By Amy Robinson

Want to get out and do something interesting? There’s something for everyone in our South King County Fine Arts Roundup column by Amy Robinson.

MUSIC AND DANCE

“Music in the Park”
Marvista Park, Normandy Park
Every Sunday, 5 p.m through Aug. 24 

• Aug. 3: Chikiri (a taiko drum ensemble)
• Aug. 10: Dysfunction Junction

Admission is FREE.

Image taken from the Normandy Park Calendar.

“Wednesday Picnic Performances”
West Fenwick Park, Kent
Every Wednesday, Noon through Aug. 6

• Aug. 6: Uncle Jumbo

Admission is FREE.

Image and schedule found on their website.

“Kids Summerstage“
Les Gove Park, Auburn
Every Wednesday at Noon through Aug. 13

• Aug. 6: Eric Ode – award-winning singer/songwriter offering fun, inclusive music for kids and families
• Aug. 13: Louie Foxx’s One-Man Side Show – filled with astounding magic tricks and side splitting comedy’

Admission is FREE.

Text and image taken from their website.

“Kent Station Summer Sounds“
Kent Station, Kent
Every Wednesday at 6 p.m. through Aug. 20

• Aug. 6: Oncore featuring the Platinum Horns
• Aug. 13: The Cory Wilds Band

Admission is FREE.

Image and schedule found on their website.

“Summer Sounds“
Les Gove Park, Auburn
Every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. through Aug. 13

• Aug. 6: Seastar – Contemporary Celtic folk music
• Aug. 13: Cosmic Vinyl – Electrifying hits from the 60’s to the 80’s”

Admission is FREE.

Image and text taken from their website.

“Summer Concert Series“
Des Moines Beach Park, Des Moines
Wednesdays at 7 p.m. through Aug. 13

• Aug. 6: Queen Mother
• Aug. 13: Nite Wave

Admission is FREE.

Image taken from this website, with more info available.

“Music in the Meadow“
Morrill Meadows Park, Kent
Every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. through Aug. 14

• Aug. 7: Eldridge Gravy and the Court Supreme
• Aug. 14: Ryanhood

Admission is FREE.

Image and schedule found on their website.

“Music in the Park“
Lake Burien School Park, Burien
Every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. through Aug. 21

• Aug 7: Ranger and the Re-Arrangers
• Aug 14: The Olson Brothers

Image taken from their website, which you can check for more info.

Admission is FREE.

“Movie Musical Karaoke“
BAT Theatre
Tin Room Theater in Burien, Aug. 12 and Sept. 9

End-of-summer melancholy is no match for the singing fun with BAT Theatre musical movie and karaoke fans at two upcoming Movie Musical Karaokes – Tuesday, Aug. 12 and Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.

Sing along to your favorite film musical soundtracks playing on the big screen with subtitles, or watch the action at The Tin Room Theater in Olde Burien.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and it’s karaoke from 7–9 p.m.

More information here.

THEATRE AND STORYTELLING

“The Importance of Being Earnest”
Emerald Theatre, Soos Creek Botanical Garden,  Auburn
Saturday, Aug. 2, 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 3, 2 p.m.

“Emerald Theatre’s The Importance of Being Earnest will be performed in local gardens and parks in July and August, The Importance of Being Earnest  follows the hilarious escapades of two charming bachelors: Jack Worthing, who  invents a fictional alter ego named “Ernest” to escape social obligations and and Algernon Moncrieff, who also uses the name “Ernest,” as they both woo their respective love interests, Gwendolen and Cecily. Their deceptions lead to a whirlwind of mistaken identities, romantic entanglements, and laugh-out-loud chaos, all while Wilde skewers the superficiality and hypocrisy of the upper class with his signature wit and razor-sharp social commentary.”  Text and image taken from their website.  

General Admission:  $20 Seniors/Youth 6-18/Military:  $15 Children 5 and under: Free

“As You Like It“
Wooden O, Various Locations throughout King County

• Des Moines: Sunday, Aug. 10, 6 p.m., Des Moines Beach Park

Enjoy the classic Shakespearean comedy, presented by the summer troupe historically associated with Seattle Shakespeare Company (now Union Arts Center.)

Image taken from their website.

Admission is FREE, but donations are welcome. Click here for more info.

“Newsies”
Hi-Liners Musical Theatre
Highline Performing Arts Center, Burien

• Thursday, July 24 – Sunday, Aug. 3, Thursday and Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.

“Set in turn-of-the century New York City, Newsies is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right!” 

Image and text taken from their website.   

