Some incredible activities are happening this September in Seattle!
As we prepare to say goodbye to summer in Seattle, our thoughts start to turn towards cooler weather, hot drinks, delicious meals, spooky fun, and cozy indoor activities. Seattle has all of that and more happening this September. Get ready to have some fun this month, and don’t miss these incredible events around town!
Here are the top things to do in Seattle in September:
1. Take advantage of free museum days
Every month a wide variety of Seattle museums offer free admission on specific days, typically on First Thursday. Check out the free museum days in Seattle for September and make your plans now!
2. Join a Seattle art walk
Seattle has several art walks throughout the city this month. The country’s longest-running art walk is in Pioneer Square on Thursday, September 4. You can explore art galleries, sip wine, enjoy live music and pop-ups, and meet new people. See all of this month’s Seattle art walks here.
3. Celebrate the opening of Seattle’s new Waterfront Park
📅 When: Sunday, September 7
📍Where: Waterfront Park
💰Cost: Free!
After years of planning and construction, Seattle’s new 20-acre Waterfront Park is ready to open with public bathrooms, protected pedestrian and bike paths, native plantings, community piers, new playgrounds, and more. The grand opening celebration on Sunday, September 7 will have live music, food trucks, a beer garden, two parades, and lots of free, family-friendly fun. Read about the new Waterfront Park and the opening celebration plans before you go!
4. Say goodbye to summer at a sunflower festival
Celebrate the end of summer at an amazing sunflower field this September. Sunflower Experience at Bob’s Corn and Pumpkin Farm in Snohomish will run daily through September 7, and Sunflower Days at Maris Farms is September 6 through September 21. Make sure to check out our guide to all the local sunflower festivals near Seattle!
5. Soak up the romance of a Candlelight Concert
Candlelight Concerts take place in stunning Seattle venues, where you get to hear string music tributes by talented musicians while candles flicker all around you. Here are just a few of the Candlelight Concerts happening this September in Seattle.
6. Go to the Seattle Nordic Film Festival in Ballard
📅 When: September 5-7
📍Where: Majestic Bay Theatres / National Nordic Museum
💰Cost: $16-$100
Passes and single-showing tickets are available now for the annual Seattle Nordic Film Festival taking place September 5-7. The festival will be showing films at Majestic Bay Theatres plus an opening night celebration at the Nordic Museum. See more info on the museum website.
7. Check out an exhibition that reimagines war machinery into symbols of peace
From war machines to works of art, Ralph Ziman challenges the world of arms trading and its impact on global conflict, with The MiG-21 Project, showing at The Museum of Flight now. The centerpiece is a striking Cold War-era Soviet MiG-21 fighter jet, transformed with tens of millions of colorful glass beads. But throughout the exhibition you can also check out original artworks, striking Afrofuturistic flight suits crafted by Ziman and his team, large-scale photography, immersive videos, and interactive displays to dive deeper into the story behind the piece. Get your tickets now!
8. Cheer on the Sounders at an exciting match
📅 When: September 13 and September 27
📍Where: Lumen Field
The Seattle Sounders are playing two home games at Lumen Field this month on September 13 and September 27. Get tickets ASAP for the September matches because they’re sure to be riveting.
9. Support the Seattle Reign
📅 When: September 14 and September 28
📍Where: Lumen Field
The Seattle Reign FC is Seattle’s women’s soccer team. They play at Lumen Field on September 14 and September 28 this month. Don’t miss out on these exciting matches!
10. Welcome the return of football
📅 When: September 7 and September 21
📍Where: Lumen Field
Pumped for football season? The Seattle Seahawks will be playing two games at Lumen Field this month: on September 7 against the San Francisco 49ers and on September 21 versus the New Orleans Saints. If you can’t get tickets, you can watch the games with food and a fun crowd at one of Seattle’s best sports bars.
11. Celebrate Oktoberfest with friends
📅 When: September 19-21
📍Where: Fremont
💰Cost: $30+
At the annual Fremont Oktoberfest ages 21+ can enjoy tall beers, savor delicious brats, listen to live music, and spend a true German day alongside friends. It’s Seattle’s largest beer festival! The 2025 dates are September 19-21. Read all about it and more local Oktoberfest events in our full Oktoberfest round-up!
12. Experience Concerts Under the Stars
Looking to freshen up your date night? Concerts Under the Stars combine Seattle rooftop views with live music and classic cocktails. This month you can experience Sinatra Under The Stars on the Olympic Rooftop Pavilion on September 24. Get tickets here!
13. Celebrate R-Day in Georgetown
📅 When: Saturday, September 6
📍Where: 5813 Airport Way S, Seattle, WA 98108
💰Cost: Free!
Whether or not you enjoy crushing Rainiers, the annual R-Day festival in Georgetown is not to be missed. This year it’s being held on Saturday, September 6. There will be live music, wild Rainiers, and of course plenty of beer. This free event is for ages 21+.
14. Join the Luminata procession around Green Lake
📅 When: Saturday, September 20 at 7:30 p.m.
📍Where: Green Lake
💰Cost: Free!
Don’t miss Seattle’s annual Luminata on the evening of Saturday, September 20.This illuminated lantern procession around Green Lake is organized by the Fremont Arts Council and is meant as a celebration of the autumnal equinox. Want to participate? You can join a free lantern-making workshop in Fremont between September 3 and September 17. If you can’t make your own, pre-made lanterns will be available for sale starting at 5:30 p.m. that Saturday at Green Lake; the community procession around the lake begins at 7:30 p.m.
15. Eat your way through the Washington State Fair
📅 When: through September 21 (closed Tuesdays and 9/3)
📍Where: 110 9th Ave SW, Puyallup, WA 98371
💰Cost: $15+ for adults
The Washington State Fair is a can’t-miss event in September—it’s one of the biggest fairs in the world! This year it takes place from August 29 to September 21, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to go get some fair food. Note that it’s closed on Tuesdays and September 3. See all the fair details here.
