Looking for something fun to do in Seattle this Memorial Day weekend? Don’t miss out on the Northwest Folklife Festival!
This will be the 54th year for Seattle’s Northwest Folklife Festival. The festival runs from Friday, May 23 to Monday, May 26 at Seattle Center. This celebration of Northwest arts and culture will have live music, dancing, food, vendors, and more. Admission is free, although a suggested daily donation of $20 will go towards the festival’s operation costs.
Read on for all you need to know about this year’s festival!
2025 Theme
Every year the Folklife Festival has a theme, or “cultural focus.” The cultural focus for 2025’s festival is Ikigai (pronounced ee-kee-guy), which is a Japanese concept of a life worth living. The festival’s goal with this theme is to help us “find and embrace our true purpose” and “understand our role in a fast-changing world.”
History
The history of the Northwest Folklife Festival dates back to its inaugural year of 1972. The festival was started and is maintained by the Northwest Folklife organization, which has worked to celebrate and preserve the culture and heritage of Pacific Northwest communities since 1971. You can view a fascinating gallery of the festival over the years that dates all the way back to the ’70s.
Performances and activities
This year’s festival-goers can look forward to a four-day lineup of live entertainment, performers, and activities at Seattle Center. There will be multiple stages for live music and performers, activities for kids, hands-on workshops, dance parties, and more. You can see the full event schedule online.
Vendors
Finally, there will also be vendors selling food and handcrafted treasures. Be sure to bring your appetite! Bring your tote bag for shopping as well, since there will be vendors selling handcrafted jewelry, home goods, apparel, artwork, and more at the Folklife Marketplace. You can check out the list of food and retail vendors.
Hours
Here are the daily hours for the 2025 festival:
- Friday’s hours are 4:00 to 11:00 p.m.
- Saturday’s hours are 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
- Sunday’s hours are 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Monday—Memorial Day—hours are 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Seattle Northwest Folklife Festival 2025
When: Friday, May 23 through Monday, May 26, 2025
Where: Seattle Center
Cost: Free admission! Suggested donation is $20.