Join us in celebrating our community's arts & culture 365 days a year.
Crossroads Cultural Arts Series: En Canto
January 19 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM | Crossroads Bellevue Market Stage
Brazilian Social Dance Band
A Seattle-based multi-ethnic, female-led six-piece formed in 2011, En Canto’s world pop music—a combination of forró, samba, and choro-inspired originals and reimagined covers of classic Brazilian hits. Playing primarily in North America venues, En Canto currently channels its fierce independence into challenging stereotypes while also helping audiences expand their comfort zones.
Movin’ Around the World: Winter
February 16-22 | 11 AM - 2:30 PM | Seattle Center Armory
Experience the cultures of the world through seeing and doing! Through a unique combination of performance and interactive lessons, you can fully immerse yourself in the variety of folk customs and cultures of the Seattle region. Presented during the week of Seattle Public Schools’ winter break, music, dance, and hands-on activities will be available that celebrate the diversity and traditions of Our Big Neighborhood with a new focus each day.
Crossroads Cultural Arts Series: Barleywine Revue
February 16 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM | Crossroads Bellevue Market Stage
Red-Hot Tacoma Bluegrass
Tacoma-based band Barleywine Revue, formed in January 2010, writes and performs contemporary, relevant bluegrass and Americana music while paying homage to traditional bluegrass. Each member brings a unique blend of backgrounds and influences to writing songs, taking leads, and adding harmonies, keeping the band’s sound fresh and dynamic. In 2016 Barleywine Revue released its third CD, T-Town Hoedown. The members are Forest Beutel on banjo, Kevin Shintaku on bass, Kyle Kubler on mandolin, Julie Campbell on fiddle, and Gen Obata on guitar.
Crossroads Cultural Arts Series: Bunny Holiday and the Highball Boys
March 16 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM | Crossroads Bellevue Market Stage
Vintage Swing and Blues
Bunny Holiday began assembling her crack team of swing musicians in 2013. All of them veterans of other area dance bands, the band came together with the goal of creating a new experience for dancers while recreating the sound of vintage swing bands. Led by their chanteuse Bunny Holiday, the group combines her silky voice with the warmth of accordion and string instruments to make an irresistible musical blend.
Movin’ Around the World: Spring
April 6-12 | 11 AM - 2:30 PM | Seattle Center Armory
Experience the cultures of the world through seeing and doing! Through a unique combination of performance and interactive lessons, you can fully immerse yourself in the variety of folk customs and cultures of the Seattle region. Presented during the week of Seattle Public Schools’ spring break, music, dance, and hands-on activities will be available that celebrate the diversity and traditions of Our Big Neighborhood with a new focus each day.
Crossroads Cultural Arts Series: Waterbound
April 20 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM | Crossroads Bellevue Market Stage
Fierce Americana Celtic Roots
Waterbound is the Celtic/Roots duo of Steve Akerman (mostly mandolins) and Mimi Geibel (mostly autoharps). While seemingly Celtic, it’s without fiddles or pipes; a kaleidoscope of shimmering notes from an evening in Lothlórien or Cair Paravel. There’s also Americana; a musical mixture of bluegrass, folk, swing, Swedish, Canadian and fiddle tunes, with a few vocals thrown in. Sometimes their vertical medleys combine them. The combination is a lovely blend of the most appealing melodies you’ll hope to hear. Music binds them together as they met in a Folklife band and married at an autoharp festival!
Crossroads Cultural Arts Series: Balkanarama
May 18 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM | Crossroads Bellevue Market Stage
Southeast European Party Music
Balkanarama plays high-energy dance songs from Southeastern Europe: Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania and Greece. Their repertoire includes many songs of the Rom people (no longer called Gypsies) living in those countries. The Seattle-based quintet includes alto sax, clarinet, keyboard, drums and bass, with four vocalists. They have performed since 1997 at concerts, festivals, nightclubs, dance events, weddings and other celebrations in the Pacific Northwest, including many appearances at Northwest Folklife, and have released three CDs.
48th Annual Northwest Folklife Festival
May 24-27 | Seattle Center
Presenting more than 5,000 performers, the Festival draws from the 100+ cultural communities that Northwest Folklife collaborates with year-round. The festival is more than a celebration of the diversity of the Pacific Northwest, it’s a chance to engage directly with the many communities that make up our region. The Northwest Folklife Festival is our key annual event bringing up to 250,000 people over four days to the Seattle Center.
Crossroads Cultural Arts Series: Anjali Music School
June 15 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM | Crossroads Bellevue Market Stage
Indian Instrumental Orchestral Music
Anjali Music School was founded in 2007 by Anjali Joshi, who is well known in the Seattle area as a solo Santoor artist and teaches different instruments to adults and children. Anjali has been teaching music since 2002 and has given numerous workshops on music theme; worked as a judge on musical competitions and has published her album series “Instrumental Melodies”. Anjali Joshi is a software engineer by profession, but music will always remain her passion.
Global Playground
August 3, 10, & 17 | 4 PM - 7 PM | Seattle Center Artists at Play
The perfect urban summertime activity, Global Playground mixes cultural connectivity with outdoor play. Set in Seattle’s most unique playground, this series celebrates outdoor fun through coordinated playground games and interactive dance and movement workshops rooted in cultural traditions. Local bands will provide a musical backdrop to keep you moving, playing, and learning!
Seattle Children’s Festival
September 21 - 22 | Seattle Center Armory & Fisher Pavilion
Seattle Children’s Festival is a full weekend for the whole family to play, dance, sing, learn, and try something new! All are invited to this intergenerational celebration of the dynamic arts, cultures, and traditions that thrive here in the greater Pacific Northwest community with five stages of lively performances, three ‘Discovery Zones’ packed with hands-on activities, interactive dance workshops, multicultural arts and crafts, and more!
Our Big Neighborhood at Winterfest
November 29 | Seattle Center Armory
Continuing the tradition of Seattle Center’s Winterfest, Northwest Folklife will support the initial launch event with student and cultural performances and activities. This is the perfect event to help usher in the holiday season!
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