(Image: Jonathan Vanderweit/Frye Art Museum)
Christmas is over, which means it’s time for Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve celebrations. Find parties, concerts and other celebrations on the CHS Calendar, or check out our weekly round-up of things to do below, including beer-tasting, viaduct-cruising, food-sharing and meditating. Happy New Year’s!
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26: We’ve all heard the art-as-therapy spiel before. But what about a soothing group show about psychotherapy, alternative medicine and the wellness industry that does not want to cure? Instead, Group Therapy at the Frye Museum in Seattle (through Jan. 6) helps us diagnose the ills of our world—sexism, racism, political tribalism— rather than those within us. Combine a free visit to the Frye this Wednesday with a free thirty-minute mindfulness-meditation session, in partnership with Swedish Medical Center Rehab Services. Frye Art Museum, 12.30 pm
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26 – TUESDAY, Jan. 1: Christmas is over, which means it’s time for Kwanzaa, a world-wide celebration honoring the history and culture of people with African heritage. The Union Seattle, a non-profit innovation hub for “people of African descent and their allies,” observes the holiday with WaKwanzaa (the Wa standing for Washington). The week-long celebrations include a screening of the movie Black Panther, an accountability workshop with professional “butt-kicker” Keita H. Williams, a “One Love Mixer” for new and longtime Seattleites of African descent and an opportunity to brag about 2018 accomplishments with poet and interdisciplinary artist Kamari Bright. The Union Seattle
THURSDAY, Dec 27. – SATURDAY, Dec. 29: When Optimism Brewing opened on the Hill in 2015, CHS christened the 16,000 square-foot, Olson Kundig-designed beer-hall and brewery a “cathedral of beverage”. Optimism doesn’t specialize in one type or beer nor employs beer-scholar language to name their long list of house beers, though there’ll be enough for beer fans to geek out about during free public tours of Optimism’s brewery, cellar, lab and “sensory evaluation facilities,” whatever that may be. And if you don’t care about all of that, the tour’s followed by a complimentary beer tasting. Skol! Optimism Brewing, Dec. 27: 6–6:45 pm, Dec 28: 5–5:45 pm, Dec 29: 2–2:45 pm
SUNDAY, Dec. 30: To Food Not Bombs, “food is a right, not a privilege”. The Seattle chapter organizes a weekly Food Not Bombs Free Market with groceries from Seattle area co-ops, including deli, produce and bread. Food is given away without restrictions. If you don’t need it yourself, spread the word. Y at Cascade People’s Center, 1.30 – 2.30 PM
(Image: City of Seattle)
TUESDAY, Jan 1: This could be possibly the best or worst thing to do with a NYE hangover: On New Year’s Day, a group of Alaskan Way Viaduct enthusiasts and others will drive their cars ceremoniously over the soon-to-be-demolished elevated highway during a memorial cruise. Though called The last cruise of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, technically it is not, as the official end of the viaduct (and the city traffic as we know it) is slated for January 11th, and public bike rides, runs and walks are planned for February 2nd and 3rd. Alaskan Way Viaduct, 11 AM, check the Facebook event for meet-ups in Northern and Southern Seattle.
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