Family Fare

At Seattle Center, check out the immersive laser light shows at Pacific Science Center (200 Second Ave N), included with daytime admission tickets, or a family-friendly flick in one of the IMAX theaters—the six-story screens always impress. This engaging museum also hosts monthly sensory-friendly days and has a sensory lounge that provides a calm area for guests with diverse abilities. In summer, settle into a spot on the lawn at the Mural Amphitheatre for a free all-ages film as part of Movies at the Mural. More complimentary big-screen fun awaits at the Central District’s Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave), where you can catch two hours of classic cartoons during Family Cartoon Happy Hour every Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.

HONK! Fest West Courtesy of Dylan Lockard

Big-name artists come out to Woodland Park Zoo every summer as part of ZooTunes (5500 Phinney Ave N), now in its 40th year. Spend time saying hello to the orangutans and river otters before snagging a good spot in the North Meadow. For a different kind of outdoor music show, HONK! Fest West—an annual event in late spring—brings drum lines, percussion ensembles, and other high-energy street bands together in a toe-tapping three-day festival across various Seattle neighborhoods, including Georgetown and Columbia City. At the Paramount Theatre (911 Pine St), delight in a Broadway show when Funny Girl (Sep 24-29) and Wicked (Nov 6–Dec 1) comes to town.

For tiny tots up to age 5, Seattle Symphony (200 University St) hosts interactive concerts—like The Strings: Rain or Shine, Oct 11 and 12—that introduce young listeners to the instruments in a symphony. (Come 30 minutes early for fun activities like crafts and a reading station.) On the other end of the age spectrum, older kids will love TeenTix, a pass for teens 13–19 that gets them $5 day-of-show tickets at more than 70 organizations around the city, including Seattle Opera, Taproot Theatre Company, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Another highlight for creative youth is The Vera Project (305 Harrison St), with an all-ages music venue, screen print shop, recording studio, and art gallery.

Out for a Troll

With Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King Danish artist Thomas Dambo has used recycled materials to hand-craft dramatic sculptures in five Puget Sound locales, including West Seattle’s Lincoln Park and outside Ballard’s National Nordic Museum.