
Looking for friends in Seattle?
We got you. Although our city has a reputation for being a little standoffish (ever hear of the Seattle Freeze?) you can actually find a welcoming community here if you only know where to look. Luckily we did the hard part for you. Below you can see our roundup of 18 places in Seattle that host community events, special interest meetups, book clubs, and more. Best of all, most of these events and meetups are free or low-cost!
Here are the top places where you can make friends in Seattle:
1. Town Hall Seattle

Town Hall Seattle is a venue in Capitol Hill that hosts everything from musical acts to educational talks. You can see all of their upcoming events here but if you’re looking to make new friends, we highly recommend attending their Seattle Welcome Day. This ongoing event is described as “a hands-on, interactive experience designed to help you create your thriving new life in Seattle.” You and a small group of other newcomers to Seattle will be “guided by professional facilitators to craft your vision for the next three years.” The cost is $20 and you can sign up here.
2. Seattle Coffee & Crafting Club

If you enjoy any type of arts and crafts, you should join the Seattle Coffee & Crafting Club. They meet once a month at Seattle coffee shops. Making small talk with strangers feels much less awkward when you’re simultaneously focusing on crocheting or watercolor painting. Read all about the Seattle Coffee & Crafting Club here.
3. Capitol Hill Board Game Night

Every Monday night there is the informal gathering known as the Capitol Hill Board Game meetup, typically at The Pine Box or another bar or brewery in the neighborhood starting around 7:00 p.m. Even if you’re not particularly passionate about board games, this could be a fun and easy way to meet people. Keep an eye out on the Seattle Reddit page for the weekly post with all the info.
4. Mox Boarding House

If you are passionate about board games and you want to make some new friends in Seattle, you should go to Mox Boarding House. They have locations in Ballard and Bellevue. They have a game store where you can purchase board games, a restaurant where you can order food and drinks while you play their games or your own, and ongoing events.
5. Seattle Art Museum

The Seattle Art Museum has two event series throughout the year: SAM Body + Mind and Summer at SAM. They’re both free to attend! You can easily meet other Seattleites while participating in the free creative activities, yoga or dance sessions, and more.
6. Silent Reading Party

Silent reading parties and book clubs are very popular in Seattle, which probably speaks to the amount of introverts and bookworms we have here. You can follow Silent Book Club Seattle on Instagram to see their upcoming events or buy tickets to one of the regular Silent Reading Parties at Hotel Sorrento. And don’t worry: you don’t have to remain silent the entire time, so you will get a chance to strike up conversation with another reader if you want.
7. Seattle bookstores

Are you an avid reader looking to make friends in Seattle? Here are some Seattle bookstores that host regular events:
- Charlie’s Queer Books in Fremont is a great place to meet others in Seattle’s LGBTQ+ community.
- Ada’s Technical Books & Cafe in Capitol Hill has ongoing events such as book clubs and even a series of social skills classes.
- Third Place Books has three locations in Seattle: Lake Forest Park, Seward Park, and Ravenna. All three host regular events.
- Elliott Bay Book Company in Capitol Hill hosts events such as author readings and book clubs.
8. Seattle Public Library

The Seattle Public Library often has free events at its Central Library location downtown as well as its other locations around the city. These include movie screenings, concerts, board game meetups, author talks, open mics, and more. See the library event calendar here, which can be filtered by location.
9. Visually Speaking Seattle
Visually Speaking Seattle is a language school for ASL: American Sign Language. If you’ve been meaning to learn ASL or perhaps already know a little, you’ll find a great community of Deaf, hard of hearing, and signing Seattleites here. In addition to classes they also host events and weekly meetups that are free to attend. All you have to do is show up and be willing to learn!
10. Cascade Bicycle Club
Cascade Bicycle Club is a great way to meet people in Seattle if you’re a cyclist. You can join free group rides, go to community events like bike swaps, or become a member and get discounts on classes and more.
11. Seattle Chess Club

Chess Club in Seattle has this as their motto: “Play chess. Make friends.” Pretty simple! They’re welcoming of all levels and all you have to do is show up.
12. Century Ballroom
Century Ballroom has been a social dance hub in Capitol Hill for decades, providing dance lessons, social dance nights, and free events. In November 2024 they announced that they would not be renewing their lease in 2025 and were going to close, but the good news is that a new group is planning to take over Century Ballroom in the spring and revitalize the business under a new name. In the meantime, you can still go learn some new dance moves and meet people at their upcoming events.
13. The Works

The Works Seattle in Pioneer Square is a good option for meeting other people when you’re feeling crafty. They offer hands-on classes for a wide variety of skills such as baking, knitting, watercolor painting, candle making, and more. At the end of the class you’ll come away with something you made, a new skill, and hopefully even a new friend or two.
14. Underdog Sports Leagues
If you’re looking to get active and meet people, join a Seattle Underdog Sports League. They have local leagues for sports such as pickleball, bowling, flag football, mini golf, and more. If you’re trying to make new friends through sports you should check out their individual registration page.
15. The Bouldering Project

Seattle Bouldering Project has locations in the Central District, Fremont, and the University District. If you’re interested in climbing then this is a great place to go meet people. In addition to their bouldering walls they also have yoga and fitness classes, plus events such as trivia night, community climb nights, and “speed friending” events.
16. Rough and Tumble Pub

Rough and Tumble Pub in Ballard is Seattle’s first and only women’s sports bar. If you go watch a game on one of their TVs you’re sure to meet others with similar interests. They also have regular events such as trivia nights, RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing nights, and The Bachelor viewing nights. Follow their Instagram to stay updated on their events!
17. Seattle art walks

Several Seattle neighborhoods have free monthly art walks year-round, including the Pioneer Square Art Walk which is the longest-running art walk in the country. Show up at the next art walk near you, enjoy a free drink, and chat with someone about the art. See our guide to the Seattle art walks.
18. Friend Museum
The appropriately-named Friend Museum in Pioneer Square is a newly-opened vintage store and event space that strives to nurture community. They host events such as yoga classes, live music nights, neighborhood photo walks, and pop-up markets. See their upcoming events here.