Preferred Premium Seats $28, General Seating $25 for all other performances. 

Click here for tickets and more info.

“The Guardsman“
BAT Theatre
Various locations throughout South King County

• Burien: Sunday, Aug. 3, 5 p.m., Town Square Park
• Renton: Friday, Aug. 8, 7 p.m., location to be decided
• Burien: Sunday, Aug. 10, 5 p.m., Hilltop Park
• Normandy Park: Friday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m., Marvista Park

“BAT takes it to the Parks in the Summer of 2025. A popular actor suspects his new actress wife is getting restless, so he takes on his most daring role yet—disguising himself as a dashing guardsman—to test his wife and win her love. The actor sweeps his wife off her feet, creates romance and drama, and nearly torpedoes their marriage in the process. 

The Guardsman ultimately asks the question: “Where does the acting end and true emotion begin?”

Image and text taken from their website.

Admission is FREE, though donations are welcome.   

“Much Ado About Nothing“
GreenStage
Various Locations throughout King County

• Burien: Friday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m. Lake Burien School Memorial Park

“Love and laughter tangle in a sparkling tale of wit, trickery, and mistaken identity. The fiery Beatrice and the stubborn Benedick are hilariously duped into falling for each other, while young lovers Hero and Claudio are torn apart by a villain’s cruel deception. With bumbling constables, mischievous matchmakers, and bickering lovers they all just may need a touch of fate to make it all right in the end. Hearts are won, secrets are unraveled, and love triumphs in a joyous flourish in one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies. “

Text and image taken from their website.

Admission is FREE, but donations are welcome.

VISUAL ARTS

“Art Show“
Dina Skeels
Normandy Park City Hall

• Monday, Aug. 11, 6:30 p.m. – Opening Reception

Opening of new art exhibit at Normandy Park. 

FREE admission, light refreshments provided.

“Unprecedented: The Inaugural Postmark Biennial“
Postmark Center for the Arts, Auburn
Through Oct. 9, 2025

“Postmark Center for the Arts and the White River Valley Museum are hosting a competitive juried biennial art exhibition, titled Unprecedented: The Inaugural Postmark Biennial. How is art informed by the exceptional moment in which we are living? Curated by two esteemed jurors, Ellen Ito and Jabari Owens-Bailey, this exhibition includes eighteen artists living and working in Washington state. Unprecedented is interested in highlighting creative explorations in all media created from 2020 to the present.”

Image and text taken from their website.

Visitors welcome Wednesdays (12:00-4:00), Thursday (12:00-6:00), Friday (12:00-4:00).

Admission is FREE.

“Kent Summer Art Exhibit“
Centennial Gallery, Kent
Through Aug. 21, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

“Enjoy original artwork. Exhibiting artists: John Armstrong ▪ Susan Boye ▪ Julia Brodsky ▪ Charde Brown ▪ Kay Burnett ▪ Carol Colin ▪ Jo Cosme ▪ Barbara De Pirro ▪ Devon Dille ▪ Liz Ewings ▪ Kurt Erickson ▪ Andrew Feuk ▪ Tom Fletcher ▪ Mohamed Gabriel ▪ Miwa Gardner ▪ Nikki Jobbora-Barber ▪ Laurie Kallsen-George ▪ Sonya Lang ▪ Cindy Lieberman ▪ Anna Macrae ▪ Aaron Mann ▪ Angela Marvel ▪ Gabriela Nirino ▪ Kelly Haejung Paik ▪ Dmitrii Patapov ▪ Chad Pilkington ▪ Brett Polonsky ▪ Johanna Porter ▪ Debbie Ranniger ▪ Umesh Shebe ▪ Shyun Song ▪ Annette Stiers Jones ▪ Laura Wallace ▪ Suze Woolf ▪ Chandra Wu” 

Text and image taken from their website.

Admission is FREE.

“Stable Habits“
John Woodruff
Highline Heritage Museum, Burien
Through September, 2025

The Highline Heritage Museum, in collaboration with Burien Arts Association, hosts a gallery with a quarterly featured local artist.

Image taken from their website. 

Admission is FREE for the gallery only.

Click here for more info.

Open every week Thursday – Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.

Submit an Event

Do you have something you want included in our Fine Arts Roundup? Please email Amy at budget.arts.in.king.county@gmail.com with details to get into future Roundups!

Looking to stretch your entertainment budget, and willing to go a little further afield?  Budget Arts in King County, https://budget-arts.blogspot.com, for listings of theatre, dance, and classical music under $15 throughout the Greater Seattle area.