Free Holiday Events in Seattle, WA
Seattle, WA's free holiday events include Discovery Park, International Fountain at Seattle Center, and The Center for Wooden Boats. Tree lighting ceremonies, holiday parades, and free outdoor concerts typically run late November through December.
Free playground at Seattle Center with separate areas for ages 2-5 and 5-12. Musical instruments, climbing structures, 30-foot climbing tower. Fully accessible. Open year-round.
305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109 · Daily, dawn to dusk
Free splash fountain at Seattle Center where kids run through water jets shooting from a dome. Built for the 1962 World's Fair. Packed on warm days. Lawn around it works for picnics. Open year-round, water jets seasonal.
305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109 · Daily, open year-round
Rem Koolhaas building with a dedicated kids floor. Free storytime, crafts, and STEM activities. Weekly story times for ages 0-5 include Spanish sessions. Kids love the bright-red escalator spiral.
1000 Fourth Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 · Mon 10am-6pm, Tue-Thu 10am-8pm, Fri-Sun 10am-6pm
534-acre park with a renovated playground (ages 2-5 and 5-12), zip line, cargo nets, and trails to a lighthouse and beach. Stroller-friendly easy trails. Ranger-led nature walks on weekends. Fully accessible playground.
3801 Discovery Park Blvd, Seattle, WA 98199 · Daily 4am-11:30pm
Free waterfront museum on South Lake Union with classic wooden boats kids can climb on. Two free rowboats daily, first-come first-served. Free Sunday public sailings. Rentable pedal boats, rowboats, and sailboats. Seasonal kids boat building workshops.
1010 Valley St, Seattle, WA 98109 · Wed-Sun 11:30am-7pm (seasonal hours vary)
Seattle history museum with interactive exhibits on the Great Fire, Boeing, and tech boom. Full-size seaplane on the ceiling, periscope with live lake views. Kids 14 and under always free. Free for all first Thursdays 5-8pm.
860 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 · Mon/Thu-Sun 10am-5pm, closed Tue-Wed · Ages 0+
223-acre park with salmon-themed climbing structures, a bridge over railroad tracks to the beach, and forested trails. In fall, salmon spawn in Piper's Creek and rangers explain the lifecycle. Playground has separate toddler and older kid areas. Free parking.
950 NW Carkeek Park Rd, Seattle, WA 98177 · Daily 6am-10pm
Free outdoor market every Sunday, year-round rain or shine. 150+ vendors with crafts, antiques, food, produce. Walk over to see the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge afterward.
3401 Evanston Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 · Sundays 10am-4pm, year-round
Free Victorian greenhouse on Capitol Hill with five rooms of tropical plants, orchids, cacti. Warm and humid, good rainy-day stop. Volunteer Park around it has a playground, a water tower you can climb, and the Asian Art Museum.
1402 E Galer St, Seattle, WA 98112 · Tue-Sun 10am-4pm, closed Mondays
Always free — Seattle's only no-charge art museum
704 Terry Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 · Wed-Sun 11am-5pm, Thu 11am-8pm, closed Mon-Tue
Watch free live sessions from touring artists at indie radio's HQ
472 1st Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 · Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat-Sun 8am-6pm
Free rowboats daily on South Lake Union — no reservation needed
1010 Valley St, Seattle, WA 98109 · Wed-Sun 11:30am-7pm (seasonal hours vary)
Free gallery crawl, first Thursday each month
Pioneer Square, Seattle, WA 98104 · First Thursday of each month, 6-8pm
Free national park museum in Pioneer Square — tiny but fascinating gold rush history.
319 2nd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104 · Daily 10am-5pm
All Washington state farmers — year-round, every Sunday rain or shine.
5300 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 · Sundays 9am-2pm, year-round