Welcome to Seattle Center
SEATTLE, WA—The spirit of Seva (selfless service) comes alive once again at Seattle Center with the return of A Day in Punjab on Saturday, August 2 from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. in the Armory Food & Event Hall.
As the newest festival in the Seattle Center Festál series, this free, family-friendly event highlights the vibrancy of Punjabi heritage through music, dance (including high-energy Bhangra), traditional art, food, and storytelling. It brings together generations of Punjabi-Americans and welcomes the broader public to learn and celebrate a culture that is both deeply rooted and evolving in the Pacific Northwest.
This year’s focus is on non-mainstream and emerging forms of cultural expression, offering guests a unique chance to experience never-before-seen short films, meet acclaimed authors, and explore Punjabi culture beyond the stage. With performances, interactive activities, and a deep sense of community, the festival aims to engage and educate the public while reconnecting Punjabi-Americans with their roots.
“I feel so fortunate to share my culture and traditions in a place that was once so foreign to me and I felt like an outsider,” said Manjot Kaur, festival producer and Sevadar president.
Festival highlights include:
• Gatka Martial Arts Demonstration: Experience the spiritual discipline and warrior artistry of Sikh martial tradition.
• Emerald City Dholis: A high-energy drum performance that will ignite the crowd.
• Bhangra and Giddha Dances: Traditional Punjabi dance performances from Bhaagi Bhangra and Ardab Mutiyaara.
• Langar: A cornerstone of Sikh values, this free vegetarian meal welcomes all and embodies the spirit of Seva.
• Author Meet-and-Greet & Book Signings: Featuring Harman Kaur and authors from Sikh Lens.
• Sikh Lens Film Showcase: Never-before-seen short films in Seattle, including Q&A sessions with filmmakers and authors.
• Turban Presentation and Tying Demo: A hands-on educational opportunity to understand Sikh identity and symbolism.
This festival is part of the Festál series of 25 cultural festivals presented by community groups and hosted by Seattle Center throughout the year.
About A Day in Punjab and Sevadar
Sevadar was founded by Gursharn Kaur in 2016 in Washington as a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing positive change in communities locally and worldwide. Sevadar partners with various local and Punjab-based non-profit organizations to raise awareness about Sikh/Punjabi culture, provide volunteer opportunities, create a space for people to gather and learn from each other, and allow people to give back to their community. A Day in Punjab joined the Festál festival series in 2025 after several years as a community-created public program.
Information on the festival is available at sevadarseattle.org and www.seattlecenter.com, as well as on Instagram.
About Seattle Center Festál
Seattle Center Festál is a unique public program series of 25 free cultural festivals, each offering its own celebration of heritage and identity. These events provide a range of engaging programs and activities to cultivate a deeper understanding of the diversity of our region. Seattle Center Festál is produced in partnership with community groups, presented on weekends from January to November and supported by City of Seattle, Seattle Center Foundation, and 4Culture.
About Seattle Center
Connect to the extraordinary at Seattle Center, an active civic, arts, and family gathering place in the core of our city and region. Seattle Center’s 74-acre campus, centered around the International Fountain, is part of the Uptown Arts & Cultural District and home to Climate Pledge Arena; more than 30 cultural, educational, sports, and entertainment organizations; and a broad range of public and community programs. In everything it does, Seattle Center’s mission is to create exceptional events, experiences, and environments which delight and inspire the human spirit to build stronger communities.
Seattle Center has expanded its role to provide maintenance and public safety services for Seattle’s new Waterfront Park, a series of new public spaces on Seattle’s downtown waterfront between Pioneer Square and the Seattle Aquarium. Seattle Center supports managing these new waterfront public spaces in partnership with the non-profit Friends of Waterfront Seattle, which offers the community a range of recreational and cultural programming.
Thanks to the support of Official Seattle Center Partners – Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Coors Light, Pepsi, Premera, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank – Seattle Center is the #1 arts and entertainment destination in the Pacific Northwest with 12 million annual visitors, generating $1.864 billion in business activity and more than $631 million in labor income annually.
Contact
Madison Miller, Why for Good
madison@whyforgood.com 425-246-5468
