Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12. We love any excuse to not only show appreciation for all the special moms in our lives, but also to bask in the attention of those who call us mom. And who could resist an excuse to get out of the house with (or without) the family?
From strolling through local gardens to indulging in special treats, our Mother’s Day roundup has everything you need for a weekend of celebrating. So start your day with a cup of coffee (that you don’t have to spend the morning reheating), and head out for an adventure this weekend.
Seattle-area Mother’s Day events for 2024
Mother’s Day Crafting at Northgate CC
Make a small arts and crafts arrangement for Mother’s Day and meet other local families.
Date: Friday, May 10, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
Location: Northgate Community Center
Cost: Free
Mother’s Day Card Making at KidiMu
Kids can create a meaningful card for mom at Kids Discovery Museum (KidiMu) before exploring other hands-on activities and opportunities for play.
Date: Friday–Saturday, May 10–11
Location: KidiMu, Kids Discovery Museum, Bainbridge Island
Cost: Included with admission; $8–$9 otherwise (children younger than 1 free)
MayFest at Lakewold Gardens
Enjoy a garden scavenger hunt, live music, lawn games, vendor wares and more. Kids will love special activities planned just for them. Book your tickets ahead of time to enjoy one day, a weekend or all three days of MayFest.
Date: Friday–Sunday, May 10–12, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Location: Lakewold Gardens, Lakewood
Cost: $20 adults; $10 ages 6–17; ages 5 and younger free
Kruckeberg Mother’s Day Plant Sale
If plants and flowers are her thing, don’t miss this annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale with specially sourced offerings of native shrubs and ferns, spring bulbs, houseplants and more!
Date: Friday–Sunday, May 10–12, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Location: Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, Shoreline
Cost: Free entry; items for purchase
Ballet Northwest Presents ‘Coppelia’
Mechanical dolls come to life in this romantic comedy put on by Ballet Northwest in Olympia. Kids and adults alike will love the beautiful music and detailed costumes.
Date: Friday–Sunday, May 10–12
Location: Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Olympia
Cost: $17–$38
Kids Plant for Mom’s Day
With the help of volunteers, little gardeners can pick a colorful pail and flowering plant, and then get their hands dirty creating a living bouquet for the special moms in their lives.
Date: Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Location: Edmonds Farmers Market
Cost: $10 donation for materials
Carnation Spring Market
Start a Mother’s Day garden with plant-starts, pick up handmade goods from local vendors or enjoy a hot slice of pizza at this spring market.
Date: Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Location: Carnation Farms
Cost: Free; items for purchase
A Day in the Life of Mama Birds at WET Science Center
Learn about what it takes to be a mama bird — from building a nest to launching a baby bird’s first flight — at this always-free science center.
Date: Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Location: WET Science Center, Olympia
Cost: Free
Edmonds Spring Fest
Celebrate your favorite moms at Edmonds Spring Fest with vendors, food trucks and plenty of Mother’s Day gift ideas.
Date: Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Location: Frances Anderson Center, Edmonds
Cost: Free; items for purchase
Mother’s Day Bling and Beads
Create your own jewelry this Mother’s Day at the Imagine Children’s Museum, where expert instructors will guide you through the process of bead-making. Space is limited, so book your spot early!
Date: Saturday, May 11, 10:30–11:30 a.m.
Location: Imagine Children’s Museum, Everett
Cost: $20–$25 per adult/child pair
Mother’s Day Train Rides
Climb aboard a 1920s dining car for a river-view train excursion this Mother’s Day. You can splurge on a brunch or dessert dining experience, or opt for just the views with indoor or outdoor seating.
Date: Saturday, May 11, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
Location: Chehalis-Centralia Railroad
Cost: $18–$75, depending on outdoor seating or meal selection
Mother’s Day Weekend at Kirkland Urban
Keep the kids busy with free crafts, a balloon artist, and face painting at this neighborhood shopping center.
Date: Saturday, May 11, noon–3 p.m.
Location: Kirkland Urban
Cost: Free
16th Annual Pike Place Market Flower Festival
This year’s Flower Festival will include more than 30 tents featuring local farmers selling bouquets of their best blooms. Enjoy live music as you make your selections.
Date: Saturday–Sunday, May 11–12, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Location: Pike Place Market, Seattle
Cost: Free to browse; flowers for purchase
Mother’s Day Weekend in the Garden
Take a beautiful outing to the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden and experience the blooms at their peak. Food trucks will be on hand so you can enjoy a delicious picnic lunch on the patio.
Date: Saturday–Sunday, May 11–12, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Location: Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, Federal Way
Cost: $10 adults; $7 senior and students; ages 12 and younger free
Peony Festival
Visit the Seattle Chinese Garden to take in the sight of peonies in full bloom and the sounds of live music. You will also find crafts for kids, demonstrations and performances.
Date: Saturday–Sunday, May 11–12, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Location: Seattle Chinese Garden
Cost: Donations welcome
Olympia Wooden Boat Fair
Head toward the water and check out wooden boats of all vintages and sizes displayed throughout Percival Landing. There will also be arts and crafts booths and a boat-building activity for kids (Saturday only).
Date: Saturday–Sunday, May 11–12
Location: Percival Landing, Olympia
Cost: Free
Baby Animals and Blooms Days at Maris Farms
Book tickets to enjoy a day on the farm during Maris Farms’ final weekend of its spring celebration. There is something for the whole family to enjoy, including a tulip field, big and baby critters, fun activities for kids and tasty treats for all.
