November brings a mix of fall color, live performances, neighborhood art, and plans for Thanksgiving weekend. Catch Kenny Garrett at Jazz Alley, browse independent comics in Georgetown, or spend an afternoon finding something locally made for your holiday table. Later in the month, lanterns light up the zoo and Pike Place Market welcomes the holiday season.
If you arrived here from my November postcard, you’ll find the full event dates, planning details, and organizer links below. Some activities run beyond the day featured on the printed calendar.
Details checked October 27, 2026. Check organizer websites for current schedules and ticket availability before heading out.
JAPANESE CULTURE DAY
When & Where: Sunday, November 1, 11 a.m.–5 p.m., Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington, 1414 South Weller Street.
What to Expect: Celebrate Bunka no Hi with Japanese cultural demonstrations, crafts, and food. This year’s event highlights Seattle cartoonist Sam Goto and his work exploring the Japanese American experience. Tea demonstrations, calligraphy, and samurai-related activities offer several ways to spend the afternoon.
Plan Your Visit: Admission is free and family-friendly. Food and some activities cost extra.
More Info: Japanese Culture Day at JCCCW
KENNY GARRETT AT JAZZ ALLEY
When & Where: November 3–4, 7:30 p.m., Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley.
What to Expect: Grammy-winning saxophonist Kenny Garrett brings Sounds From the Ancestors to Seattle for two evenings. His ensemble pairs saxophone with piano, bass, drums, percussion, and vocals. Make a weeknight of it with a seated concert and time for dinner before the music begins.
Plan Your Visit: Doors open at 6 p.m. Published tickets are $43, including the handling fee. Purchases are nonrefundable and nonexchangeable.
More Info: Kenny Garrett at Jazz Alley
SEATTLE COMEDY COMPETITION
When & Where: Wednesday, November 4, 7:30 p.m., Laughs Comedy Club, 5220 Roosevelt Way NE.
What to Expect: Watch comedians make their case in short sets during the Seattle International Comedy Competition’s opening round. The competition moves between venues throughout the month, with performers advancing through preliminary rounds, semifinals, and finals.
Plan Your Visit: Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Early shows are ages 18 and older, with ID required. Budget for admission plus the club’s two-item food or beverage minimum. Confirm the start time on your selected ticket.
More Info: Seattle Comedy Competition at Laughs
ARBORETUM FALL COLOR TOUR
When & Where: Thursday, November 5, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Washington Park Arboretum. Meet at the Graham Visitors Center, 2300 Arboretum Drive East.
What to Expect: Take a guided walk through the Arboretum as its autumn colors change. This final free public tour of 2026 focuses on fall foliage, with docents sharing information about the plants, collections, and history along the way.
Plan Your Visit: Admission is free. Dress for the weather and outdoor paths. Tours are geared toward adults, though minors are welcome, and attendance is capped at 50.
More Info: UW Botanic Gardens Public Tours
SHORT RUN COMIX FESTIVAL
When & Where: Saturday, November 7, Seattle Design Center, 5701 Sixth Avenue South, Georgetown.
What to Expect: Browse independent comics, zines, and artist-made books while meeting the people behind them. Short Run brings together more than 200 small-press exhibitors, along with artist conversations and a youth area offering hands-on activities such as comics and zine making.
Plan Your Visit: Admission is free; books and food are extra. Check the festival’s programming schedule before visiting if there’s a particular artist or conversation you want to catch.
More Info: Short Run Comix Festival
FALL FOLIAGE FESTIVAL
When & Where: November 7–8, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, Federal Way.
What to Expect: Head south for a walk through woodland paths and fall color at the garden’s Fall Foliage Festival and Plant Sale. Specialty growers bring plants to browse, while a small selection of artists and makers offers nature-inspired work, including pottery, photography, and handcrafted goods.
Plan Your Visit: Festival admission is free. Allow time for the drive to Federal Way and wear shoes suited to garden paths. Plants and other purchases cost extra.
More Info: Fall Foliage Festival
HUSKIES BASKETBALL
When & Where: Monday, November 9, 7 p.m., Alaska Airlines Arena, University of Washington.
