Seattle Culture
Seattle: Again The Place To Be
Seattle nears pre-pandemic visitor levels in impressive turnaround
Visit Seattle released preliminary figures for 2023 at its annual meeting Wednesday, and found that the region hosted 37.8 million visitors last year, an 8.9% increase from 2022. That’s just 10% less than in 2019, the last full year before the pandemic.
Foot Traffic Rises Again in Downtown Seattle
Downtown Seattle Association: Slow recovery continues
Nearly 1.9 million visitors came downtown last month. Downtown averaged 85,000 daily workers, a 16% increase from February 2023. That, however, is only 57% compared to the same period in 2020, right before the pandemic.
The Indie Darling
Known for its gritty, industrial past, Georgetown now boasts an eclectic mix of locally-owned cafés, restaurants, and shops
“When I first arrived in Seattle, I was working in a welding shop in Georgetown, and I also lived on Airport Way,” says Tim Ptak, who opened the popular diner Smarty Pants in 2003. “There was nowhere to eat except for grabbing fried chicken at the Shell gas station, and I wanted to open a place where people could get a good lunch and grab something to drink after work.”
Illustration by Martin Haake
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Been to White Center lately? How about Everett or Edmonds?
Seattle’s neighborhoods — suburbs included — are as varied as the landscapes that surround them. Each has its own character and charm. The city’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity fuels that sense of belonging, and fosters a shared responsibility for the well-being and growth of each community.
Illustration by Martin Haake
Seattle Podcast: Tom Mara and Beth Barrett Are SIFF’s Dynamic Duo
Tom Mara planned to retire when he left Seattle nonprofit radio station KEXP after two stints totaling 34 years. That didn’t last long. In August 2022, Mara accepted the CEO job at the Seattle International Film Festival. Here, he and longtime Artistic Director Beth Barrett discuss how SIFF became one of the largest film festivals in the world, and what’s in store as the festival celebrates 50 years. This year’s festival runs from May 9-19 at SIFF’s four venues across the city, including the venerable SIFF Cinema Downtown (formerly known as The Cinerama).
Lauding Black History, Sports, and Diversity
Seattle celebrates Black History Month, sports achievements, LGBTQ+ awards, and a thriving creative economy
The Seattle/King County Clinic recently offered free health care to those in need for four days at the Seattle Center. More than 3,000 volunteers contributed to the initiative, and more than 2,900 received health care services worth more than $2.6 million…
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