• Sustainable Ballard Festival | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Loyal Heights Community Center | Free | Learn small, accessible steps for helping the planet while enjoying live music, drinks, and DIY projects.
• U District Chow Down & Street Party | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 11 a.m.-8 p.m. | University Way NE | Free | Enjoy $5 bites from 60+ U District restaurants along with live music, entertainment, and chef demos all day long.
• Northwest Tea Festival 2024 | Saturday, Sept. 28 + Sunday, Sept. 29 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Seattle Center Exhibition Hall | $20 | Here’s the real tea — admission comes with a porcelain tasting cup, shopping bag, and access to tea-centric retailers, artists, educators, and more.
• Floral Impression Plate | Sunday, Sept. 29 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | National Nordic Museum | $85 | Instructors from Ballard Clay Studio are guiding this two-hour session on creating floral impression plates.
• The Royal Flush: Queens are Wild Drag Brunch | Sunday, Sept. 29 | 1-4 p.m. | Great American Casino, Tukwila | $25+ | Add some diva to your Sunday brunch with Seattle’s (alleged) largest mimosa bar, delicious food, and some top-notch drag performances.

• Family Saturdays | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Volunteer Park Conservatory | $6+ | Children 12 and under get into this indoor oasis for free with an adult admission purchase — activities include coloring, story time, sidewalk chalk, and more.
• North Seattle Home Fair | Saturday, Oct. 5 | 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. | Meadowbrook Community Center | Free | Get expert homeowner advice about your specific project, rental housing, or neighborhood standards, and more.

• This weekend is hosting the biggest round-up of construction-related closures of the entire year. Today through early Monday, Sept. 30, closures will impact SR 520, northbound I-405, southbound SR 167, I-5 overnight, and Mercer Street on-ramps to I-5. (KING 5)

• Plans for an 11-story Bellevue tower just doubled in height, now standing at 27 stories. With all these developments in Seattle, read up on the cost of planting some roots in the Emerald City. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

• Say “cheeeeeese” — Charcuterie by Annalise just opened in West Seattle. Want to keep up with all the most recent restaurant and bars that are opening or closing in our area? Read more on our website.

• Seattle Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez has 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases for the third consecutive season, putting him in rare company with Hector Neris, who famously crossed the 20/20 line a season ago. The local experts are discussing Julio’s feats with Locked On’s daily, Mariners-focused podcast.

• Ready to bask in the chilly breeze of autumn? KING 5’s Kelly Hanson takes their YouTube show “Local Lens” to Swans Trail Farms for a preview of their Fall Festival activities like the petting zoo, pumpkin patch, apple picking, and more. Take a look.

• In an update on Woodland Park Zoo’s baby gorilla, Louisville Zoo said Abeo has successfully bonded with his gorilla foster mom Kweli. Not only does Abeo have a new mom, but is now younger brother to Kweli’s other foster Kindi. (KING 5)

• Want to make sure your next vacation takes off without a hitch? Check out our guide to Sea-Tac International Airport for a full food rundown and to know just how early you should arrive to get through security. Bon voyage.

Espresso yourself

Specialty drinks