Seattle events this Spring
Events in the Emerald City this spring include SIFF, the Seattle International Film Festival.
Being one of the top cinema gatherings in the USA, the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) showcases hundreds of international and independent movies from around the world. Founded in 1976, this year’s edition will take place 14-24 April in a hybrid format, with film fanatics able to watch screenings in indie, creative venues as well as virtually on the SIFF channel. This year’s lineup TBA.
Opened in January this year, Seattle NFT Museum is the world’s first museum dedicated to non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The Seattle NFT Museum showcases some of the world’s most exciting NFT art on large, high-resolution screens, inviting visitors to see pieces by the next generation of digital artists. Its third exhibition, The Climate Conversation, opens on 16 April, and will focus on the impact of blockchain transactions on climate change.
Seattle’s female basketball team, Seattle Storm, will play their first game of the new season on 6 May. Taking on Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm will be playing in their home stadium, Climate Pledge Arena, which opened in October 2021. The 4x Women’s NBA champions are Seattle’s only basketball team.
Historic Pike Place Market will hold its 14th annual Flower Festival during 7-8 May. The tradition sees Pike Place transformed with more than 40 stallholders selling flowers grown in the surrounding King, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. Stalls will be bursting with in-season blooms including tulips, daffodils and peonies.
Hot hotel news
The George, a new contemporary brasserie, is set to open its doors inside the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in April. Paying homage to the hotel’s history, dating back to 1924, The George boasts fresh yet timeless interiors, creating the perfect environment to enjoy delightful, Pacific Northwest dishes. The menu will change seasonally and use locally sourced ingredients.
Astra Hotel is a new boutique property opening in South Lake Union in May. Each of the rooms is furnished with contemporary amenities and there are three dining options available, including ALTITUDE Sky Lounge, a rooftop bar serving craft cocktails and sharing plates with a side of city views. Guests will be within walking distance of the Space Needle, Lake Union and Pike Place Market. Rooms from $269 per night.
The much-anticipated citizenM Pioneer Square will open in May with 232 cosy rooms, a 24-hour bar and state-of-the-art fitness centre. Guests with the citizenM app can use it to check in/out, browse food menus, control the room temperature, and adjust the lighting. As with all citizenM properties, the Pioneer Square hotel has an emphasis on sustainability, with 90% of the hotel’s electricity coming from renewable energy sources. Rooms from $149 per night.
Getting there and around
FRS Clipper will relaunch its service to Victoria, British Columbia on 15 April, taking passengers to the city in under three hours. Canada’s set to remove all testing requirements for fully vaccinated travellers from 1 April so visitors can easily combine their Seattle holiday with a trip across the border. FRS Clipper will also relaunch its trips to the San Juan Islands on 29 April, offering opportunities for whale watching and beach exploring.
Both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly direct from London Heathrow to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. With Delta restarting direct flights on 6 May, British Airways increasing to double daily from 8 May, and Aer Lingus restarting its direct service from Dublin on 26 May, it’s never been easier to discover the Emerald City.
For more information about Seattle, visit www.visitseattle.org.