16. Go to the Port Townsend Film Festival
📅 When: September 18-21
📍Where: Port Townsend
💰Cost: $42+
Once again the Port Townsend Film Festival welcomes all Seattleites to come enjoy viewings of feature-length and short films from around the world. The festival runs from September 18-21. And the virtual festival runs from September 23-29. Visit their website to learn more about this incredible film event.
17. Join a free yoga class in Gas Works Park
📅 When: Thursdays through September 25
📍Where: Gas Works Park and Woodland Park
💰Cost: Free!
Make sure to take advantage of the remaining summer weather by getting outside! This yoga class in Gas Works Park is free and open to all levels of experience. It takes place every Thursday evening through September 25. Get all the details here.
18. Get spooked at Seattle’s haunted morgue
📅 When: starting on September 26
📍Where: 5000 E Marginal Wy S, Seattle, WA 98134
💰Cost: $37+
Excited for Halloween already? You can get an early start on your scares at the Georgetown Morgue in Seattle, which was ranked as the 11th scariest haunted house experience in the country. It opens for the 2025 season on September 26.
19. Eat and shop at the CID Night Market
📅 When: Saturday, September 27 from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m.
📍Where: Chinatown International District
💰Cost: Free!
Seattle’s Chinatown International District (CID) is the home of the city’s original night market! It’s back this month on Saturday, September 27 from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. See more on the CID website.
20. Attend free cultural festivals at Seattle Center
Seattle Center hosts Festál year-round, with free cultural festivals happening every month. This September you can enjoy food, music, and cultural activities at these free festivals:
- Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival on September 7
- Sea Mar Fiestas Patrias on September 13-14
- The Italian Festival on September 27-28
21. Soak up the last of baseball season
There’s still time to catch a baseball game in Seattle! (And enjoy the amazing food at T-Mobile Park.) The Mariners will be playing several home games this September. Check their schedule here.
22. Have some free fun with the Seattle Aquarium on the waterfront
Looking for some educational, budget-friendly fun for the whole family? The Seattle Aquarium offers several free activity days this September at Pier 62 and the Ocean Pavilion Rooftop. See the dates and planned activities on the aquarium website.
23. Spend a day at a U-pick apple orchard
September is a great month to go apple-picking. Not sure where to go? Check out our guide to the best U-pick apple orchards around Seattle!
24. Take the train from Seattle to Vancouver
Interested in taking a trip away from Seattle? You can take the Amtrak Cascades from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. Read all about the Seattle-Vancouver train route before you go!
25. Shop and eat at a Seattle farmers market
Seattle is full of farmers markets (and we’re not just talking about Pike Place Market, although that’s always worth a visit too). You’ll be able to stock up on all of the seasonal produce this month as well as enjoy all sorts of goodies from local vendors and artists. Some of the markets are seasonal, so check out our Seattle farmers market guide.
26. Or hit up a neighborhood weekend market
Every Saturday and Sunday in Seattle is packed with weekend markets at various neighborhoods. You can shop for produce, vintage clothing, home decor, art, hot food, and more. Check out our guide to Seattle’s weekend markets, which gets updated every week.
27. Enjoy a fall treat in a delicious Seattle bakery
Something about the arrival of fall makes us crave dessert. Satisfy any craving at one of the best bakeries in Seattle. Try out a classic cinnamon bun, a slice of pie, or even a vegan treat. And if you specifically want autumnal flavors, check out our guide to the best fall treats in Seattle.
28. Celebrate the start of fall at a pumpkin patch farm
Fall is around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than visiting an incredible pumpkin patch. Enjoy a sweet variety of pumpkins, visit the beautiful barns, get lost in a corn maze, and snap beautiful photos for the ‘gram. Our pumpkin patch guide has lots of options near Seattle for a fun day trip.
29. Enjoy a happy hour with friends
Enjoy top-notch cocktails, fine beers, wine pours, and a great selection of plates and munchies perfectly sharable with friends! Our happy hour round-up includes some of the best happy hours in Seattle, so check them all out!
30. Take a whale-watching tour
September is one of the ideal months to see Orca whales, Humpbacks, Gray and Minke whales breach, splash, feed, and play in their natural habitat. Take a half-day or a full-day tour directly from Pier 69, and revel in the beauty of the scenery, and the majestic presence of these incredible sea creatures. See our guide to whale-watching around Seattle here.
31. See the most exciting current exhibitions in Seattle
There are currently several very exciting temporary exhibitions at Seattle museums, including the Ai Weiwei exhibition at Seattle Art Museum (SAM) that ends after September 7. For more, see our guide to Seattle’s best temporary exhibitions.
32. Say goodbye to a favorite Seattle restaurant closing this fall
Some of our favorite Seattle restaurants are sadly closing their doors by the end of September, including Eden Hill in Queen Anne and Mamnoon in Capitol Hill. See all the Seattle restaurants closing soon and get those reservations in.
33. Seek out Seattle’s best fall foliage spots
Fall foliage starts to spread across Seattle in September! Grab coffees and make a date out of it. Use our guide to Seattle’s best places to see fall foliage.
34. Go thrifting for your Halloween costume
Is it too soon to plan a Halloween costume? Not if you hope to find it at a thrift store. Get creative, give yourself plenty of time, and use our helpful guide to the best thrift stores in Seattle. If all else fails, you’ll probably at least find a fantastic sweater or raincoat for the fall.
35. Start your Seattle fall bucket list
Make the most of fall in Seattle by doing all the autumn events, cozy activities, and outdoor explorations. Need inspiration? We have an epic Seattle fall bucket list here.