Our arts & culture critics have already recommended 42 great things to do this week and our music critics have picked the 23 best music shows, but there are still hundreds more events happening. To prevent some of the quirkier and more extraordinary ones from slipping through the cracks, we've compiled them here—from the tabletop gaming festival OrcaCon to a film adaptation of The Legend of Joan of Arc with puppets, and from the Muppet-themed burlesque show All Felt Up: A Jam Hands-In Experience to the No Pants Light Rail Ride. For even more options this week, check out our complete Things To Do calendar.
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- Kevin Shinick: Rise of Skywalker
Years after the disappearance of Luke Skywalker, a teenage boy living in the Star Wars galaxy starts having visions sent to him by the Force (or so his grandmother believes). Hear Kevin Shinick read from his sci-fi YA spinoff. - Mikaela Kiner: Female Firebrands
In this "solutions-oriented guide" from Mikaela Kiner, 13 professional women across industries and backgrounds share their experiences with sexual harassment, unfair pay, and otherwise inequitable treatment in the workplace.
Looking for more things to do? Check out our comprehensive calendar to see listings for every event in Seattle.
WEDNESDAY
FILM
- SIFF Movie Club: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
SIFF's monthly movie club will continue with Pedro Almodóvar's 1988 breakout hit Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, which includes a post-film discussion at the Uptown Hophouse (where you'll get a discount on menu items when you show your ticket stub). GEEK
- Harry Potter Trivia
Faye Fearless Trivia and Worthwich School will bring 70 original questions about Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (the books and the movie). - Marvel Cinematic Universe Trivia Night
From Iron Man to Avengers, any Marvel Cinematic Universe material is fair game at this geeky trivia night. A food truck will be onsite for your snacking needs. - Seattle Science Slam #22
For this edition of Science Slam, Diana Gergel will discuss how using climate models can help us understand changes in snow and permafrost at high latitudes. Then, Erin Yang will explain how biology relies on symmetry to build complex molecules that make up and sustain our bodies. Finally, Patrick Rice will reveal how decomposing the observed neurophysiological signal in a set of subcomponents to understand individual cognitive processes. You know the drill—cheer and clap the loudest for your favorite presenter. MUSIC
- Cinéma du Sound
Satisfy your craving for both sound and visual stimulation as local DJs score an array of "image-based films and movies" for a night of "visions and vibrations." - Living Room Live: La Fonda
Get cozy with sister-led sextet La Fonda, who will whisk you away with their dreamy jams full of '60s "surf-esque" guitars and swoony synths.WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY
PERFORMANCE
- The Rivals
George Mount will direct Richard Brinsley Sheridan's 18th-century comedy of manners, full of false identities and well-meaning deceptions, and, as the producers say, "duels, dandies, deceptions, and dudes with daddy issues." It's the play from which the term malapropism is derived, thanks to Mrs. Malaprop, a comic character who uses the wrong words that sound like the right ones. The more you know! VISUAL ART
- Monster Mash Up
In this very cute collaboration, Franklin High School ceramics students have transformed 2D monsters drawn by John Muir Elementary School pupils into clay sculptures.THURSDAY
COMEDY
- Danger Buffet: A Comedy Show!
Local comics Samantha Rund, Andrew Frank, Stéphanie Nam, Lucas Johnson, and Gretta Gimp will bust your gut with a smorgasbord of jokes. COMMUNITY
- Clutter-Free Living
Learn to Marie Kondo your life in the new year with this workshop led by Elise Hay of Organized Sanctuaries. - Yuuge Bernie 2020 King County Kickoff Rally!
Join members of Bernie Sanders's 2020 campaign team (including Bernie 2020 Washington State Director Carin Chase and Bernie 2020 Washington State Field Director Shaun Scott) and local leaders for a party to kick off the campaign for the March 10 primary. FOOD & DRINK
- Break Your Resolution with Ayinger
You're invited to cast aside your pledges to be better in 2020 by drinking Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock, a rich Bavarian specialty lager. Offset your karmic balance by bringing a donation for the University District Food Bank (you'll earn a prize if you donate). - Georgetown Bodhizafa Inauguration Party!
