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Seattle Center Festál Announces 2026 Schedule
Festál returns with 25 free cultural festivals beginning Feb. 14
SEATTLE— Seattle Center Festál marks 29 years in 2026, returning with 25 free cultural festivals that honor traditions from around the world and celebrate the region’s vibrant communities. Produced in partnership with community-based organizations, the Festál series runs from February through November and offers family-friendly experiences that showcase music, dance, cultural vendors, visual art, food, storytelling, and hands-on activities.
Since launching in 1997, Festál has been a cornerstone of Seattle Center programming — creating space for cultural exchange, reflection, and shared celebration. Each festival is community-produced and highlights both heritage and contemporary cultural expression, inviting Seattleites and visitors to learn, engage, and connect.
“Festál thrives because it’s rooted in community collaboration,” said Heidi Jackson, Managing Artistic Director of Cultural Programs at Seattle Center. “Every festival honors a living tradition and offers opportunities for connection and belonging in the heart of the city.
Seattle Center Festál’s 2026 season begins Feb. 14 with Tết in Seattle – Vietnamese Lunar New Year and continues through the fall with Seattle Hmong New Year in November. Visitors can expect live performances, cultural demonstrations, vendor marketplaces, family activities, and free admission to all events.
Seattle Center Festál 2026 Schedule
- Tết in Seattle – Vietnamese Lunar New Year, Saturday–Sunday, Feb. 14–15
- Irish Festival Seattle, Saturday–Sunday, March 14–15
- Seattle’s French Fest: A Celebration of French-Speaking Cultures, Sunday, March 22
- Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival, Friday–Sunday, April 10–12
- Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration, Saturday, May 2
- A Glimpse of China – Seattle Chinese Culture & Arts Festival, Saturday, May 9
- Spirit of Africa, Saturday, May 16
- Northwest Folklife Festival, Friday–Monday, May 22–25
- Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival, Saturday–Sunday, June 6–7
- Indigenous People Festival, Saturday, June 13
- Seattle Iranian Festival, Saturday, June 27
- Polish Festival Seattle, Saturday, July 11
- Seattle Arab Festival, Saturday–Sunday, July 18–19
- A Day in Punjab, Saturday, Aug. 1
- Tibet Fest, Saturday–Sunday, Aug. 8–9
- BrasilFest, Sunday, Aug. 16
- Festival Sundiata Presents Black Arts Fest, Saturday–Sunday, Aug. 22–23
- Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival, Sunday, September 13
- Sea Mar Fiestas Patrias, Saturday–Sunday, Sept. 19–20
- The Italian Festival, Saturday–Sunday, Sept. 26–27
- CroatiaFest, Sunday, Oct. 4
- Turkfest, Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 10–11
- Día de Muertos Festival Seattle, Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 31–Nov. 1
- Diwali: Lights of India, Saturday, Nov. 7
- Seattle Hmong New Year, Saturday, Nov. 14
Admission/viewing is free of charge. Find more information at SeattleCenter.com or call 206-684-7200.
About Seattle Center Festál
Seattle Center Festál is a unique public program series of 25 free cultural festivals, each offering its own celebration of heritage and identity. These community-produced events provide a range of engaging programs and activities to cultivate a deeper understanding of our region’s diversity through immersive performances, food, arts, and educational programming. Collectively, the festivals welcome approximately 400,000 visits annually, generate an estimated $30 million in economic activity, support more than 250 jobs, and engage thousands of volunteers, artists, and small business vendors. Seattle Center Festál is presented in partnership between Seattle Center and 25 community-based organizations, with support from the City of Seattle, Seattle Center Foundation, and 4Culture’s Sustained Support and Free/Reduced Access programs. Additional support for Festál 2026 is provided by 2025 charitable donations from the Snoqualmie Tribe, and ArtsFund’s Community Accelerator Grant funded by Allen Family Philanthropies.
About Seattle Center — The Cultural Heart of the Pacific Northwest
Seattle Center is a 74-acre civic, arts, and cultural gathering place in the heart of Seattle and home to more than 30 partner organizations, including Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP, MOPOP, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, Pacific Science Center, SIFF, and many others. Anchored by world-class attractions, historic venues, public art, and a dynamic calendar of free and affordable events centered around the iconic International Fountain, Seattle Center serves residents and visitors of all ages year-round.
As a department of the City of Seattle and anchor of the Uptown Arts and Cultural District, Seattle Center is an inclusive destination where community comes together through arts, culture, and public life, serving residents from across Seattle and the Puget Sound region alongside visitors from around the world. In partnership with Friends of Waterfront Seattle, Seattle Center also manages the City’s new Waterfront Park, providing cultural programming, operations, and civic care along Seattle’s downtown waterfront.
Over the past three years, Seattle Center has welcomed 11 to 12 million visits annually, with the majority of visits coming from the Seattle and Puget Sound region, and is projected to reach 12.5 to 13.5 million visits in 2026. This activity generates more than $1 billion in visitor spending, contributes more than $2 billion in regional economic impact, and supports more than 18,600 jobs. With the support of our Official Partners — Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Coors Light, Pepsi, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank — Seattle Center is the #1 most-visited arts and cultural destination in the Pacific Northwest. www.seattlecenter.com
