk with local bands Green Lake Basement, Happy Heartbreak, Fiore, and Less Than Three.
(Fremont, $10) PERFORMANCE
- My Little Planet: A Performance by Agnieszka Polska
In conjunction with her new Frye exhibition, Love Bite, Berlin-based artist Agnieszka Polska will present a "quasi-scientific performative audio-visual presentation" that explores the ridiculousness of nature of social norms. Afterward, the artist will be joined by curator Amanda Donnan and historian Graham Burnett for a conversation on her work.
(Capitol Hill, free) - Soft Shock 2020
This night of drag hosted by Old Witch and starring Bosco, Kitty Glitter, Lazarus Rise, and Thadayus, plus SissySlays and Vivvi The Force from San Diego, sounds like it's full of apocalyptic horror. Fun times!
(Downtown, $7/$9) READINGS & TALKS
- Angelo Moore Is Dr. Madd Vibe!
Dr. Madd Vibe, aka Angelo Moore, aka the frontman of '80s-born ska-punk band Fishbone, will bring you an interdisciplinary reading and performance highlighting his work in film and comics. Press materials promise that it'll be "a thrilling ride through an auditory amusement park."
(Downtown, free) - Corey Tabor: Snail Crossing
Children's book author and illustrator Corey Tabor tells the story of a slow and steady snail whose kindness is rewarded with friendship. He'll read to kiddos live.
(University District, free) - Erica Miner: 'Murder in the Pit' and 'Death by Opera'
Local author and musician Erica Miner will read from her books Murder in the Pit and Death by Opera, both of which follow the life and times of a violinist who has a secret talent for sleuthing.
(Edmonds, free) - History of Eastside Logging (Presented by the Eastside Heritage Center)
Did you know that nearly all the big trees you see on the Eastside are less than 100 years old, and that they won't reach maturity for another 400 years? At this talk, you'll learn all sorts of new facts and you'll get to see old logging artifacts.
(Bellevue, free) - Julie Blacklow with Pepper Schwartz: Diary of a Badass Reporter
Prolific journalist Julie Blacklow will reflect on her time as one of the first women in television news in America, as relayed in her book Fearless—Diary of a Badass Reporter. She'll be joined in conversation by UW sociologist and sexologist Pepper Schwartz.
(First Hill, $5) - Julie Tate-Libby: The Good Way
Most people go through periods of self-discovery, but Julie Tate-Libby had an especially unique coming-of-age journey. She'll read from her memoir that recounts her travels in Nepal, where she parted ways with her church's missionary group to go on a solo trek through the Himalayas as a late teen.
(Lake Forest Park, free) - Kim Stafford: Wild Honey, Tough Salt
Portland poet Kim Stafford, son of the poet laureate William Stafford, will deliver a reading of his collection Wild Honey, Tough Salt, which draws on such experiences as "wandering New Orleans in a trance, savoring the life of artist Tove Jansson, reading the fine print on the Mexican peso and the Scottish five-pound note" and penetrates into darker material from there.
(Capitol Hill, free) - Natalee Woods: Full Support
Natalee Woods shares the stories of women she encountered while working as a bra-fitter at a high-end department store for more than a decade.
(Ravenna, free) - The Nature of Poetry: Celebrating African American Poets
Listen to nature poetry by Black American poets and try penning a few verses of your own.
(Renton, free) - Writing for Kids in the PNW
Children's book authors Somaiya Daud (Mirage), Christine Day (I Can Make This Promise), and Will Taylor (Abby's Neverending Pillow Fort) will discuss their writing processes and their publishing journeys before a signing.
(University District, free) SHOPPING
- Rare Treats Pop-up Market
Buy stuff (vintage clothes, household goods, gifts, and more) from lovely local vendors and artists like Little Wolf Distro, Real Bazaar, Memmi LeBlanc, Pinephilos, and others. DJs Gene Pankey and AbGlanz will be on the decks, Crop Pop Soda Shop will sling their small-batch beverages, and Passiflora Massage will dig into your sore muscles.
(Capitol Hill, free) SPORTS & RECREATION
- Dragons Home Opener Post Game Party
No matter the final score, celebrate XFL team the Seattle Dragons' first home game at an after-party with '60s-'90s rock cover band the Kennedy Brothers.
