Photo:
Aryon Jones plays a Downtown Summer Sounds free show.
The kids are out of school, the tots are underfoot, you've got to get out of the house! Luckily, a Northwest summer delivers as just about every town in our region offers a family entertainment series to give you loads of destination options for nearly every day of the week.
Best of all? The concerts and performances are in local parks and they're almost all free. Show up, sing along, play, dance or roll out a blanket and have a picnic.
Did we miss a great series? Email calendar@parentmap.com to let us know, and check out our full list of South Sound-area free summer concerts and performances.
Seattle-area outdoor concerts and performances:
Concerts at the Locks, Ballard
We can’t think of a prettier place to hang on a summer afternoon than what is popularly known as the Ballard Locks. On weekends and some holidays, enjoy concerts at 2 p.m. that include jazz and big band. Highlights include Batucada on Aug. 10.
Details: Saturdays, Sundays and most holidays, June 1–Sept. 2, 2 p.m. Free.
Location: Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, 3015 N.W. 54th St., Seattle.
Music in the Mini Park, Lake City
Build Lake City Together and Lake City Arts and Culture present this newer series of outdoor concerts at the Lake City Mini Park. Bring your own chair if you'd like to sit! All concerts start at 5:30 p.m.
Details: Wednesdays, June 12–Aug. 14, 6:30 p.m. Free.
Location: Lake City Mini Park, 12359 Lake City Way N.E., Seattle.
Seattle Peace Concerts, Seattle
Every other weekend, a different park will feature an eclectic concert on select Sundays, noon–6 p.m. in this music series that’s been going strong in Seattle since 1981. Donate online to help keep this entirely volunteer program running.
Details: Every other Sunday, June 30–Sept. 22, noon–6 p.m. Free, food bank donations encouraged. Location: various city parks.
Downtown Summer Sounds, downtown Seattle
Formerly known as "Out to Lunch," this series provides free live music at various locations around downtown Seattle. All take place on select weekdays at noon, and conclude between 1 and 1:30 p.m. Performances aren’t geared specifically toward kids, but it’s a great excuse to explore the downtown core. The venue list has continued to grow this year! Full lineup here.
Details: Tuesday–Friday, July 9–Aug. 2, then Wednesday–Friday, Aug. 7–23. All performances begin at noon. Free.
Location: Various downtown Seattle spots.
Summer Concerts in the Park, Shoreline
Eclectic music, plus one Shakespeare theater performance, at various parks, rain or shine.
Details: Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. (except the July 17 performance which begins at 7 p.m.), July 10–Aug. 21. Free.
Location: Animal Acres Park, Richmond Beach Community Park, Cromwell Park, Kruckeberg Botanic Garden.
Summer at SAM at Olympic Sculpture Park, downtown Seattle
Summer at SAM's free Thursday evening program at Olympic Sculpture Park includes live music plus food trucks and kids' art activities, 6–8 p.m. Bonus: On Saturdays, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., head to the Sculpture Park for two kinds of yoga, Zumba, open-studio art activities and public tours. All welcome and classes are free.
Details: Thursdays, 6–8 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., July 11–Aug. 22. Free.
Location: Olympic Sculpture Park, 2901 Western Ave., Seattle.
KEXP Concerts at the Mural, Seattle Center
Although these shows aren’t necessarily kindie rock, they do draw plenty of families and offer lots of space for kids to let loose and dance.
Details: Fridays, 5 p.m., August 2–23. Free.
Location: Mural Amphitheater at Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St, Seattle.
ZooTunes at Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle
These concerts aren't free but your kids are. One of the best things about ZooTunes concerts is the bonus: One kid age 12 and under gets in free with every purchased adult ticket (note: you must add child tickets to your order when purchasing). There are also lots of kids' activities and carousel rides available. Highlights include the Indigo Girls, The B52s and A Flock of Seagulls!
Details: June 16–Aug. 28. Ticket prices vary (one kid free per adult ticket purchase).
Location: Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle.
Eastside outdoor concerts and performances:
Kirkland Summer Concerts: kids' series
Pack up the kids and head to wonderful Juanita Beach Park Tuesdays at 10 a.m. this summer. This park features wetland trails, bike paths, beach and playground. Don't miss kindie faves Recess Monkey (July 23); The Not-Its! (Aug. 13) and Caspar Babypants (Aug. 20).
Details: Tuesdays, July 9–Aug. 20, 10 a.m. Free.
Location: Juanita Beach Park, 9703 N.E. Juanita Dr., Kirkland.
