Finding the best things to do in Seattle in April is easy since the city starts to become more active this time of year. The sun doesn’t set until past 7:30 PM, and the weather is in the high 50s. This means our winter hibernation is finally ending, and the spring foliage is revitalizing the city.
As we approach the warmer months, you’ll find tons of indoor activities like art shows and Easter celebrations, along with outdoor events like flower festivals and Earth Day events. Whether you’re visiting or a local, you can consider this your guide to everything there is to do in April in Seattle!
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Best Things to Do in Seattle in April
Save this list to Pinterest for later, as I’ll update it every year with all the best activities in Seattle in April! For more events, check out my Seattle events calendar.
Check out Seattle Restaurant Week
website | neighborhood: various | dates: Mar 30-April 12 | price: ~$20-65pp | best for: tasting menu
Seattle Restaurant Week is a bi-annual event where dozens of Seattle’s best restaurants show off with discounted 2-3 course tasting menus. The menus vary in price and include a range of options, from food trucks to fine dining, pop-ups, and everything in between.
Attend the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
website | neighborhood: Mt. Vernon (get directions) | dates: April 1-30 | price: $10-$20 to go to some farms, free for others | best for: tulips
I look forward to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival every year. It’s the largest tulip festival in the country and takes place every April across multiple farms in the valley. Throughout the month, you’ll find additional events like the tulip street fair and art exhibits.
While you’re there, make sure to experience the Valley’s best restaurants and things to do, or spend the day in Anacortes.
Experience the Festival of Colors
website | neighborhood: Redmond (get directions) | dates: April 5 | price: ~$10pp | best for: Holi festival
Holi is a kid-friendly Hindu holiday that celebrates the end of winter and the birth of springtime. It’s best known for live music, dancing, good food, and colorful powder throwing.
Romp around at the Daffodil Festival
website | neighborhood: Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, & Orting | dates: April 5 | price: free | best for: parade
This year marks the 92nd year of Pierce County’s Daffodil Festival. The parade covers four cities in one day and includes music, princesses, and a massive daffodil-covered float.
Get rowdy at Monster Jam
website | neighborhood: SoDo (get directions) | dates: April 5 | price: ~$25pp | best for: monster trucks
I never considered myself a monster truck kind of gal, but even I’m intrigued by the high-flying stunts at this annual event. If your kids are into it, you can even arrange a post-driver meet-and-greet.
Seek out cherry blossoms
Cherry blossoms cover the UW campus, but they only bloom for a few weeks near April. Check how they’re doing on the school’s Instagram, or look for them in other parts of town, like Sea-Tac’s Highline Botanical Gardens, Washington Park Arboretum, or Green Lake Park.
Attend a food & drink festival
There are food and drink festivals happening every month in Seattle, and April is no exception. Here are some that caught my eye:
- West Seattle Junction Rock Walk (April 11, ~$40pp) – Sip wine to raise funds for a music festival
- Snohomish on the Rocks (April 12, $35+ pp, Snohomish) – Spirits tasting and small bites
- Burien Uncorked (April 12, $40pp, Burien) – Sip local wines and shop small businesses
- Spring Mead Festival (April 13, Ballard) – Sip honey wine from local meaderies
- The Big Taste (April 19, $50pp, Sandpoint) – Beer, wine, spirits, and local food trucks
- Vino in the Village (April 26, $40pp, Magnolia) – Local wineries pouring the latest vintage
Immerse yourself in the Bubble Planet Exhibit
website | neighborhood: Bellevue (get directions) | dates: April 18 – May | price: ~$21+ pp | best for: immersive bubble experience
If you’ve ever wanted to enjoy an immersive bubble experience (or you want to know what the heck that means), check out the Bubble Planet Exhibit. It’s perfect for kids and promises to be a feast for the senses.
Enjoy the WA State Spring Fair
website | neighborhood: Puyallup (get directions) | dates: April 10-13, 17-20 | price: ~$13pp | best for: state fair
I eagerly look forward to taking my nieces to the fair each year. The spring fair has the same rides, carnival food, games, and petting zoo as the summer fair, but with fewer crowds (and often less hot weather).
Explore the Best of the NW Spring Art Show
website | neighborhood: Sandpoint (get directions) | dates: April 12-13 | price: ~$3-5pp | best for: art show
Check out local and emerging artists at the NW Spring Art Show. There will be over 100 talented artists showcasing work across all mediums. You can even purchase a one-of-a-kind piece for your home.
Miss the show? The Duwamish Tribe is also hosting a Spring Art Market April 26-27.
