The words “Seattle in January” can call up images of rain, gray skies and chilly days spent huddled at home by the fire. Don't be fooled, though, as even in January you can discover a variety of things to do in Seattle. Whether your interests lie in outdoor recreation, cultural events, musical performances or sporting events, activities abound in this Pacific Northwest city. Just make sure you don’t forget your raincoat, because chances are high that you will need it.
Take a run and a tooth-chattering splash at the annual Resolution Run 5K and Polar Bear Dive. Held every New Year’s Day at Magnuson Park, this event drew over 1,700 participants in 2010. Participants can run or walk the 3.1-mile course, then choose to finish with an icy dip off a boat ramp into Lake Washington just before the finish line. The faint of heart can opt out of the swim.
Resolution Run 5K and Polar Bear Dive
Magnuson Park
7400 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
206-729-9972
clubnorthwest.org
Football fans won’t want to miss Sunday afternoon football at Seattle’s Qwest Field. The Seattle Seahawks often play home games in January. If the team is away, join Seahawks fans at the Sport Restaurant and Bar in the Queen Anne neighborhood. With almost 40 televisions playing exclusively sports channels, the Seahawks game is sure to be on.
Qwest Field
800 Occidental Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98134
425-827-9777
seahawks.com
Sport Restaurant and Bar
140 4th Avenue N
Seattle, WA 98109
206-404-7767
sportrestaurant.com
Every January, the Seattle Boat Show fills the floor of Qwest Field with hundreds of motorboats, sailboats, paddle boats and marine products. Watch demonstrations, tour the latest watercraft, pick up some free samples or buy a new boat just in time for spring. The show runs for nine days.
Seattle Boat Show
Qwest Field
800 Occidental Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98134
206-634-0911
seattleboatshow.com
The Seattle Symphony presents the Celebrate Asia! concert each January. Held in downtown Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, the symphony and visiting guest performers play Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Indian and Western musical selections to honor Seattle’s large Asian community. Enjoy performances by Grammy-award-winning musicians, dances and Japanese koto presentations.
Seattle Symphony
Benaroya Hall Music Center
200 University Street
Seattle, WA 98101
206-215-4800
seattlesymphony.org
The Seattle International Film Festival, or SIFF, presents the SIFF Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival each January. Watch a juried collection of animated and live-action short films, all with a science fiction or fantasy theme, and vote for your favorite. According to the festival guidelines, filmmakers are encouraged to present “submissions that step outside the boundaries of reality and inspire a sense of wonder.”
Seattle International Film Festival
400 9th Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
206-464-5830
siff.net
