Seattle Center - Seattle, Washington - Cultural Hub and Gathering Place for the People of Seattle



Seattle Center is one of the nation's best gathering places. The venue produces quality entertainment programs that are free or of little charge to the community and hosts over 5,000 shows and events each year. Seattle Center is home to some of the finest culture, educational organizations, sports teams, festivals, community programs, and more.

The Seattle Center was the 1962 site built by the Century 21 Explosion and venue of the World's Fair. The International Fountain is located in the middle of campus and marks the remembrance of the World's Fair. This modernist water sculpture has programmed cycles of water shooting patterns, accompanied by music that is changed monthly. The music is chosen to coordinate with the various water patterns of the fountain.

There are six venues that can be rented for short-term use and ten cultural facilities. These theaters, rehearsal facilities, and museums allow resident organizations to present and display their art. The Center's 74 acre campus offers over 24 acres of wide open space accompanied with fountains, gardens, and parks.

Major festivals at Seattle Center that occur annually include Northwest Folk life, Bumbershoot, Bite of Seattle, Seattle International Children's Festival, and Safeco Insurance Festal. Every year on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Seattle Center awards several youth and youth organizations in the Puget Sound region its Peace Awards. The recognition is for those energizing the dream and ideal of the late Dr. King. A special choral ensemble, the MLK Mass Choir, performs and there are several excerpts from Dr. King's most famous speeches read.

One of the most popular Seattle Center events is the annual Comcast Bite of Seattle. The Northwest's premier food festival has become a summer tradition where visitors can get their fill of great restaurants, national and local entertainment, a comedy club, children's entertainment, cooking demonstrations, and much more. The Bite features over 100 food booths, 4 beer gardens, and 7 outdoor entertainment stages. The Perfect Portions at Perfect Prices event is a new offering at Seattle Center's The Bite, showcasing 6 of Seattle's finest restaurants that serve up-scale food with scaled-down portions for just $3.75.

Whether you live just up the street or the other side of the globe, Seattle Center has made it easy and convenient for you to get there. The Seattle Center Monorail can take you to the Center from downtown in 2 minutes. Fifteen Metro bus routes serve the Center from around the city, while easy access from both Interstate 5 and Highway 99 makes taking your car a cinch. To top it off, plentiful parking allows you to spend time enjoying the campus attractions, not searching for a spot.

The Center is dedicated to making their disabled patrons comfortable and they strive to make the event experience as "user friendly'' as possible. If you or a loved one require special services and auxiliary aids when visiting Seattle Center, contact Seattle Center customer service ten business days in advance to allow for personal assistance to be arranged. Parking facilities at the Center include designated stalls for people with disabilities.

Review, comment, or add new information about this topic:

Discuss Seattle, Washington (WA) on our hugely popular Washington forum.


City-data.com does not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of any information on this site.  Use at your own risk.
Some parts © 2024 Advameg, Inc.