What to Expect: Cheer on Washington as the Huskies host Mississippi Valley State in an early-season home game. It’s a reason to make Monday-night plans, meet a friend on campus, and spend an evening watching college basketball.
Plan Your Visit: Purchase through the Huskies’ official ticket links and check current seat availability and prices. Allow extra time to reach the arena before tipoff.
More Info: Washington Huskies Basketball Schedule
VETERANS DAY AT THE MUSEUM OF FLIGHT
When & Where: Wednesday, November 11, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Museum of Flight, 9404 East Marginal Way South.
What to Expect: The museum marks Veterans Day with a documentary screening, live music, and stories of military service. The schedule includes 10 Good Men and a Q&A at 11 a.m., the Boeing Employees’ Concert Band at 1 p.m., and a presentation about Vietnam veterans at 2 p.m.
Plan Your Visit: Veterans receive free admission. Other visitors should check the museum’s regular admission options.
More Info: Museum of Flight Veterans Day Celebration
CAPITOL HILL ART WALK
When & Where: Thursday, November 12, participating locations across Capitol Hill. Chophouse Row’s event runs 5–8 p.m. at 1424 11th Avenue.
What to Expect: Build an evening around art and a neighborhood dinner. Chophouse Row is one confirmed stop for November’s art walk, with programming details still being announced. Browse the neighborhood listings closer to the date and choose a few places within walking distance.
Plan Your Visit: Hours and programming vary by location. The 5–8 p.m. schedule applies to Chophouse Row; check individual listings before planning your route.
More Info: Capitol Hill Art Walk | Chophouse Row’s November Event
WILDLANTERNS AT WOODLAND PARK ZOO
When & Where: Select evenings November 13–January 17, 4–9 p.m., Woodland Park Zoo.
What to Expect: Walk through illuminated wildlife and landscape displays after dark. This year’s lantern installations take visitors across continents and beneath the ocean, with an interactive zone adding another stop along the route. It’s an outdoor evening outing worth planning around the weather.
Plan Your Visit: Last entry is 8:30 p.m. November closures are November 16–18, 23, 26, and 30. November 20 is a separate adults-only, 21+ evening; November 15 is a low-sensory night. Choose the appropriate ticket and date when booking.
More Info: WildLanterns
GOBBLE UP FOOD SHOW
When & Where: Saturday, November 14, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Hangar 30 at Magnuson Park.
What to Expect: Browse food from Pacific Northwest makers at Urban Craft Uprising’s food-focused show. It’s a useful stop before Thanksgiving, whether you’re looking for something to bring to dinner, a pantry addition, or a gift for someone who loves to cook.
Plan Your Visit: Admission is $2. Buy ahead online or bring cash for admission at the door. The show welcomes all ages; check the ticket page for children’s admission details. Dogs are not permitted.
More Info: Gobble Up Seattle
SNEAKY WITH SNICKET
When & Where: Sunday, November 15, 2 p.m., Town Hall Seattle’s Great Hall. A sensory-friendly performance is offered at noon.
What to Expect: Philharmonia Northwest turns a children’s concert into a musical mystery with Lemony Snicket’s The Composer Is Dead. Narrator Lisa Bergman guides the audience through suspects and clues while introducing the instruments of the orchestra. The concert runs under an hour, with relaxed audience expectations for young listeners.
Plan Your Visit: Published tickets are $10–$30. Choose either the noon sensory-friendly performance or the 2 p.m. general performance when booking.
More Info: Sneaky with Snicket
CINEMA ITALIAN STYLE
When & Where: November 18–22, SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Avenue North.
What to Expect: Spend an evening with Italian cinema or make several visits during this five-day festival. The lineup includes stories about family, relationships, identity, and personal change. Opening night also offers an optional party at KEXP for those who want to continue the evening after the film.
Plan Your Visit: Individual adult film tickets are $15 plus a $2 service fee; student tickets are $10 plus the fee. Festival passes are available. The opening-night party requires a qualifying pass or movie-and-party ticket.
More Info: Cinema Italian Style
ASIAN ART MUSEUM FREE DAY
When & Where: Saturday, November 21, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Seattle Asian Art Museum, Volunteer Park.