Kirkland Summer Concerts: evening series
Enjoy music at this popular waterfront park on Thursday evenings. Performers include Creme Tangerine (fabulously-named Beatles cover band), West Coast Feed and, for the Tom Petty lovers, Petty Differences.
Details: Thursdays, July 11–Aug. 22, 7–8:30 p.m., Free.
Location: Marina Park, 25 Lakeshore Plaza Drive, Kirkland.
Kids First!, Sammamish
Explore various parks in Sammamish and enjoy a variety of entertainment aimed at the toddler through elementary-age crowd on Tuesdays, 1–2 p.m. in summer.
Details: Tuesdays, July 9–Aug. 13, 1–2 p.m., Free.
Location: Various Sammamish parks.
Concerts in the Park, Sammamish
Enjoy free outdoor concerts on Thursdays at Pine Lake Park. Bring your own picnic or purchase hamburgers from The People's Burger and ice cream from the Sammamish Kiwanis. Parking is extremely limited at the park and fills up during the day. A free shuttle runs between the South Sammamish Park and Ride and Pine Lake Park before and after the concert.
Details: Thursdays, July 11–Aug. 15, 6:30–8 p.m. Free.
Location: Pine Lake Park, 228th and S.E. 24th St., Sammamish.
Mostly Music in the Park, Mercer Island
Cajun, world, jazz, rock and country perform Thursdays, with pre-concert entertainment starting at 6 p.m., live music at 7 p.m. at Mercerdale Park on Mercer Island. Pre-concert activities include hands-on artmaking, lawn games and more!
Details: Thursdays, July 11–Aug. 15, 6–8 p.m. Free.
Location: Mercerdale Park, 77th Ave. S.E. and S.E. 23rd St., Mercer Island.
Marymoor Park Concert Series, Redmond
These concerts are not free — expect typical concert prices — but you can pack a picnic and take the kids. Catch new kid-fave JoJo Siwa or '80s balladeer Lionel Richie, among others.
Details: Select dates June 29–Sept. 8. Ticket prices vary.
Location: Marymoor Park, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy. N.E., Redmond.
North Sound outdoor concerts and performances:
Music at the Marina, Everett
Sit by the water and enjoy free entertainment Thursdays and Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. Pooches are welcome and you can grab dinner from a food truck or adjacent Italian restaurant.
Details: Thursday evenings, June 28–Aug. 30, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Free; but new this year is a $2 cash-only parking fee.
Location: Port Gardner Landing, 1700 W. Marine View Dr., Everett.
Marysville Children’s Concerts, Marysville
Pack a picnic and enjoy popular children’s entertainers on select Wednesdays at noon in Jennings Memorial Park.
Details: Wednesdays, July 10, July 24 and Aug. 7, noon–1 p.m. Free.
Location: Jennings Memorial Park, 6915 Armar Road, Marysville.
Everett Children’s Series, Everett
This popular children’s series spotlights performers on Thursday mornings at Thornton A. Sullivan Park. Shows include popular kindie bands like Caspar Babypants (Aug. 15), The Not-Its! (July 11), Recess Monkey (July 18) and Eric Herman and the Thunder Puppies (Aug. 22).
Details: Thursdays, July 11–Aug. 22, 10–11 a.m. Free.
Location: Thornton A. Sullivan Park, 11405 Silver Lake Road, Everett.
Summer Concerts in the Park, Edmonds
Edmonds presents free, accessible concerts, all summer long on three days at two locations: Sundays, 3–4 p.m. at City Park, Tuesdays, 12:30–1:30 p.m. at Hazel Miller Plaza, and Thursdays, 5–6:30 p.m. at Hazel Miller Plaza. Expect various styles of music, a Shakespeare performance (July 21), physical comedy and more. See the full lineup here. (Be sure to bring suits or dry clothes for the City Park spray park.)
Details: Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, July 14–Aug. 25.
Location: Edmonds City Park, Third Ave. S. and Pine Street and Hazel Miller Plaza, Fifth Ave S. & Maple Street. Free.
Sounds of Summer Concert Series, Marysville
Marysville hosts a series of fun bands in Jennings Memorial Park on Fridays 7 p.m. this summer.
Details: Fridays, July 12–Aug, 9, 7 p.m. Free.
Location: Jennings Memorial Park, 6915 Armar Road, Marysville.
Editor's notes: This article was most recently updated in 2019. Kris Collingridge, Lauren Valencia and ParentMap staff contributed to this article.
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