Coming up with the best things to do in Seattle in March was easier than I expected. True, it is a rainy month, with an average of 4 inches of rain bi-weekly, but the weather is finally in the mid-50s, and the sun doesn’t set until almost 6 PM. Provided you have rain gear, there are plenty of March activities to keep you busy.
As we reach the end of the winter months, you can expect a range of indoor and outdoor activities like festivals, live music, and budding cherry blossoms. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a long-time local, you’ll get a kick out of my list of all the best things to do in March in Seattle.
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Best Things to Do in Seattle in March
Save this list to Pinterest for later, as I’ll update it every year with all the best activities in Seattle in March! For more March events, check out my Seattle events calendar.
Celebrate Women’s History Month
Officially established in the 80s, Women’s History Month celebrates the contributions of women in American society. Zooming into Seattle, women have helped shape the city through milestones like Bertha Knight Landes becoming the first woman mayor in 1926 all the way to present day where we see more than 1,000 women-owned businesses in the city…including the all-women owned Seattle Storm WNBA team.
Here are some going on this year to celebrate how women have impacted Seattle:
- WATA Women’s Day Celebration (Mar 6, ~$30pp, Bothell) – Networking, fun activities, and food
- Bratz in all Black (Mar 6, ~$25+ pp, Downtown) – Dancing and fun with two of Seattle’s favorite content creators
- International Women’s Day (Mar 7, ~$75+ pp, Edmonds) – Brunch with inspiring speakers
- See Her Be Her (Mar 7, ~$45 pp, Belltown) – Inspirational panels, skill-building workshops, and music
- Women’s Adventure Film Tour (Mar 5-6, ~$15pp, Bellingham & Tacoma) – Women tackling harrowing adventures on film
- Women’s Day Out: Shop, Sip, & Self Care (Mar 14, ~$15pp, Bothell) – Celebrate self care over bites and sips
- Women’s Month at Freeland Spirits (Mar 17, ~$46pp, Fremont) – Sip spirits, play bingo, celebrate women
You can find event more Women’s History Month happenings on Eventbrite.
Take a road trip to a hot air balloon festival
website | neighborhood: Winthrop (get directions) | dates: March 6-8 | price: free, or ~$250pp if you want to go up in a balloon | best for:photos and checking off a bucket-list activity
If you feel like going cross-country skiing in Washington, there’s no better place in Washington than the Methow Valley. If you go in March, you can experience the hot air balloon festival at the same time. One of my favorite things to do in Winthrop in winter is to watch them inflate the balloons and float across the valley. The colorful balloons dotting the snowy valley is a photographer’s dream!
Watch the Oscars
The Oscars are on March 15, and many businesses will be live streaming the event and hosting mini red carpets. Here are some that caught my eye:
- Clock Out Lounge (free to all ages, Beacon Hill)
- Urban Family Watch Party (free for all ages, Ballard)
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is Tuesday, March 17, so you can expect a weekend of bar hoppers and these fun events:
- LepreCon Pub Crawl (Mar 14, ~$5.50pp, Downtown) – Visit a bunch of downtown bars
- St. Patty’s Day Dash (Mar 15, ~$20pp, Queen Anne) – Family-friendly 5K and costume contests
- Irish Film Festival (Mar 15-16, ~$10pp, Queen Anne) – Films celebrating Irish cinema
- McMenamins St. Patty’s Celebration (Mar 14-17, free, Bothell) – All-ages music event and party
Attend a food & drink festival
No matter the month, there are always food and drink festivals in Seattle. Here are some worth checking out:
- Tacoma Beer Week (Feb 27 – Mar 8) – Try beers at various participating venues
- Vårkarten: Salt Harvest x Nordic Museum Dining Collab (Mar 2-8, Pioneer Sq) – Nordic multi-course meal
- Snohomish Wine Fest (Mar 7, $45+ pp, Snohomish) – Wine tasting, small bites, and chocolate
- Bellevue Bourbon Bash (Mar 7, ~$260pp, Bellevue) – Upscale tasting of rare bourbons and heavy apps
- Penn Cove MusselFest (Mar 7-8, ~$55pp, Whidbey Island) – Tour mussel farms, sample chowder, and find more things to do in Whidbey Island