What to Expect: Spend part of Saturday exploring the galleries at your own pace. The museum’s free third Saturday offers an easy way to plan an art outing with a friend or family member, with Volunteer Park just outside if the weather allows for a walk afterward.
Plan Your Visit: Admission is free. Tickets are available online and onsite.
More Info: Seattle Asian Art Museum Free Third Saturday
DAYBREAK STAR NATIVE ART MARKET
When & Where: November 21–22, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, Discovery Park.
What to Expect: Meet Indigenous artisans and browse jewelry, apparel, prints, woodwork, and other handmade pieces. The market brings artists from different tribal nations together and offers an opportunity to learn about their work while shopping directly from makers.
Plan Your Visit: Admission is free, with donations welcomed. Purchases cost extra. Daybreak Star is located at 5011 Bernie Whitebear Way inside Discovery Park.
More Info: Daybreak Star Native Art Market
BLACK FUTURES BOOK CLUB
When & Where: Monday, November 23, 6–7:30 p.m., online, hosted by LANGSTON.
What to Expect: Join a discussion of Akwaeke Emezi’s Son of the Morning as part of LANGSTON’s Black Futures Book Club. Facilitated by Brooke Bosely, PhD, the series centers Black speculative writing and conversations about imagined futures, history, and the present.
Plan Your Visit: Participation is free. November’s gathering is virtual, so follow the organizer’s registration instructions for access rather than heading to the LANGSTON building. Pick up the book ahead of the discussion.
More Info: LANGSTON’s Black Futures Book Club
MONTLAKE TURKEY TROT
When & Where: Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 26, starting at East Lynn Street and 25th Avenue East, with a course through the Arboretum.
What to Expect: Start the day with a run or walk supporting the University District Food Bank. The Montlake Turkey Trot includes a timed 5K, children’s events, and an untimed walking option, giving households with different paces a few ways to participate.
Plan Your Visit: The 5K starts at 9 a.m., children’s events at 9:45 and 9:55 a.m., and the untimed walk at 10 a.m. Register for your chosen event and check current fees and packet-pickup instructions.
More Info: Montlake Turkey Trot
WINTERFEST AT SEATTLE CENTER
When & Where: November 27–December 31, Seattle Center Armory and grounds.
What to Expect: Thanksgiving weekend brings the return of Seattle Center’s Winter Train and Village, seasonal decorations, performances, and ice sculpting. Stop inside the Armory to explore the model village, follow the scavenger hunt, and watch the trains travel through the display.
Plan Your Visit: The train operates daily from 10 a.m.–6 p.m., with donations accepted. Check the schedule for individual performances and activities. The separately ticketed Seattle Christmas Market is a different attraction.
More Info: Seattle Center Winterfest
MAGIC IN THE MARKET
When & Where: Saturday, November 28, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Pike Place Market.
What to Expect: Spend Thanksgiving weekend at the Market with holiday choirs, cookie decorating, a scavenger hunt, and illuminated photo stops. The celebration finishes with the annual Market lighting ceremony, making this a good day to linger after shopping or meeting friends for a meal.
Plan Your Visit: Free Santa photos run from 11 a.m.–4 p.m., but you must enter the line by 3 p.m. Check the event schedule for the lighting ceremony and other activity times.
More Info: Magic in the Market
GEEKCRAFT EXPO
When & Where: November 28–29, Hangar 30 at Magnuson Park. The postcard highlights Sunday, November 29, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Saturday runs 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
What to Expect: Browse handmade goods inspired by games, comics, and other fandoms at this market of local crafters and makers. It’s an indoor Thanksgiving-weekend option for finding a personal gift or seeing what people are creating around the interests you share.
Plan Your Visit: Sunday advance admission is $2.10, with advance sales ending at noon on November 26. Full-price admission is $5 for ages 13 and older; children 12 and under enter free. A separate, limited-capacity pre-shopping session takes place Friday, November 27, 6–9 p.m.
More Info: GeekCraft Expo | Sunday Tickets
Found a plan for November? Send this guide to the person you’d like to go with. And if there’s a neighborhood event you think belongs on a future calendar, I’d love to hear about it.
Zac Lee | Seattle Real Estate Broker
Text me at 206-670-5544