Date: Saturday–Sunday, May 11–12, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Location: Maris Farms, Buckley
Cost: Adult $18; child $16 (online); ages 2 and younger free
BonsaiFest!
Treat your special mom to the company of hundreds of beautiful bonsai at the height of spring bloom. Watch demonstrations, talk to artists, tour the collection and enjoy kids activities.
Date: Saturday–Sunday, May 11–12, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Location: Pacific Bonsai Museum, Federal Way
Cost: Free; donations welcome
Mother’s Day Weekend Train Rides
The whole family will enjoy a scenic train ride through the upper Snoqualmie Valley to view beautiful Snoqualmie Falls. Book tickets in advance to depart from either the Snoqualmie or North Bend depot.
Date: Saturday–Sunday, May 11–12, departures at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Location: Snoqualmie or North Bend
Cost: $40 adult; $20 children 2–12 years; free for children younger than 2
Family Support Center Mother’s Day 5K
The whole family (pets included!) can walk, run or stroll this 5k, celebrating moms and raising funds for local families.
Date: Sunday, May 12, 8–11 a.m.
Location: Hands on Children’s Museum, Olympia
Cost: $30 preregistered or $40 day of; kids run is free
Mother’s Day Paddle
Book your spots now and treat mom to some quality time with the fam out on the waters of Commencement Bay. Launch your kayaks from the south end of Foss Waterway and experience the Tacoma skyline from a different perspective while you take in all the sights and sounds of this working waterway. Ages 10 and older.
Date: Sunday, May 12, 9 a.m.–noon
Location: Foss Waterway, Tacoma
Cost: $45
Visit Morse Wildlife Preserve
Explore the trails throughout 90 acres of preserved wildlife habitat. Mom will enjoy the serene, natural habitat as she learns about the open prairie and forest and spots local birds and mammals.
Date: Sunday, May 12, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Location: Morse Wildlife Preserve, Graham
Cost: Free
Nature’s Nurturers: Mother’s Day at IslandWood
For the mom that loves the outdoors, IslandWood offers 6 miles of trails with the soothing sounds of nature. The Mother’s Day brunch includes a delightful smorgasbord for the whole family, followed by outdoor activities that offer a closer look at how wild animal moms nurture and raise their young. Tickets are on sale through May 7, so reserve your spot soon!
Date: Sunday, May 12, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Location: IslandWood, Bainbridge Island
Cost: $50 for teens and adults; $18 for ages 4–12; ages 3 and younger are free; preregister
Free Admission for Moms at Cougar Mountain Zoo
Spend a day at the zoo, learning about wildlife with themed lectures and enrichments. Admission is free for moms.
Date: Sunday, May 12, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Location: Cougar Mountain Zoo, Issaquah
Cost: Mothers are free; $13–$16 for others; ages 1 and younger are free
Free Admission for Moms at Briscot Farms
Visit cute baby animals, snap photos for Instagram and bounce around for the day at Briscot Farms, all while scoping out the small family-owned farm’s many updates.
Date: Sunday, May 12, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Location: Briscot Farms, Kent
Cost: $10 per person; moms are free
Mother’s Day Snuggle Sesh
Surprise mom with a snuggle session at Plucky Palomino Petting Zoo, where she can cuddle with baby lambs, piglets and bunnies.
Date: Sunday, May 12, noon–1 p.m.
Location: Plucky Palomino Petting Zoo, North Bend
Cost: $25 adult; $15 child (ages 2–17 years)
Mother’s Day with the Mariners
Take her out to the ballgame! The Mariners play the Oakland Athletics this Mother’s Day, with fun at the stadium planned for the whole family. Plus, the first 10,000 moms (21+) will receive a Mariners crossbody bag.
Date: Sunday, May 12, 1:10–4 p.m.
Location: T-Mobile Park, Seattle
Cost: Starting at $15
Family Day at Seattle Opera: ‘The Barber of Seville’
The whole family will be thrilled to see “The Barber of Seville,” a play filled with hijinks and matchmaking. Student-focused activities before the show and a Youth Lounge at intermission will keep teens happy.
Date: Sunday, May 12, 2–5 p.m.
Location: McCaw Hall, Seattle
Cost: Starting at $20 (students aged 18 and younger)
Mother’s Day Family Dueling Pianos Live Show!
Sing along as a family to Disney and top 40 hits at this interactive dueling pianos show. Food and drinks will be available, and you can preorder a bouquet of flowers, or splurge on a bottle of champagne and juice flight for “mom-osas.”
Date: Sunday, May 12, 3–5 p.m.
Location: Ocean5, Gig Harbor
Cost: $25–$40
Mother’s Day Improv Comedy Show
Celebrate with a good laugh this Mother’s Day. Gather your mom squad for a night of off-the-cuff comedy about the joys (and horrors) of parenthood. Plus, all moms get half-price tickets.
Date: Sunday, May 12, 7–8:15 p.m.
Location: Unexpected Productions, Seattle
Cost: $20; moms are half price with discount code IMAMOM
More ways to honor moms on Mother’s Day |
Editor’s note: The article was originally published in 2017 and is updated every year to include new activities and events for Mother’s Day in Seattle. It was most recently updated in May 2024. Over the years, Tiffany Doerr Guerzon, Devon Hammer and Julie Dodobara have contributed to this article.