For the second year in a row, Georgetown Brewing's wildly popular IPA Bodhizafa has been elected the crowd favorite during Beveridge Place's Hopvemberfest, earning it a permanent spot as the house IPA. Watch it ascend to its official position at this inauguration ceremony, and try other Georgetown brews. - Prueba de Vinos
¿Hablas español? Flex your language muscles while you sip three wines (albariño, garnacha, and tempranillo) and make new friends at this wine tasting from Olé Café, which aims to help patrons practice their Spanish conversation skills. Tapas and trivia will be available, too. PERFORMANCE
- The Detention Lottery
In this educational and interactive theater project, you or your randomly selected fictional family member from the audience will be detained and have to stand before an immigration judge, who will determine your fate. READINGS & TALKS
- BeWild with Sharon Wood: First North American Woman on Everest
In 1986, Canadian climber Sharon Wood became the first woman from North America to summit Mt. Everest via the treacherous West Ridge. Tonight, she'll share stories from her 70-day journey as written in her new memoir, Rising: Becoming the First North American Woman on Everest. - Dean Burke: Tacoma and the Sea
Tacoma resident and local environmental preservation advocate Dean Burke, who has appeared on NPR/KUOW's The Wild and TEDxTacoma, will share stories and photos of the South Sound's natural waters. - Kiersten White: Chosen
In the second installment of Kiersten White's YA series set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Nina continues to learn how to use her slayer powers against evil enemies. The author will be joined in conversation by Shaun David Hutchinson (We Are the Ants). - Tara Sim: Scavenge the Stars
In this YA fantasy revenge tale, described as a "gender-swapped The Count of Monte Cristo," a young woman resorts to deception to punish the man who hurt her family. Author Tara Sim will visit Seattle for a reading. SEX & DATING
- Seattle Dating App Happy Hour
The Seattle Dating App, which allows you to see people close to you and thus avoid matching with someone who lives somewhere in Washington only accessible by boat, will host a happy hour with free drinks for the first 40 guests, free shot glasses for the first 30 guests, and chances to win "one of many t-shirts." VISUAL ART
- MIPoPS: Puget Sound & Vision: Archival Videotape from King County
Moving Image Preservation of Puget Sound specialists Ari Lavigne and Libby Hopfauf will moonlight as video artists—tonight, check out their compilation of archival clips from King County’s history.THURSDAY-FRIDAY
COMEDY
- A Clandestine Sequence of Wretched Events
The improv company Jet City will stage a series of events that are, shall we say, infelicitous? Inspired by Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Camilla Franklin's creation will tell stories of young heroes facing off against "wickedly over-the-top villains, nefarious schemes, and secret societies." FILM
- SEAxSEA: The 2020 Southeast Asia x Seattle Film Festival
Filmmakers will highlight issues and topics pertinent to Southeast Asia in this local film festival.THURSDAY-SUNDAY
COMEDY
- Adam Pasi, Shaine Brenden
The loud and silly Adam Pasi, a finalist in the most recent Seattle International Comedy Competition, will headline after opening jokes from fellow local comic Shaine Brenden.FRIDAY
FILM
- The Legend of Joan of Arc
The heroic story of Joan of Arc (who became the first female captain of the French Army for King Charles VII and was burned at the stake two years later by the inquisition of the Catholic Church, only later to become a Saint) is told through lively puppets in this new film written and directed by Steven Ritz-Barr. FOOD & DRINK
- Chocolate Bark Happy Hour
Let the stress of the day melt away as you create your own chocolate confection studded with mix-ins of your choosing. - Seattle Sizzle
Chow down on Aussie-style pies and sausage rolls to raise money for the bushfires that are currently plaguing Australia. - Snowpack Beer Release at Fremont Brewing
Fremont Brewing will release a new hazy beer with proceeds benefiting the Northwest Avalanche Center and SheJumps. Order a pint or pick up a 16oz can to go, and stop by a waxing station to get your skis and snowboards ready for the mountain. - Wallingford Bread Pop-Up
The Beatles might have done well to revise their popular lyrics to "All You Need is Loaf," the name of the bakery pop-up that will be slinging "delicious and unusual" breads during the geek-themed tea shop Friday Afternoon's weekly game night. MUSIC
- The Blood Moon Orchestra, Good Quiver, Aline & Wes
All-female improv band the Blood Moon Orchestra will sync up their talent for a night of audience-inspired songs after opening sets from groovy rockers Good Quiver and soulful rock duo Aline & Wes. - Bootie Mashup: NYE Do-Over Party!