- Boots Barrels and Brews (Mar 13, ~$50+ pp, Issaquah) – Live music, line dancing, food, and libations
- The Lucky Pour Wine, Beer, & Spirits Walk (Mar 14, ~$14pp, Bothell) – Stroll local shops and sip at each
- Edmonds Night Market (Mar 20) – Enjoy live music and vendors
- Razor Clam Fest (Mar 20-22, free, Ocean Shores) – Seafood, Dungeness crab, and enjoy live music
- Taste of Washington (Mar 21-22, ~$177+ pp, Pioneer Square) – Seattle’s largest wine and food event
- Ballard Wine Walk (Mar 28, ~$50pp) – Sip and stroll around local boutiques
Get your craft on at an art fair
Craft fairs and art festivals start happening come spring. Here are some happening in March:
- Black Makers & Creatives Art Exhibit (Mar 1, Renton, ~$10pp)
- Eastside Alchemy Market (Mar 7, Bellevue, free)
- Big Love Social Market (Mar 8, Downtown, free)
- Spring Market (Mar 14, Kenmore, free)
Enjoy a cabaret or acrobatics show
If you’ve ever wanted to experience a cabaret or acrobatics performance, now’s your chance. Here are some of March’s can’t-miss performances:
- ECHO Cirque du Soleil (thru Mar 22, ~$100+pp, Redmond)
- Moisture Fest (Mar 19 – Apr 12, ~$45+ pp, Capitol Hill)
Experience a niche interest festival
If you have a hobby that you’re convinced no one else could relate to, odds are Seattle has a festival for it. Here are some worth marking on your calendar:
- Sewing Expo (Feb 26-Mar 1, Puyallup)
- Seattle International Dance Fest (Feb 27 – Mar 8, Cap Hill)
- Emerald City Comic Con (Mar 5-8, Downtown)
- Remodeling Expo (Mar 6-8, Tacoma)
- Miniature Show (Mar 7-8, Tukwila)
- Seattle RV Show (Mar 12-15, Pioneer Square)
- Seattle Golf Show (Mar 13-15, Snoqualmie)
- Quilting Seattle (Mar 13-15, Monroe)
- NW Birding Fest (Mar 13-15, Whatcom County)
- Seattle Gem & Jewelry Show (Mar 27-29, Downtown)
- Emerald City Hoedown (Mar 26-29, Downtown)
Seek out cherry blossoms
University of Washington’s campus is covered in cherry blossoms, but they only bloom for a precious few weeks. Come the end of March and early April, you can spot them a mile away. Keep an eye out on their Instagram for when they start blooming.
If you can’t make it to campus, you can also find blossoms in Seatac’s Highline Botanical Gardens, Washington Park Arboretum, or Seward Park (one of my favorite Seattle parks).
Attend a cultural festival
One of the highlights of living in Seattle is that you’re constantly exposed to different cultures, many of which host annual festivals that are free to the public and great for families. Here are some I’m looking forward to:
- Irish Week (Mar 7-15, throughout Seattle)
- Balkan Festival (Mar 14, Madison Park)
- Irish Festival (Mar 14-15, Queen Anne)
- Jewish Film Fest (Mar 14-29, Mercer Island)
- French Fest (Mar 22, Queen Anne)
- Norweigan Heritage Day (Mar 28, Ballard)
Celebrate Holi
Holi is a family-friendly Hindu spring holiday that celebrates winter’s end and the arrival of springtime. It’s typically a day filled with live music, authentic Indian food, and a colorful powder throwing event. Here are some Holi events happening around Seattle in March:
- Crossroads Wali Holi Colorfest (Mar 14, ~$8+ pp, Bellevue)
- PNA Holi Celebration (Mar 21, ~$20pp, Phinney Ridge)
- The Holi Fest (Mar 21, free, Bothell)
- Seattle Color Festival (Mar 28, ~$50pp, Queen Anne)
See a theatrical performance
March is the perfect time of year to throw on some fancy clothes and catch a live theatrical performance. Here are the best live shows happening in March:
- Fellow Travelers Opera (Feb 21 – Mar 1, Queen Anne)
- Midsummer Night’s Dream (Feb 21 – Mar 8, Downtown)
- The Outsider (Feb 27 – Mar 22, Edmonds)
- The Notebook the Musical (Mar 3-8, Downtown)
- Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (Mar 20-22, Downtown)
- Peanuts 75th Anniversary Orchestra (Mar 27-29, Downtown)
Attend an orchestra concert by candlelight
What could be more romantic than celebrating your special someone with a candlelight concert with covers of their favorite performers? In March, you can catch 90s Hip Hop (Mar 6), Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Mar 13 & 27), Queen vs. ABBA (Mar 5 & 12), and Fleetwood Mac (Mar 8 & 14).
