Festivals, free museums, and a glass floats treasure hunt: Your Seattle area weekend guide

We are officially in the dog days of summer, but that doesn’t mean the Seattle fun is slowing down.

Festivals in Othello, Redmond, Bellevue, and more

There are a couple of international festivals going on this weekend, including the Othello Park International Festival, which features plenty of family-friendly fun, hands-on activities for you and the kids, live dancing and music, and, of course, plenty of options when it comes to food. Othello Park will be the place to be on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Redmond City Hall Campus will be hosting the Ananda Mela, a joyful festival of India this weekend. It will be two days of live music and performances, art and exhibits highlighting the culture of India, vendors to shop from, tons of delicious food options, and plenty of fun for you and the family. Ananda Mela is free to attend and runs Saturday and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

In Bellevue, there’s the Bellevue International Festival on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Crossroads Park, and as the website describes, it will have “family-friendly activities and performances that celebrate diverse cultures and communities.” The event is free to attend and will feature live music and dance, plenty of food, a variety of family-friendly activities, giveaways, and lots more. The Bellevue International Festival is Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Can you find a hidden glass float?

Keep your eyes peeled in West Seattle starting Friday, as there will be a bunch of glass floats that are going to be scattered around the neighborhood for treasure hunters to find and keep. These pieces were created by Avalon Glassworks, and each one will have a QR code for you to scan to register that you’ve found the float. Once you’ve done that, it is yours to keep. This will also be a perfect excuse to get out and explore West Seattle, and the event organizers encourage you to check out some of the local businesses participating in float week.

Speaking of glass, Saturday is Glass Fest Northwest and will feature live glassblowing demonstrations, including hands-on activities for you to try out. Plus all the usual festival fun like artist booths, live music, and food vendors. The Museum of Glass will be hosting the event, and in addition to all the stuff going on for the festival, admission to the museum will be free. Glass Fest Northwest runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

In addition to Glass Fest Northwest, Saturday is also the 21st annual In the Spirit Arts Market and Northwest Native Festival, which will also be taking place at the Washington State History Museum, Tacoma Art Museum and the Museum of Glass. This is a free community festival that showcases Native arts and culture with live music, vendors, art, interactive demonstrations, food and more. Admission to the Washington State History Museum and Tacoma Art Museum will also be free on Saturday, and the event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

One of the biggest art festivals of the year in Tacoma

Also in Tacoma, there will be more than 200 local artists and vendors for one of the biggest art festivals of the year, Art on the Ave. In addition to all the art to see, there will also be a kids’ zone for the young ones and plenty of live entertainment. Look for all the fun on 6th Ave in Tacoma on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Sounders, Reign, Mariners play this weekend

It’s another loaded sports weekend here in Seattle, as the Mariners are celebrating their 50th anniversary all weekend long, including the big alumni home run derby after Friday night’s game, plus other promotions running through the weekend. Seattle Seahawks Fan Fest will also be this weekend at Lumen Field on Saturday, with doors opening at 4:15 p.m. Remember, there will also be a crowd for the Mariners, so plan ahead.

On the pitch this weekend, the Seattle Sounders have a Leagues Cup Match against Querétaro on Sunday at 2 p.m., and the Seattle Reign will play later that night at 6 p.m. against Angel City at Lumen Field.

Free trails with Smokey Bear’s birthday

You won’t need a Discover Pass to hit the trails on Sunday. Celebrate Smokey Bear’s birthday by enjoying the great outdoors and visiting a park or trail you haven’t seen yet, with no need to worry about paying for a pass — it is the perfect excuse to get outside.

The school year is starting to loom. What are you doing to maximize your summer fun? Let me know at paulh@kiroradio.com.