Enjoy cabaret or acrobatics
If catching a cabaret show is on your Seattle bucket list, consider this your sign. Here are some April can’t miss performances:
- Moisture Fest (Mar 20-April 13, $45+ pp, Capitol Hill)
- Protégé Show (April 11-12, $18-38pp, SODO)
- Circus Anthology (April 19-21, 26, and 28, $20pp, Georgetown)
Celebrate Easter & Passover
Easter is on April 20 this year, and Passover runs from April 12-20, so you’ll find a range of activities that are perfect for families looking to celebrate. Here are some events happening around Seattle:
- Easter Swing (April 17-20, ~$75+ pp, Bellevue) – Swing dance competitions and workshops
- Easter Parade (April 19, free, Snohomish) – Washington’s only Easter parade
- Waterway Easter Brunch Cruise (April 20, ~$116pp, SLU) – Brunch buffet cruise with kids activities
- Waterway Sunset Dinner Cruise (April 20, ~$121pp, SLU) – Sunset dinner cruise with kids activities
There are also a bunch of community Easter egg hunts for kids:
- Madison Park Playground (April 5)
- Miller Community Center (April 17)
- Magnuson Community Center (Teen GLOW Hunt) (April 18)
- Loyal Heights Community Center (April 19)
- Green Lake Community Center (April 19)
- Jefferson Community Center (April 19)
- Yesler Community Center (April 19)
- Garfield Community Center (April 19)
- Hat and Boots Park (Georgetown) (April 20)
Easter & Passover meals
If you’re looking for a just a special meal, here are some restaurants offering Easter and Passover dining options:
- Ben Paris (Downtown) – Easter brunch specials
- Cedarbrook Lodge (Sea-Tac) – $110pp Easter brunch buffet with fresh seafood
- Ray’s Cafe (Ballard) – A la carte Easter brunch, $95pp brunch buffet, or $80pp 3-course dinner
- The Lodge at St. Edward (Kenmore) – $85pp afternoon tea or $65pp 3-course Easter brunch
- Zylberschtein’s (Lake City) – A la carte Passover pre-order, take-home meals
Celebrate Earth Day
Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22, which is the perfect excuse to get out and explore a park in Seattle or give back to your community. Here are some events happening around town:
- Earth Day at the Arboretum (April 19, Madison Park) – Restore the park with weeding and mulching
- Earth Day Run (April 19, $32+ pp, Sandpoint) – Fun run followed by tree plantings
- Sammamish Earth Day (April 19, Sammamish) – Crafts, petting zoo, food trucks, and gardening demos
- Earth Day at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery (April 19) – Events to spread salmon education
- Celebrate Earth Day at the Museum of Flight (April 20, ~$29pp, Tukwila) – Learn about aerospace’s impact on the environment with seminars and workshops for all ages
- Earth Talks (April 22, First Hill) – Series of 5-minute guest talks on the environment
- Earth Day 2025 (April 22, ~$25pp, Downtown) – Hear leaders from Seattle Parks Foundations talk about how climate change affects our park system
- Outdoor Innovators Earth Day Event (April 26, Burien) – Restore parks by planting native flora
- Ladybug Festival (April 26, Central District) – See the annual release of ladybugs in the Garfield Community Center Garden and participate in educational, hands-on activities
Hike a state or national park for free
Washington’s state parks and national parks are free to enter on certain days of the year. In April, you can visit any state park for free on April 22 (Earth Day) and any national park on April 19 (the first day of National Park Week).
Check out a niche interest festival
If you have a niche hobby no one in your friend group understands, Seattle probably has a festival for it. Here are some interesting ones to check out:
- PNNA Spring Convention & Coin Show (April 11-13)
- Sakura-Con Anime Festival (April 18-20)
- Evergreen Spring Home Show (April 25-27)
- Cadence Video Poetry Festival (April 25-27)
- NW Green Home Tour (April 26)
Be swooned by a candlelight orchestra
Celebrate a special occasion with your loved one with a candlelight cover band of their favorite performers. In April, you can listen to Adele (April 4), Hans Zimmer (April 4 & 18), The Beatles (April 23), Pink Floyd (April 24).
