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Cloudbreak started in 2022 and was such a success that we’ve brought it back for year two! The festival features artists in diverse genres at stages all across the city: in Beacon Hill, the Central District, Columbia City, Downtown, Belltown, Fremont, Capitol Hill, Ballard, and more.

Sir Mix-A-Lot opened the 2022 Cloudbreak Festival at El Corazon. Photo: Niffer Calderwood Photography.

Stay in one of our partner hotels to receive access to the shows for free, so you can experience the vibrancy of Seattle’s music scene. Get the scoop and discover participating hotels at cloudbreakmusicfest.org.

Cloudbreak started as a partnership of King County Creative and Visit Seattle, and this year we’re delighted to welcome in our new partner, the City of Seattle. We can’t wait to welcome you to our amazing city of music!

2023 artists include Mudhoney, Rocky Votolato, Barrett Martin, Mala Suerte, Sera Cahoone with Mat Brooke and Molly Sides, The A-Frames, The Fall of Troy, Alex Guy’s Led to Sea, Shaina Shepherd & Tomo Nakayama, Biblioteka, Kuinka, Smokey Brights, The Dusty 45s & Christy McWilson, Enumclaw, Grace Love, Andy Coe Band, Country Dave and the New Fallen Angels Tribute to Gram Parsons,  Jenn Champion, King Youngblood and soooo many more.

Smokey Brights at the Tractor Tavern, Cloudbreak 2022. Photo: Mike R. Mitchell

NEW this year: your music pass (available at your hotel) has the access link for our new advanced registration system. If there’s a show you ABSOLUTELY have to see, get your name on the list. (Details and restrictions will be listed at the link site.)

Coinciding with Cloudbreak is the 11th anniversary of Freakout Festival, running November 2-5 at seven stages primarily in the Ballard neighborhood. This festival is an amazing success story, growing from humble beginnings to now featuring more than 100 bands and artists from Seattle, the Northwest, the US, and the world. Some of the shows highlighting Seattle artists are included in Cloudbreak access, so check that schedule!

The Black Tones at Freakout Festival 2021. Photo by Jake Hanson.

So, we’ll see you out and about for music, right? Follow along and share your experience with us on social by using the hashtag #CloudbreakMusicFest and tagging @visitseattle.

The post The Return of Cloudbreak Brings Free Music Shows to Seattle this November appeared first on Visit Seattle.

For accommodations, we stayed downtown at W Seattle in a Faces room under their Nordstrom Shopping Package. While we specifically stayed in The Stella Room, all guest rooms on the fourteenth floor house an original hand-painted mural by the talented artist, Morgan Zion. Each room and mural tell a fictional story, and ours fit us perfectly, Stella being from Portland and loving Capitol Hill. (You can read more about the rooms before booking your stay, which is also a wonderful way to learn about the different neighborhoods and activities available in Seattle, further helping you plan your ideal itinerary.) If shopping is of any interest to you, the Nordstrom Shopping Package was a unique treat, complete with a gift card, drink tickets, and a special shopping experience (available until November 2023).

After checking into our hotel and enjoying a sweet anniversary treat, we decided to spend the day at the Seattle Center, home to the famous Space Needle and other local attractions. One exhibit I have longed to see is Chihuly Garden and Glass, so we went there first. Though I had seen pictures online, I was not prepared for how large the glass displays were in person. While each delicate piece of art created by Dale Chihuly is spectacular, my personal favorite was in the Sealife Room: the Sealife Tower. It was inspired by the Puget Sound, which is where my favorite animal lives—an animal we saw on day three of our trip. We also enjoyed a mocktail at The Bar at Chihuly Garden and Glass—a delicious mix of apple cider vinegar, cardamom, and spruce—before going to the food court at Seattle Center, otherwise known as the Armory.

We could not explore the Seattle Center without going to the top of the Space Needle, so we hopped in line for that once we were done eating. While it was a bit of a wait being there on a weekend afternoon, there were informative posters along the walls illustrating and detailing the history of the Space Needle, which we found entertaining. Once to the top, the views were beautiful. We took a moment to walk around the whole observation deck and then we found an empty bench to sit on, enjoying a memorable anniversary moment together, like it was just the two of us, floating above the city.

The following day, we were a little tired from our previous day’s adventures, so we decided to have a restful morning. We ordered breakfast and coffee to be delivered to the hotel, read for a bit, and watched the seagulls fly by our windows. Once we were ready for some fresh air, we walked down to Pike Place Market, grabbed a glass of lavender apple cider, and strolled through the vendors, admiring their art, flowers, and yummy treats before walking over to the Nordstrom flagship store for some shopping. (We love picking out new fragrances when we travel, so the memory of its smell always correlates with that trip.) Continuing our easy day, we opted to have dinner and mocktails at the hotel that night instead of going out, excited for the early morning ahead of us.

We saved the best for last, truly. For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with orcas. I have dreamed of seeing them in the wild, but it was not until recent years that I realized I could see them in Seattle. Having been on whale tours before, I highly recommend Puget Sound Express—we will absolutely be booking another tour with them in the future! For starters, the boat was extremely nice. You could sit inside and sip coffee while looking out the windows, avoiding the strong winds, waiting for a whale to be spotted in the distance. When one was spotted, we saw not only one orca, but a family of six! The T65As, to be exact. Which brings me to the second reason I recommend Puget Sound Express—they maintain the required distance between the boat and the transient orcas, ensuring they stay safe while taking the time to teach you about the specific orcas you are seeing. There was even a professional photographer on board taking pictures, and afterwards, we were able to purchase all the pictures he took that day. But we also got great pictures (and videos) with our phones! Seeing an orca in person is like nothing I have ever experienced before! Magical, memorable, and honestly, addictive. Watching their dorsal fins break through the water with the Pacific Northwest landscape stretching behind them, it was like looking at a painting. You must see it for yourself!