If your New Year's Eve wasn't everything you'd hoped it would be, DJs Freddy, King of Pants and Skiddle will graciously replay the last night of 2019 for you with a mashup dance party complete with a countdown to midnight and lots of confetti. READINGS & TALKS
- Pedro Larrea: The Wizard's Manuscript
Spanish American poet Pedro Larrea will read from The Wizard's Manuscript (recently translated by Benjamin Eldon Stevens), which press materials describe as "a book with spells and conjuring, albeit by surprising means and modes," at this bilingual event presented by the Modern Language Association. SPORTS & RECREATION
- Monster Jam
The action-packed motorsports show Monster Jam will return to Seattle. Ooh and ahh as trucks fly and flip through the air. VISUAL ART
- Tzyy Yi Young: Solo Show
This artist finishes her residency at Pottery Northwest with pieces and installations reflecting on "intimacy, community, strength, and altruism."
Opening FridayFRIDAY-SATURDAY
PERFORMANCE
- Why All This Music?
Karin Stevens Dance presents four new dance works exploring the human body's relationship to the natural world.FRIDAY-SUNDAY
FESTIVALS
- OrcaCon 2020
Set aside your consoles and VR headsets for two days of tabletop games including board and card games, role-playing games, and miniatures games. Novice and experienced players are welcome.SATURDAY
COMMUNITY
- Elijah Skye Nelson Memorial
Celebrate the life of the late Elijah Skye Nelson (the bassist for Bellingham-based metal band Black Breath) at this community potluck. - Kids Saturdays in the Park: Life-size Maze
Kids are invited to collaborate on a life-size mazed based on Richard Serra's monumental sculpture Wake. - Screenprinting Work Party in Support of the 2020 Womxn's March
Help print posters by local artists in support of the 2020 Womxn's March. You'll go home with your own posters and a belly full of snacks (it's a potluck, so bring your own to share). FESTIVALS
- A Celebration of South Asian Resilience
Through dance, film shorts, and conversations, South Asian community members will recognize acts of resilience despite prejudice, isolation, and other challenges. FILM
- 'Our Island’s Treasure' with Kaiya Yonamine
Watch this documentary about a group of Okinawans who militated against the ecologically destructive expansion of an American military base on their island. Save your questions for filmmaker Kaiya Yonamine, who'll be present. - Saturday Secret Matinees
Film buffs with an affinity for old-school entertainment and the element of surprise, rejoice! Grand Illusion will continue its biweekly tradition of pairing an episode of a movie serial (this year it's the 1938 12-episode series The Fighting Devil Dogs, wherein two Marines battle a psychotic masked villain known as the Lightning) with a secret classic feature—all in 16mm. FOOD & DRINK
- A Gateway to Becoming a Wine Geek
If you've ever dreamed of being a bona fide oenophile, this curated tasting with Tom Hajduk (Cafe Nordo's wine steward) will give you a gentle introduction, with a virtual "world tour" of some of the most extraordinary winemaking regions and some of the most interesting wines Tom has ever encountered. - National Hot Toddy Day
It's the perfect day to sip a steaming, restorative cup of hot water, lemon, honey, and booze. Celebrate with a Hot Toddy Bar Crawl, or choose your own adventure with our list of winter drinks and Rich Smith's piece on his favorite hot toddies around town. GEEK
- Gay Bingo 2020: A Space Odyssey
Gather your best buds for a night of space-themed bingo benefiting Lifelong. - Magical Unicorn Tea Party
Come celebrate mythical horned ponies and sip traditional tea at this catered event for all ages. Don your best fantasy costume or come as you are (horns will be provided for those without fancy threads). MUSIC
- Back Up to Eleven! A Benefit for All Aboard
Space-rock wizards Dust Mice, Mercyful Fate tribute Princess of Hell, and Twisted Sister tribute Day of the Rocker will provide the jams and JJ Goad will provide the comedy at this fundraiser for All Aboard, a nonprofit that provides recreational, social, and educational activities for adults with special needs. - Inhale | Expansion Festival
