Bite of Seattle is back as Seattle summer keeps rolling — plus more fun events this weekend

We are heading into peak summer, and with the first heatwave of the season behind us, it will be a perfect weekend to get out and about!

Bite of Seattle returns to Seattle Center

Skip the cooking this weekend and head to the Bite of Seattle, where there will be over 300 food and retail vendors serving up delicious bites from around the world, plus there will be plenty of live music and entertainment with over 50 bands scheduled to perform, and of course beer and wine gardens for when you get thirsty.

Grab some food in Chinatown

Bite of Seattle starts Friday and runs through the weekend at the Seattle Center. There will also be lunch specials and other deals in the Chinatown International District on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the CID Food Walk. There will be specials and bites for $6 or $8, and it will be a great way to find your next favorite spot to eat.

Seafair festivities start up this weekend

Seafair events continue to ramp up, and we’ve got one of the big ones this weekend on Saturday. Along the waterfront on Alaskan Way, the Seafair Torchlight Parade takes over for a full day of fun. Starting at 1 p.m., there will be a bunch of things going on various piers, like the interactive coloring wall at Pier 58, the interactive love notes and beer garden at Pier 62, and then as the afternoon goes on, there will be live music getting everyone ready for the parade, which starts at 7:30 p.m.

There will also be free popsicles courtesy of Seattle Pops until 7:30 p.m. as well. Don’t forget the Seafair Torchlight Run, which will take place before the parade at 6:30 p.m. Arrive early to get a good seat or check out the reserved seating options on Seafair’s website.

Art fairs in Seattle and Bellevue

If you are an artist or a fan of art, there are a couple of big shows happening this weekend. The Seattle Art Fair runs through the weekend at the Lumen Field Event Center and will feature art from 90 galleries from across the world. Tickets are available now, and children 12 and under are free.

There will be over 300 artists in Bellevue Square and in downtown Bellevue for the Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend, and not only will there be plenty of visual art to see and buy, but there will also be live music and live performances, hands-on projects for you and the family, and there will be food trucks aplenty if you get hungry.

Washington Midsummer Renaissance Fair underway

The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Fair is underway and is the perfect portal back to the past with everything you could want for a trip to the Renaissance era. Each weekend has a theme at the fair, and this weekend’s is the Feast of Fools weekend, which will celebrate the resident jesters of the court, meaning a weekend full of mischief and merriment. There are seven stages of live entertainment, wandering bands, hands-on activities for you and the family, plus tons more. Check out their website for ticket details and directions on how to get there. The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Fair runs until mid-August.

Catch a movie in the park in Seattle or Tacoma

Last week we talked about one of the free movie showings going on in Seattle parks during Center City Cinema, but it is not the only program offering free movie screenings. In the Seattle Center, there’s Movies at the Mural, where a movie gets shown at the Mural Amphitheater, starting at dusk on Fridays. This week’s Movie at the Mural is Wonka, the origin story of Willy Wonka.

Tonight in Tacoma, the live-action edition of Lilo & Stitch is showing at Meridian Park starting at dusk. As mentioned, Center City Cinema continues tonight at Cal Anderson Park with a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, also starting at dusk. Juanita Beach Park in Kirkland has a double feature of free movies to check out this weekend, starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday. You can see The Wild Robot and Superman, no ticket needed.

Stop by the outdoor theater festival

With the heatwave over, it will be a great weekend for hanging out at all the great parks in our region, but why not see a play at the same time? This weekend at Volunteer Park, it is the Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival. This is a full weekend of performances from thirteen local theater companies across three stages in the park. These companies will be putting on a total of 21 performances, and each one is free to attend. The Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival begins Saturday at 10 a.m.

There’s still so much going on as we hit peak summer. How are you soaking up the sun? Let me know at paulh@kiroradio.com.