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No fishing license is required during Free Fishing Weekend. Photo: iStock
Parents, June has arrived. That means school will soon be out for summer, making it the perfect time to line up activities to fill your kids’ extra free time. Save your money for camps and classes because I’ve come up with the top 25 free things to do around Seattle in June. You’ll also want to celebrate Dad on his day, Pride Month, Juneteenth, and all the glorious sunshine with an outdoor fest, car show, beach walk or parade.
Note: Some activities require preregistration and can fill up quickly.
1. Story Time With Tom Toro: ‘Crocodiles Need Friends, Too!’
Date and time: Sunday, June 1, 11 a.m.–noon
Join award-winning Portland illustrator, Tom Toro, as he debuts his new picture book “Crocodiles Need Friends, Too!” at a humor-filled story time for readers of all ages.
2. Hip-Hop Dance Class
Date and time: Wednesdays, June 4 and 11, 3–5 p.m.
Looking for some new moves? Performance artist, Cipher Goings teaches various styles of hip-hop dance including house, street and funk, to 11–15-year-olds at the Miller Community Center. Call or stop in to register.
3. Free First Thursdays at Wing Luke Museum this summer
Date and time: June 5, 5–8 p.m.
Don’t miss this limited opportunity to check out the Wing Luke Museum when the first Thursday of the month is free from 5–8 p.m. through September. On June 5, you can join a listening and launch party celebrating current exhibitor Shin Yu’s podcast that accompanies her “Ten Thousand Things” display at the museum. Don’t forget, other museums are also free on First Thursdays year-round!
4. Sorticulture: Everett’s Garden Arts Festival
Date: Friday–Sunday, June 6–8
Everett’s three-day garden festival, Sorticulture, has something for everyone — including kids. While parents check out garden art, local plants and flowers, kids can decorate their own planter, take free art classes, join a story time and more.
5. Kidz Kraze Children’s Festival
Date and time: Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Calling all kids to come out and play! Join the community for a fun day packed with activities from arts and crafts and giant yard games, to bounce houses and resource booths.
6. Free Fishing Weekend
Date: Saturday–Sunday, June 7–8
Grab your rod and reel, head out to a lake near you and cast a line during Free Fishing Weekend when adults can fish without a fishing license (youth ages 14 and younger can always fish without a license). As a bonus, Washington State Parks has made this weekend free to visit as well, with no Discover Pass required to park.
7. Tacoma Trails Challenge
Date: June 7–30
Get moving and explore new corners of T-Town during the free and fun Tacoma Trails Challenge. Register, complete five challenges or log 25 miles, fill out the finisher form and enter to win prizes!
8. Youth Skateboard Clinic
Date and time: Wednesday, June 11, 3:30–5:30 p.m.
Meet at the skate court at Kenmore City Hall for a skateboarding clinic open to all genders, ages 5 and older, taught by Skate Like a Girl. Safety gear and equipment are provided.
9. Yoga Story Time
Date and time: Thursdays, June 12 and 26, 10:30–11:30 a.m.
Exercise the mind and body with your preschooler during an outdoor story time followed by yoga stretches and poses with a yoga instructor from Soul Lumos at the Sammamish Library.
10. Tiny Trailblazers
Date and time: Friday, June 13, 10–11 a.m.
Dress your tot for the weather and head out to the Lake Hills Greenbelt for plant and wildlife exploration along the trails, and stories and crafts with a park ranger. Preregister.
11. Seattle Dragon Boat Festival
Date and Time: Saturday, June 14, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Watch as teams paddle for victory at the Seattle Dragon Boat Festival on Lake Union and stay for cultural entertainment like taiko drumming, Filipino and Vietnamese dance performances and a lion dance. Fun activities for kids are planned too!
12. Burien Strawberry Days Festival
Date: Saturday–Sunday, June 14–15
It’s Father’s Day weekend, so treat him (and the whole fam) to a sweet time at the annual Strawberry Days Festival. Head to Burien Town Square Park for live music, a petting zoo, yummy strawberry delights and a kids area. Car buff dads will love checking out all types of autos from vintage to modern during the Sunday car show.
