Eating, shopping, and sports generally make up the Thanksgiving weekend holiday, and there’s plenty of that to do this year. The brand new Seattle Christmas Market at Seattle Center will serve traditional apple drinks and European fare alongside rows of holiday markets. Meanwhile, Black Black Friday encourages Seattle shoppers to support local Black-owned businesses with a generous discount backed by BECU. And on the sports end, we’ve got Seahawks and Kraken to choose from, along with a string of turkey trots around the region. But that’s just scratching the surface. Let’s get into some of the things to do this long weekend.
Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers @ Lumen Field
📸: NFL
📅 Thursday, November 23rd (Thanksgiving Day!)
⏰ Kickoff @ 5:20 pm
📍 Lumen Field: 800 Occidental Ave S, Seattle
The most delicious thing this Thanksgiving won’t be a basted turkey or garlic mashed potatoes or a slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top. No, it’ll be packing into Lumen Field and hanging around a bunch of strangers and cheering on the Seahawks as loud as you possibly can. Because that’s America, baby. Live and in color.
For the Hawks’ first home game on Turkey Day in the franchise’s history, they’ll be going up against the San Francisco 49ers, their NFC West division rivals. As I write this in late October, the teams hold the top two spots in the division, respectively; the Hawks are at 4-2, getting by after a bummer of a season-starting upset, while the Niners at 5-2 have been on a remarkable hot streak and have only lost two regular season games since October 23rd, 2022.
But really, there’s still plenty of season to go, and anything can happen. And that’s what makes this Thanksgiving primetime game the hottest ticket of the month. As the weather turns cold, it’s gearing up to be a great battle of the running backs, so expect big moves from Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III on our end and golden boy Christian McCaffrey keeping SF afloat.
Game starts at 5:20, so fill your belly up with good food, be blessed by your turkey’s wishbone, then put on your branded beanie and head to SoDo.
🖊 MARCUS GORMAN
Sumo + Sushi @ WAMU Theatre
Not your average Thanksgiving weekend 🍱
📸: Sumo + Sushi
📆 Friday, November 24th – Sunday, November 26th
⏰ Various times
📍 WAMU Theater: 800 Occidental Ave S, Seattle
🎟 $75+
Sumo + Sushi is just as straightforward and entertaining as the title suggests. For a couple of nights in cities along the West Coast, crowds will convene to chow down on sushi as experienced, talented sumo wrestlers spar in the ring with one another and reveal the traditions of the 1,500-year-old sport. And during Thanksgiving weekend, the experience is coming to Seattle to teach us a thing or two about sumo.
The evening is hosted by venerated Hawaiian retired wrestler Konishiki, the first non-Japanese wrestler to reach the status of ōzeki, the second-highest rank in sumo. He’ll preside over the event, educating the audience about sumo’s history, rules, and culture and answering crowd questions. It’s not an actual tournament, but there will be 12 live wrestling matches featuring six sumo wrestlers of different ranks: Tououyama, Somayama, Kirinowaka, Chiyonoshin, Ayanoumi, and Takagenji.
As for the sushi portion of the evening, Sumo + Sushi will enlist a local (and currently unannounced) sushi restaurant to provide bento boxes for the evening. There are several ticket options to choose from depending on how much you want to drop—you can get viewing-only tickets (starting around $75, depending on which day you go), get sushi and the show tickets (starting around $140), ball out with sushi and have front row seats (starting around $275) or watch the proceedings from the VIP Sky Suite (starting around $350). Dealer’s choice!
🖊 JAS KEIMIG
Where to Shop on Black Black Friday 🎁
The Intentionalist and BECU have teamed up to create a Black Black Friday event in Seattle, where shoppers are encouraged to make a big impact for local Black-owned businesses on Black Friday. As part of the program, the team has created the first Black Black Friday card, which lets shoppers receive a 20% discount backed by BECU.
Here are some places to shop, but check out the full list of featured businesses here.
🎁 Noir Lux Candle Co.
🎁 Boon Boona Coffee
🎁 Umami Kushi
🎁 Central Cafe & Juice Bar
🎁 Rabecca Onassis Boutique
Seattle Christmas Market @ Seattle Center
📸: Seattle Christmas Market
📆 Friday, November 24th – Sunday, December 24th
⏰ Open daily
📍Seattle Center: South Fountain Lawn and Fisher Pavilion
🎟 $16+
Nothing says Christmas cheer quite like a monthlong Christmas market!
From the brains behind the Vancouver Christmas Market, the new Seattle Christmas Market is setting up shop at the Fisher Pavilion and South Fountain Lawn in the Seattle Center this year. Inspired by holiday markets in Germany and Europe, this daily market brings together local artists and Christmas-themed entertainment for all to get their Christmas kicks. When announcing the festival, organizers called the Seattle Christmas Market a “true feast for the senses” with tons of Xmas decor, handmade wares, food, and a one-of-a-kind “Christmas Pyramid” unique to Seattle.
Once you buy your ticket for a timeslot entry, you’re free to peruse 60 artisan huts filled with handmade items—everything from Genna Fong’s fiber ornaments to jars of fermented veggies from Skagit Valley’s Junebug Ferments. You’ll get the whole German experience with food vendors selling Glühwein (spiced mulled wine) in the Christmas pyramid, warm pretzels, craft German beer, crispy schnitzel, and–of course!—bratwurst with hot German mustard.