Our anniversary celebration was exactly what we were looking for, and we are already looking forward to visiting again. See you soon, Seattle!

The post From Land to Sea: A Weekend in Seattle appeared first on Visit Seattle.

The Pacific Northwest has long been known as one of the top centers in the world for glass art. More than 700 glass artists, from emerging artists to master glassmakers, live in Washington state, and more than 100 glass art studios have made their home in the greater Seattle region. Refract allows you to explore this fascinating art, meet artists, tour studios, see special demonstrations, mingle at art parties, and more. Bonus: many of the events are free.

10 reasons why you don’t want to miss this event:

1. Opening night party at Chihuly Garden and Glass

Chihuly Garden and Glass, the exhibition of one of the world’s best known living glass artists, is one of Seattle’s top visitor attractions. On Thursday night (October 12), you can immerse yourself in the museum’s stunning displays while attending the opening party for Refract, Gather. This event allows you to meet and mingle with the region’s artists, tour the installations, enjoy great food and drinks, and talk with helpful staff to plan your Refract festival activities. Author’s note: Get your tickets soon; this event is popular!

Photo: Chihuly Garden and Glass

2. Closing Party at Pratt

Pratt Fine Arts Center is a beloved Seattle institution where numerous glass artists got their start. They offer classes for all levels in varied forms of glassmaking and other art forms. They are hosting the Refract closing party on Sunday (October 15), with open studios, artist demonstrations, food trucks, and more.

Photo: Pratt Fine Arts Center

3. Artist Open Studios

Saturday (October 14) and Sunday (October 15), put on your comfortable walking shoes and hit the neighborhoods because 16 Seattle artists are opening up their studios to welcome you. These are all extraordinary artists—and this is your chance to meet them in person, see their studios, and learn more about how they create their vision in glass. Find the full Refract Open Studios list here.

Visiting without a car? New this year, a free shuttle service will take you on a loop of all the studios. Learn how to reserve your spot here.

Misoda Glass Open Studio. Photo by Megan Swann.

4. Pilchuck Auction

If you’re already a glass aficionado, there’s a good chance you know about Pilchuck. The legendary school in the woods north of Seattle is one of the leading global centers for education in all forms of studio glass: glassblowing, kiln glass, fused glass, flameworking, neon, and more. Their annual gala and auction (October 14) is a hot ticket for supporters of the school and glass art collectors, and this is your chance to attend one of the premier auction events of the year.

Photo: Pilchuck Glass School

5. See it Live & Up Close

Watching live glassmaking is mesmerizing, and you’ll have many chances to see the magic in progress at hot shop venues like Seattle Glassblowing Studio, Museum of Glass, Blowing Sands, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Glasshouse-Studio, Avalon Glass Works, Schack Art Center, City of Shoreline and glassybaby. Author’s note: Find these by selecting the “Demos, Talks & Lectures” category on the Refract Programs page.

Photo: Museum of Glass

6. Outstanding Museum & Gallery Exhibitions

We’re fortunate to have major museums and galleries with a dedicated focus on glass art. Explore the work of globally-known glass artist Jay Macdonell during his residency at the Museum of Glass. Nearby at Tacoma Art Museum (TAM), the Benaroya Wing showcases TAM’s expansive glass collection, one of the top five public collections of studio glass nationwide. Leading glass art gallery Traver Gallery presents an exhibition of Ginny Ruffner‘s work, Bainbridge Arts & Crafts Gallery presents Kait Rhoads, and Gallery Mack explores the work of Chuck Lopez. Group exhibits include Luminosity at Stonington Gallery, focusing on Indigenous artists in glass, and a special glass show at Northwest Designer Craftartists. Author’s note: Find more by selecting the “Exhibitions” category on the Refract Programs page.

Photo: Traver Gallery

7. Special Tours & Access

If you’ve flown through SEA Airport, you may have noted that it has an extensive art collection, including impressive works in glass. Or maybe you were running to the gate and missed it. Here’s your chance to tour the works with a curator, without toting your carry-on around! Or maybe you’ve always dreamed of seeing the extraordinary Chihuly Boathouse (not open to the public), or of taking a guided walking tour on glass architecture, or raising a glass at the maestro Lino Tagliapietra’s showroom. Yes, these all happen as part of Refract! Author’s note: Find more and reserve your space by selecting the “Tours” category on the Refract Programs page.

Lino Tagliapietra showroom. Photo: Ian Lewis.

8. Get Hands-On

Are you happiest when learning something yourself? Refract offers something for you, too! Check out the classes and workshops to blow your own glass or make a fused glass piece. Author’s note: Find more by selecting the “Hands-On” category on the Refract Programs  page.

Photo: Seattle Glassblowing Studio

9. Find Unique Glass Art to Take Home – From Affordable to Splurgeworthy

The options are almost endless, from dozens of artisans at Pike Place Market to the numerous galleries, shops, and studios. Our Glass Art Guide is a helpful resource.

Avalon Glass Gallery. Photo: Ian Lewis.

10. It’s Seattle!

We couldn’t be more proud that all this activity is taking place in and around Seattle, with regional events stretching from Tacoma to Everett to Bainbridge Island and Issaquah. We love our city and can’t wait to show it off to you. You’ll find hotel packages and travel information on the Refract website, and lots more inspiration at visitseattle.org.

Photo: Sun Chan

If you need more inspiration, take a peek at last year’s Refract, and the State of Glass series on VISITSEATTLE.tv.

See you at Refract!

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