Welcome Back Weeks return this fall; encourage visitors to Seattle
The city first introduced Welcome Back Weeks in July after the state reopened fully due to pandemic restrictions and closings. This time masks and proof of vaccination are required for all participants at every event.
Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a series of arts and cultural events this week in hopes of inviting more people to downtown. The city and its partners hope to help small businesses, arts and cultural organizations and creatives in the city center continue to recover from the pandemic.
This second iteration will include small business promotion in the Seattle neighborhoods in addition to the planned events.
“In July, we helped thousands of Seattle residents and visitors get it outside, support small businesses, and celebrate our incredible downtown core through Welcome Back Weeks,” Durkan said in a press release. “We want to maintain the momentum in September with Welcome Back events that present our resilient creatives as well as art and cultural organizations.”
In September, similar July Welcome Back Weeks events return, including free live music, happy hour meetups, and Welcome Back booths across town. But this month there’s a new attraction: the Westlake Park Roller Rink. The ice rink opens on September 4th and is free.
SEATTLE, WA – MARCH 15: A marquee at the Paramount Theater reads Closed for One Year, 3/11/20 – 3/11/21 on March 15, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. The entertainment and performing arts industries continue to suffer in the US as businesses remain closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. (Photo by Karen Ducey / Getty Images)
Karen Ducey / Getty Images
The first major September event of the Welcome Back Weeks will be held on September 10th at the Paramount Theater. Starting at 4pm, Borealis, A Festival of Light, has free, immersive light and sound exhibits designed specifically for the theater. There are four 35-minute performances throughout the evening, with breaks in between for appropriate cleaning measures. Complete proof of vaccination and mask is required to enter the theater. The world premiere at 4 p.m. is aimed at a younger audience, but there are no age limits or restrictions. Free tickets are available on the theater’s website.
On Saturday, September 18, the city is hosting a Black Lives Matter festival at City Hall Plaza. Legendary Children, a queer artist collective, will curate performances for the event. The festival will also host local black marketeers and culinary artists. The event will take place entirely outdoors, but full vaccination and mask evidence is required to participate.
“The background to the pandemic was the Black Lives movement. The focus is on the brilliance and creativity of blacks and the urgency to raise all black voices – trans, queer, unfamiliar, artists, carers, ”said Momma Nikki from Legendary Children.
On Sunday, September 19th, there will be a final celebration concert. Local Seattle artists will take the stage at the Mural Amphitheater in the Seattle Center at 2:00 p.m.
Byron Prather, left, and Tim Mushen of Beatles cover band Creme Tangerine perform at the Seattle Center’s Mural Amphitheater on Thursday, August 12, 2014. The band performed on the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ performance at the Seattle Center.JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM
“We believe the Mural Amphitheater is the perfect stage for the final concert of the city’s Welcome Back Weeks, and we are proud to host this event,” said Robert Nellams, director of the Seattle Center. “As the city’s first meeting point, the event heralds an exciting time for the Seattle Center with the opening of the Climate Pledge Arena in October and the return of arts, culture and community events this fall, both virtually and in person on the grounds. We invite the community to come by on the 19th, bring a blanket and mask, and enjoy the live music and each other. ”
You can find more information about the Welcome Back Week events and the city’s live music lineups online.
Welcome Back Weeks are part of the city’s Road-to-Recover plan, which is designed to encourage people to return to downtown Seattle.