Attend a cultural festival
We’re luck to be surrounded by a myriad of different cultures in Seattle, and many of them host annual events where you can learn about the culture and enjoy their food and music. Here are the ones happening in Seattle in April:
- Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival (April 11-13, Downtown) – Drums, art, and tea ceremony
- Cascade Celtic Festival (April 12-13, ~$31pp, Leavenworth) – Irish dancing and music
- STSCA’s 2025 Navruz Celebration (April 12, $55pp, Shoreline) – Central Asian food, dance, and activities
- Step Afrika (April 19, $23pp, Edmonds) – African dance and powerful storytelling
- FIUTS CulturalFest (April 19, $31pp, Downtown) – Music, dance, and art shared across cultures
See a theatrical performance
April is the perfect time of year to treat yourself to pre-theater dining in Seattle, followed by a theatrical performance. Here are some I’m hoping to catch this month:
- Mother Russia (March 6-April 14)
- Clue (March 14-April 16) – This one’s in Edmonds
- Roméo et Juliette Ballet (April 11-20)
- Jersey Boys (March 18-April 27) – This one’s in Issaquah
- Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience (April 15-20)
- Life of Pi (April 15-20)
- Parade (April 16-May 4)
- Laughs in Spanish (April 17-May 11)
- Golden (April 26-May 11)
Dawn a mask at a masquerade
website | neighborhood: Georgetown (get directions) | dates: April 26 | price: ~$105pp | best for: masquerade ball
Have you always wanted to put on a fancy ball gown and dawn an elaborate masquerade mask? Now’s your chance. The theme this year is Venetian. Expect aerialists, opera singers, and musicians, along with heavy apps and an open bar.
Catch some music
Countless performers travel through Seattle on tour, and April is rich with musical performers.
- Isaiah Collier, “The World is On Fire” (April 6) – Grammy-nominated sax player
- KEXP Live In-Studio Sessions (April 9, 23, & 25) – Join the audience during one of the radio station’s live recordings
- North Bend Jazz Walk (April 26) – 100+ musicians across 18 venues in one night
- World Rhythm Festival (April 25-27) – Multicultural drum and dance performances
- Freddie Ballentine and Kunal Lahiry (April 27) – One-night only concert at Seattle Opera with one of America’s leading tenors
Have a more traditional concert from a big-name act in mind? Here are some I’ve marked on my calendar:
- Papa Roach & Rise Against the Machine (April 1)
- Phish (April 18)
- Kylie Minogue (April 25)
- Empire of the Sun (April 30)
See a game
If you’re a sports person, you’ll be pleased to know plenty of teams are playing in Seattle in April. There’s the Seattle Kraken (hockey), Mariners (baseball), Sounders (men’s soccer), Reign (women’s soccer), UW Huskies (college basketball), Jet City roller derby, and the Seawolves (rugby).
Go on a food crawl
There are so many restaurants in Seattle that you could never possibly visit them all. To cut through the chaos, I create self-guided food tours of my favorite foodie neighborhoods. Each tour includes a running list of the best spots (plus alternates), along with tips on when to visit and what to order.
Prefer an in-person guided tour? Here are some you can look into:
- Craft Cocktail Gourmet Food Tour
- Plant Based in Pike Place Food Tour (GF available)
- Food tasting tour of Pike Place Market with Art & Music
- Street Food Tour of South Lake Union Area of Amazon Spheres
Attend a film festival
Film festivals are so much fun, and I always uncover new flick I’d never otherwise find. Here are some film festivals in April:
- Jewish Film Fest (March 22-April 6) – Powerful stories that showcase Jewish life
- NFFTY (April 3-6) – Films made by directors 24 and under
- Black Film Fest (April 24-27) – Black filmmakers telling stories of the African diaspora
- Film & Media Student Festival (April 25) – Cornish College film students’ final projects
- Short Film Fest (April 26) – Emerging filmmakers’ 3-13 minute short films
Go wine tasting or on a brewery crawl
April is precisely when the local breweries and wineries start getting the most foot traffic. Most of Seattle’s breweries and craft beer bars have some outdoor seating, and many are family-friendly. Bring a deck of cards and soak up the springtime sunshine.
If you’re more into wine, Seattle has plenty of urban wineries that cater to every palate. Or you can take an hour’s drive to Woodinville and check out their over 100 tasting rooms.
Visit a museum on their free days
Many Seattle’s museums are free, and most offer free admission on the first Thursday of the month to encourage locals to seek out a dose of history. Here are the museums that offer free admission on the first Thursday (April 3):
- Seattle Art Museum
- Seattle Asian Art Museum
- National Nordic Museum – Must be reserved in advance
- Museum of History and Industry – 5-8 PM
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
- Henry Art Gallery – Suggested donation of $20 on other days
- Museum of Flight – 5-9 PM
- Volunteer Park Conservatory – Also on the first Saturday (April 5) for kids under 12
- Washington Park Arboretum Walking Tour – 11:30 AM-1 PM starting at the Graham Visitors Center
- Seattle Japanese Garden – Free tour at 1 PM
These museums offer free admission every day:
- Frye Art Museum
- Olympic Sculpture Park
- Center for Wooden Boats
- The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center
- Klondike Gold Rush Museum
- Center on Contemporary Art
More springtime activities around Seattle
After you check out all the best things to do in Seattle in April, take a look at my other guides for more ideas of how to savor the warmer weather.