Your time isn’t just limited to food and gifts. There’ll be an included Christmas Carousel for you and your family (over the age of 2!) to take a whirl on, a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree adorned with 50,000 lights you can walk underneath, a sparkling Lovers’ Lane to sneak a little kiss under the mistletoe, and a place to snap a pic with ol’ St. Nick. If you’ve had enough Glühwein, perhaps you’ll have the courage to attempt your own version of “All I Want for Christmas is You” at their holiday karaoke party.
Go forth and immerse yourself in Christmas fun! Or Frohe Weihnachten, as they say in Germany!
🖊 JAS KEIMIG
A Very Die Hard Christmas @ Seattle Public Theatre
📸: Die Hard
📆 Saturday, November 25th – Wednesday, December 20th
📍 Seattle Public Theater: 7312 West Green Lake Dr N, Seattle
🎟 $29+
In the battle for best Christmas movie (going up against It’s a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, and Elf) is an action film starring NYC detective John McClane, played by Bruce Willis. Taking place in the wee hours before Santa’s sleigh arrives, the validity of whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie is a hotly contested topic—but if you fall on the yay side of the debate, put a date inside your advent calendars to see A Very Die Hard Christmas.
Taking place annually at Seattle Public Theater, this sketch comedy-style musical parody was written by Jeff Schell and the local comedy troupe The Habit, a group that spoofs other film classics like Titanic and Indiana Jones. This production brings back ’80s hair and humor in a big way. And remember, it’s a musical. So: CHRISTMAS! ACTION! COMEDY! MUSIC! If your family’s holiday tradition revolves more around the takeover of an LA tower than carving a turkey, so what? If you think about it, Home Alone follows similar themes—taking down the bad guys and family reunification.
(FYI: This show has become a tradition for many in Seattle, so it often sells out. However, single seats are usually available.)
🖊 PATHERESA WELLS
12 More Things to Do During Turkey Weekend 🦃
🥘 Turkey Trot @ Magnuson Park
🥘 Little Women @ Seattle Rep
🥘 50 Years of SIFF @ SIFF Cinema Egyptian
🥘 A Two-Way Mirror @ The Museum of Glass
🥘 Harry Potter: Magic at Play @ The Shops at The Bravern
🥘 Beautiful: The Carol King Musical @ Village Theatre
🥘 WildLanterns @ Woodland Park Zoo
🥘 MariPili at Café Frieda @ Frye Art Museum
🥘 Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship Festival
🥘 Seattle Kraken vs. Vancouver Canucks @ Climate Pledge Arena
🥘 Magic in the Market @ Pike Place Market
🥘 George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker @ McCaw Hall
Bizarre Bazaar Holiday Market @ Georgetown Trailer Park Mall
📸: Georgetown Trailer Park Mall
📆 Saturday, November 25th
⏰ 11 am – 6 pm
📍Georgetown Trailer Park Mall: 5805 Airport Way S, Seattle
🎟 Free to attend
The Georgetown Trailer Park Mall is a delicious treasure in the glorious Georgetown neighborhood. Founded in 2010, nine local vendors open the doors to their vintage travel trailers every weekend for a sustainably run market of handcrafted goods, quirky wares, and genuinely scrumptious cookies. Unsurprisingly, their holiday market is equally strange, peppy fun.
The Bizarre Bazaar Holiday Market is now back for its lucky 13th year and ready to have every visitor ho-ho-hoing their way through the holiday season. In this edition of the Bizarre Bazaar, there will be over 45 local artists and makers on-site vending their high-quality crafts as well as live music, cookies courtesy of Lowrider Cookies, and loads of coffee and hot chocolate. Pick up a couple of ornaments, why dontcha? Or perhaps some cool stationery from Get Lost Darling? Or find a unique ‘fit at Third Wave Mercantile for your holiday parties? Engage however you’d like—just don’t forget to take a Christmas picture with Mrs. Klaus, divorcée. She’s been through a lot!
🖊 JAS KEIMIG
Winter Market @ Seattle Rep
📸: Euni + Co
📆 Saturday, November 25th @ 4:30 – 7:30 pm
📆 Sunday, December 3rd @ 2:30 – 5:30 pm
📍Seattle Rep lobby: 155 Mercer St, Seattle
🎟 Tickets to the matinee or evening performances of Little Womenon these dates are required for entry
Ever wanted to live in the world of Little Women, to traipse around Massachusetts of old and celebrate the holidays in true March Sisters fashion? You won’t be able to achieve that 100%, but you can get awfully close with Seattle Rep’s Winter Market in the theatre company’s lobby on two separate dates.
Tickets to either the matinee or evening performances of Little Women are required for entry, but playwright Kate Hamill’s vibrant adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic is already a perfect holiday outing for you and your family. So before or after you witness Jo March come into her own amidst the backdrop of 19th-century New England, have a grand time with several local vendors who promise to enliven your holiday season. Here are some businesses you can expect at this corner of the Seattle Center.
🎁 Need to brighten up your home with art, paper goods, and home décor? Check out euni + co. (only at the November market), the monarq, and Raquel Garcia’s trademark brand of shadow boxes.
🎁 Did you love the haberdashery you saw onstage? Seattle Rep’s own costumer Brent Roberts runs the Elsewhere Saint Hat Company, and he’ll make sure you cover your head with ultimate panache.
🎁 How about something to imbibe? The women-led and owned The Tea Heaven has you covered on Chai, Darjeeling, and the like, and it’s always a good time for some Theo Chocolates.
🎁 Finally, it’s not Little Women without a love of literature, so all you bookworms big and small should swing by the Secret Garden Books booth.
🖊 MARCUS GORMAN