Billing itself as a "cozy night of music and community," this hippie-leaning mini-festival aims to bring you into a peaceful new year with live music from local acts Derek Tendersong, Earth Practice, Wolfchild, and Cuddle Buddha, plus food, massages, teas and elixirs, and more uber-chill activities. - POP2k: Millennium Edition
Local boy band cover band #All4doras and DJ Handz will revive the hits of the decade to which we just bid adieu. - Wicked Karma Presents: Beyond Bollywood Dance Party
DJ Sznaina will spin Bollywood beats and Latin-heavy Top 40 mixes at the first Wicked Karma dance party of 2020. PERFORMANCE
- All Felt Up: A Jam Hands-In Experience
For a double dose of "disturbing eroticism," check out two Muppet-themed burlesque shows starting Remy Sparklemuffins, Polly Esther, Beau Briefs, Chaos X. Machina, Mercury Divine, and other local performers. READINGS & TALKS
- Candace Robb and Kim Zarins
Though they work in different genres, historical fiction writer Candace Robb and speculative fiction writer Kim Zarins both site Geoffrey Chaucer as a common thread in their work. Join them for a discussion of the great Canterbury Tales poet. - An Evening of Feminist Speculative Poetry
Join Jeannine Hall Gailey, Lesley Wheeler, and other feminist speculative poets for an evening of readings and performances.SATURDAY-SUNDAY
FESTIVALS
- CannaCon Northwest
For the seventh year, the business-to-business cannabis conference CannaCon will come to Tacoma for its flagship expo featuring hundreds of exhibitors across the weed industry. MUSIC
- School of Rock
The tiny musical treasures of School of Rock will perform radiohead and Van Halen, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, Elton John, and the best of the '80s at various locations around town. VISUAL ART
- Jane Hickey Caminos: On Women Bound
Hickey Caminos's figurative, realistic paintings of women are shown in the lead-up to the Womxn's March on Seattle.
Opening Saturday - Lauren Boilini and Hank Cowdery in Residence
See new work developed by large-scale painter Lauren Boilini and artist/sculptor Hank Cowdery during their residency.
Opening Saturday - Natalie Dupille Art Show and Book Release Party: In Spite of Ourselves
Local artist and illustrator Natalie Dupille, whose New Yorker-esque illustrations have been found in Real Change and elsewhere (you should also check out her fun and informative zine Total Lunarcy), celebrates the release of her new book In Spite of Ourselves with this art exhibition and signing. In Spite of Ourselves depicts the bike journey through Central Oregon Dupille took with her partner Allie.
Opening SaturdaySUNDAY
COMMUNITY
- No Pants Light Rail Ride 2020-Seattle
Putting the "stranger than usual" in Stranger (Than Usual), this event—which originated as the "No Pants Subway Ride" by New York City comedy group Improv Everywhere in 2002 and has since become something of a global phenomenon—invites any and all pant-wearers to remove said pants, ride the Light Rail from Westlake to Sea-Tac, and refrain from acknowledging fellow skivvy-clad transit riders should they cross paths. The words "but why?" will not enter the mind of the ideal participant. Returning after a hiatus, this year's event is being organized by a local community member and not by its former hosts, Emerald City Improv. FOOD & DRINK
- Comadre Panadería Pop-Up
Baker Mariela Camacho, who used to live in Seattle, has been taking her excellent pan dulce pop-up Comadre Panadería on the road. Thankfully, she's returning to sling alfajores, conchas, and pink cake with sprinkles for one day at Dorothea Coffee. MUSIC
- Mostly Nordic Chamber Music Series: Impressions of L. A. Ring
Improvisational jazz artist Nikolaj Hess will pay tribute to Danish artist L.A. Ring, whose work is currently on display at the National Nordic Museum. PERFORMANCE
- GreenStage Monthly Shakespeare Reading
Join GreenStage for an informal bar reading of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. - Staged Reading: Pontypool by Tony Burgess
This new play by Tony Burgess expands on the author's bestselling novel Pontypool Changes Everything (previously adapted into the cult film Pontypool), about a deadly virus that hits the sleepy town of Pontypool, Ontario, inflicting its victims with odd speech patterns and a thirst for violence. Jessa Lowe directs.