(Downtown, free) - Washington GYM vs. Arizona
UW's Men's gymnastics team will take on Arizona State University.
(University District, $10) VISUAL ART
- Pamela Bond: Contemporary Traditional Winter Clothing
Check out contemporary takes on traditional winter clothing worn by Puget-Salish peoples, including woven skirts made from mountain goat fur, wooly dog fur, and plant fibers.
(West Seattle, free)SATURDAY-SUNDAY
VISUAL ART
- Agnieszka Polska: Love Bite
Krakow and Berlin-based audiovisual artist Agnieszka Polska revels in the digital, the hallucinatory, and the ASMR-ish to create her seductive video works. Interested in the intersection of language, history, and scientific theory, she examines individual and social responsibility. The show will also mark the U.S. debut of two of Polska’s video installations that address climate change and mass extinction: one being a giant projection of a childlike sun with huge eyes witnessing the environmental collapse of our own blue planet, the other an immersive video that recreates a lush and ancient prehistoric environment that contemplates “humanity's potential to overcome enormous threats like the current climate crisis.”JASMYNE KEIMIG
(First Hill, free)
Opening SaturdaySATURDAY-MONDAY
FESTIVALS
- Movin' Around the World: Winter
In partnership with Northwest Folklife, this weeklong event invites people of all ages to learn about cultures around the world through live music and dance and hands-on activities.
(Seattle Center, free)SUNDAY
COMEDY
- Black Ice: The Unexpected Sitcom
Unexpected Productions improvisers will fashion a live prime-time TV sitcom using audience suggestions.
(Downtown, $10) FOOD & DRINK
- Intentionalist Black History Month Brunch at Jerk Shack
At this event hosted by local small-business guide Intentionalist, tuck into a Caribbean-style brunch as Jerk Shack chef and owner Trey Lamont discusses the story behind his restaurant.
(Belltown, $5) MUSIC
- The Boards, Drea & The Marilyns, Buckets of Rain
Local surf-grunge band the Boards will hit you with some '60s nostalgia after opening sets from indie-pop trio Drea & the Marilyns and Buckets of Rain.
(Ballard, $10) - Circle of Friends
This chamber music concert will feature works for violin, voice, and piano by Leopold Godowsky, performed by Seattle Pacific University faculty.
(Queen Anne, free) - Presidents' Day Valentines JamJam
DJ Moh and resident Zions Gate Sound will spin reggae, dancehall, R&B, and other danceable genres.
(Georgetown, free) - Presidents' Day Weekend at Q Nightclub
Celebrate what will hopefully be a three-day weekend at your workplace with this stacked set of of tunes selected by DJs Beeba, ItsTr3nt B2B Basskids, Blast, and Yohiness.
(Capitol Hill, $10) - The Refrain, Delta Avenue, Killinit
Join Portland pop/EDM group the Refrain for some dance tunes with funk-rock five-piece Delta Avenue and Killinit.
(Greenwood, $5) - Satoko Fujii Kaze
Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii Kaze and her quartet will treat Seattle to a night of free jazz.
(Columbia City, $10) PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE
- Ski Apres Day Party
Fit up like a 1980s gnar-shredder (you might consider puffy-shiny neon pants and big hair) and mingle with your fellow skiers and snowboarders over Red Bull cocktails and hard seltzers. A live DJ, costume contest, a beer pong tournament (the winner of which will get a brand-new snowboard), an icy shot luge, and raffles will complete the night.
(Downtown, free) READINGS & TALKS
- Dennis Baron: Exploring the History of Our Pronouns
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's professor emeritus of English and linguistics will examine supposedly today's newfangled use of gender-neutral pronouns—which actually go back centuries, as Baron shows in his book What’s Your Pronoun: Beyond He and She. This book, which delves into Shakespeare's use of singular-they, the interpretation of "he" by turn-of-the-century feminists, and neutral pronouns of history, sounds like an educated and informed survey of an important linguistic-social phenomenon.
(First Hill, $5) - Douglas Farnell: The Snow Leopard and the Ibex
The owner of a software company seeks international sources of credit in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. But his problems get bigger than money when a dangerous threat appears over the Black Sea. Hear Douglas Farnell read from his new mystery/thriller.