13. Alex Zerbe: ‘Gravity Catastrophe’ at the Shoreline Library
Date and time: Wednesday, June 18, 6:30–7:15 p.m.
Join the fun as juggling master Alex “The Zaniac” Zerbe teaches kids (and parents who flunked physics) about gravity by taunting it with his mad tornado of skills at the Shoreline Library.
14. Celebrate Juneteenth at NAAM
Date and time: Thursday, June 19, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Join Seattle’s Northwest African American Museum for a Juneteenth celebration featuring a family skate party at Judkins Park, Black artists market, all-ages STEM games, book giveaway, free museum admission and lots of family fun.
15. Seafair Kickoff Celebration
Date and time: Friday, June 20, 11 a.m.
It’s the first day of summer! Launch the season with a celebration kicking off the start of Seattle’s iconic summer-long tradition, Seafair. The party happens at Pier 62 and features live music, clowns, pirates, food trucks and more. Reserve your spot in advance.
16. Mount Baker Summer Festival
Date and time: Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
The lovely Mount Baker neighborhood is the site of this fun community fest featuring a kids’ bike parade (arrive early to decorate your ride), giant inflatables, local musicians, artisan vendors and more.
17. Rhubarb Days
Date: Saturday–Sunday, June 21–22
Head to Sumner, the Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World, for a taste of summer at a family-friendly fest for all. Rhubarb Days brings live music, a kids zone, local vendors and food trucks to the downtown area for a weekend of flavorful fun.
18. Auburn KidsDay
Date and time: Tuesday, June 24, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
School’s out, so gather all your friends and kick off your summer with live entertainment, inflatables, face painting, miniature golf and more at Les Gove Park.
19. Seahurst Beach Naturalists
Date: June 24–28
Spot marine critters during an extra-low tide morning along the beach at Seahurst Park. Naturalists will be on hand to help identify crabs, anemones, shellfish and other sea creatures that you’re likely to discover. Dates continue through July.
20. Summer Reading Launch Party with Louie Foxx
Date and time: Wednesday, June 25, 4:30–5:15 p.m.
Get ready to party because summer is here, and King County libraries are launching their summer reading programs at branches throughout the region. Catch a Louie Foxx magic show filled with stunts, laughs and mind-bending tricks at Southcenter Mall.
21. Big Truck Day
Date and time: Thursday, June 26, 10 a.m.–noon
Big rig fans can get their fill of heavy machinery and emergency vehicles at Snoqualmie’s Big Truck Day, where they can touch and sit in the equipment. The event will be sensory-friendly until 11:30 a.m. with horns honking until noon.
22. Motors & Movie Series at ACM
Date and time: Friday, June 27, 6:30–11 p.m.
Pack your lawn chairs and blankets and catch a family-friendly movie on the big screen at America’s Car Museum this summer. There will also be food trucks on-site, so you can make a night of it. The movie starts at sunset.
23. Family Bike Rodeo
Date and time: Saturday, June 28, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
It’s fun on two wheels for your whole crew at North SeaTac Park, where kids can cruise a bike course, learn about bicycle safety and get a free helmet while supplies last.
24. Seafair Pirates Landing
Date and time: Saturday, June 28, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
A summer staple in Seattle is the arrival of the Seafair Pirates. They will be storming Alki Beach in search of the key to the city. Bring the kids to experience this thrilling tradition that has been going on for over 70 years.
25. Seattle Pride Parade
Date and time: Sunday, June 29, 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Close out Pride Month with Washington’s largest parade, which starts at 11 a.m. at Westlake Park in downtown Seattle and travels along Fourth Avenue. The parade lasts roughly 2 1/2 hours and attracts more than 300,000 people each year.
More free activities for Seattle-area families: |
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in February 2024 and was most recently updated on May 27, 2025, to include 25 new, exciting free things to do in Seattle in June for families by ParentMap’s calendar editor, Julie Dodobara. Event dates, times and locations were cross-checked and verified by our editor.