Prefer a concert under the stars? Check out Frank Sinatra (Mar 18).
Rock out at a concert
The music scene is alive and well year-round, and many of the nation’s top performers make their way through the Emerald City come springtime. Here are some live performers that caught my eye:
- The Strumbellas (Mar 10)
- Band of Horses (Mar 21-22)
- Callum Scott (Mar 25)
Go clubbing, get home by 10 pm
website | neighborhood: Pioneer Square (get directions) | dates: Mar 21 | price:~$40pp | best for: dance lovers
Fancy going out for a dance, but want to get home at a reasonable time? Bed By 10 is a chance for ravers over 30 to relive the peak of the 80s, 90s & early 2000s clubbing scene while still getting a good night’s sleep.
Experience SAM Remix
website | neighborhood: Downtown (get directions) | dates: Mar 27 | price:~$65pp | best for: after-hours museum experience
Twice a year, the Seattle Art Museum hosts an after-hours art show that’s 21+ and features live DJs, dancers, and cocktails. Plus you’ll have a unique chance to connect with the exhibited artists and witness some genre-smashing performances.
Watch a game
Professional football may be over for the season, but there are plenty of games to be watched. In March, you can still catch the Kraken (hockey), Seattle Redhawks or UW Huskies (college basketball), Sounders (men’s soccer), Reign (women’s soccer), and Jet City Roller Derby.
Embark on a food crawl
You could visit a new restaurant every day and still not scratch the surface of all Seattle has to offer. To make it easier, my self-guided food tours include lists of my favorite restaurants broken up by foodie neighborhoods. Each guide includes a curated list of spots (plus alternates) and tips on what to order, when to visit, and how to maximize your experience.
Prefer in-person, guided tours? Here are some to check out:
- Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market
- Seattle Chocolate Tour
- Savor the Sea: Guided Seafood Tasting at Pike Place Market
- Craft Cocktail Gourmet Food Tour
- Haunted Seattle Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour
Hike on one of the state parks’ free days
On certain days of the year, Washington state parks are free to enter. This year, March 9 is free in honor of Billy Frank Junior’s birthday, as is March 19 for the State Parks’ birthday.
Have fun at a wine tasting or go on a brewery crawl
Seattle’s beer and wine scene never ceases to amaze me. There are always new Seattle breweries and tasting rooms popping up, enough to easily fill a weekend with friends.
You can check out the local urban wineries or take a short drive to Woodinville and check out over 100 tasting rooms. Beer lovers can embark on a brewery tour of Ballard or refer to my guide for the best craft beer bars and Seattle breweries.
Visit the museums on their free days
More than a handful of 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 (March 5):
- 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 (Mar 1) 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
Frolik at the La Conner Daffodil Festival
website | neighborhood: various locations around Skagit Valley, WA (get directions) | dates: mid-late March | price: free | best for: picturesque flower fields
We’ve all heard of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival that draws more than a million visitors each year. But did you know that daffodils pop up before the tulips starting mid-March and offer equally as beautiful photo opps with less crowds? Sure, they are often yellow or white so there are less colors, but the views are still breathtaking…especially if you snap a photo of the bird flocks migrating in the distance. It’s one of the best things to do in Seattle in March!
Keep an eye on the bloom map for when the fields start showing flowers.
More to do around Seattle
After you check out all the best things to do in March in Seattle, check out my other guides for exploring the city.