(Lake Forest Park, free) - Gayle Brandeis and Jennifer Calkins
The author of the Bellwether Prize-winning novel The Book of Dead Birds will link up with Seattle writer and evolutionary biologist Jennifer Calkins for a reading of their new works: Many Restless Concerns: The Victims of Countess Bathory Speak in Chorus Zoom (which recounts the killing of hundreds of women and girls late in the 16th and 17th centuries) and Fugitive Assembly (which press materials describe as "Joan Didion meets Bhanu Kapil meets the films of Kelly Reichardt"), respectively.
(Capitol Hill, free) - Separate Even in Death: Black Funerals and Cemeteries
Genealogist Janice Lovelace will explain how African Americans were denied equality even in cemeteries from the 16th to the 20th centuries.
(Renton, free) SPORTS & RECREATION
- Seattle University Redhawks vs. Creighton Bluejays
The Seattle University Redhawks will take on the Creighton Bluejays in this men's baseball game.
(Bellevue, $10)MONDAY
COMMUNITY
- Rally in Washington with Bernie Sanders & Rep. Pramila Jayapal
Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will be in Washington with Rep. Pramila Jayapal, as his campaign continues to surge forward following a big win in the New Hampshire primary.
(Tacoma, free) GEEK
- Half-Priced Games All Day
GameWorks will let you play games for half-price from open to close.
(Downtown, no cover) - Presidents' Day Board Game Happy Hour
If you're lucky enough to have Presidents' Day off, spend it playing board games and enjoying all-day happy hour offerings.
(Ballard, free) - Trivia Night Benefitting Firefighter Stairclimb
Hang out with firefighters and show off your smarts at this trivia night benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
(Ballard, $10) MUSIC
- Greg Vandy For President! Birthday Show
Get patriotic for Greg Vandy's birthday with this celebratory show featuring sets by Secretary Of Defense General Sherman & Her Army Of Volunteers Band, Minister Of Culture DJ Sean Jewell (American Standard Time) on the decks, and Vandy’s Cabinet Of Flaky Friends.
(Belltown, $5) - Nolan Garrett, Alex Dunaway, Girls Chat Room
Tacoman pop singer Nolan Garrett will headline with support from locals Alex Dunaway and Girls Chat Room.
(Belltown, $5) - Puddle Stompers
Puddle Stompers will play jazz, blues, and country from the 1930s-'50s.
(Downtown, free) - SIDE by SIDE! with Den Tapes
Break through the weekday doldrums with a free DJ set via cassettes only and hand-selected by Den Tapes every Monday night in February, starting tonight.
(Ballard, free) - Town Forest, Tombstone Jackson, Guests
Local trio Town Forest will bring their lonesome reverb to Ballard with support from Tombstone Jackson.
(Ballard, $10) READINGS & TALKS
- Author Talk: Vegetable Kingdom with Bryant Terry
A January 24 Washington Post article noted that eight percent of African American adults consider themselves vegans—the highest among all demographic groups in the US. (According to a 2016 survey by Pew Research Center, only three percent of Americans overall identify as vegans.) Black vegan eco-chef and food justice activist Bryant Terry is among veganism’s strongest advocates and is working on increasing that number one fantastic cookbook at a time, including 2014’s Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed (which Bon Appétit praised as one of the best vegetarian cookbooks of all time; it also helped him earn a James Beard Foundation Leadership Award in 2015). He’s got a new book out, Vegetable Kingdom: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes, and he’ll be appearing at a cookbook talk with local chef and instructor Tarik Abdullah. LEILANI POLK
(Fremont, free) - Joshua Hammer: The Falcon Thief
Joshua Hammer (The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu) will read from his new true-crime/adventure novel The Falcon Thief.
(Rainier Valley, free) - Rosabeth Moss Kanter: Innovation and Leadership for Changing the World
With insight from her book Think Outside the Building: How Advanced Leaders Can Change the World One Smart Innovation at a Time, Rosabeth Moss Kanter will retell the story of a former Trader Joe’s executive who worked to make nutritional food more accessible to underserved communities, plus more inspiriting stories from other leaders.
(First Hill, $5)
