Welcome to Urban Sketchers Seattle! The current month's sketch outings are listed below. This page is updated monthly. To receive emails of our events, please make a request to: usk.seattle[at]gmail.com. You can also learn about events by joining our Facebook group. You may share your sketches there and in our Flickr group. On Instagram, follow @uskseattle.
If you are new to Urban Sketchers, please read and follow our Manifesto.
While FIFA World Cup is in town, we are keeping outings away from the downtown core. If you’re hoping to avoid crowds and traffic snarls during that time but want to keep sketching with friends, we encourage you to initiate ad hoc outings close to home (perhaps a watch party drink & draw at your neighborhood brew pub?). Invite others to join you by posting in the Facebook group or to our email list by stating the date, time and location of your meetup. Happy sketching!
Saturday, June 6, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Hanwoori Korean
Garden, Federal Way
550 SW
Campus Drive, Federal Way
Opened in 2025, Hanwoori (“We are one”) Korean Garden
includes a traditional octagonal Korean pavilion, a Taegeuk patterned lawn, and
plants with Korean and English signage. Departing from the garden area is the
Panther Lake Trail. Across the road is the West Hylebos Wetlands and historic
cabins. Meet in the adjacent parking lot. Sunday, June 7, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Waterfront Overlook
Walk
Boon
Boona Coffee (Overlook)
1515 Western Ave, Seattle
Meet outside the new Boon Boona Coffee at the Waterfront
Overlook Walk. Explore the Overlook and waterfront, and grab lunch at Pike
Place Market. The sheltered area outside Boon Boona has seating and tables for
public use. Throwdown will be in this area.Sunday, June 14, 1 – 3:30 p.m.: Green Lake
Green Lake Village
450 NE 71st St.,
Seattle
We’ll meet at Green Lake Village plaza adjacent to PCC
Market (throwdown in the same location). From there, it’s an easy walk to
residential and historic architecture, including the Carnegie-style branch
library. Another short walk will take you to Green Lake itself and the
surrounding park. Metered street parking is free on Sundays (free parking inside
the PCC garage is limited to 1.5 hours).Saturday, June 20, 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.: St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral
1714 13th Ave, Seattle 
Founded in 1932 by Russian immigrants, Saint Nicholas
Cathedral on Capitol Hill is one of the oldest parishes of the Russian Orthodox
Church in the United States. Meet at the entrance.Saturday, June 27, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Greenwood Car
Show
Alice Ball Pocket Park
8102 Greenwood Ave N,
Seattle
The Greenwood Car
Show is Seattle’s largest free car show. Dubbed “A mile and a half of
classic rides,” the annual show brings together auto enthusiasts and their
shiny, souped-up vehicles from all over the region. Greenwood Avenue North is
closed to traffic between North 85th and about North 70th
for this event. (Tip: The show officially begins at 8 a.m., but Tina likes to
arrive before then to park in the neighborhood, beat the crowds, and watch the
cars roll in.) Meet at Alice Ball Pocket Park across the street from the
Greenwood branch library. Throwdown in the same location.
Saturday, June 6, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Hanwoori Korean Garden, Federal Way
550 SW
Campus Drive, Federal Way
Opened in 2025, Hanwoori (“We are one”) Korean Garden includes a traditional octagonal Korean pavilion, a Taegeuk patterned lawn, and plants with Korean and English signage. Departing from the garden area is the Panther Lake Trail. Across the road is the West Hylebos Wetlands and historic cabins. Meet in the adjacent parking lot.
Sunday, June 7, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Waterfront Overlook Walk
Boon
Boona Coffee (Overlook)
1515 Western Ave, Seattle
Meet outside the new Boon Boona Coffee at the Waterfront Overlook Walk. Explore the Overlook and waterfront, and grab lunch at Pike Place Market. The sheltered area outside Boon Boona has seating and tables for public use. Throwdown will be in this area.
Sunday, June 14, 1 – 3:30 p.m.: Green Lake
Green Lake Village450 NE 71st St., Seattle
We’ll meet at Green Lake Village plaza adjacent to PCC Market (throwdown in the same location). From there, it’s an easy walk to residential and historic architecture, including the Carnegie-style branch library. Another short walk will take you to Green Lake itself and the surrounding park. Metered street parking is free on Sundays (free parking inside the PCC garage is limited to 1.5 hours).
Saturday, June 20, 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.: St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral
1714 13th Ave, Seattle
Founded in 1932 by Russian immigrants, Saint Nicholas Cathedral on Capitol Hill is one of the oldest parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the United States. Meet at the entrance.
Saturday, June 27, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Greenwood Car Show
Alice Ball Pocket Park
8102 Greenwood Ave N,
Seattle
The Greenwood Car Show is Seattle’s largest free car show. Dubbed “A mile and a half of classic rides,” the annual show brings together auto enthusiasts and their shiny, souped-up vehicles from all over the region. Greenwood Avenue North is closed to traffic between North 85th and about North 70th for this event. (Tip: The show officially begins at 8 a.m., but Tina likes to arrive before then to park in the neighborhood, beat the crowds, and watch the cars roll in.) Meet at Alice Ball Pocket Park across the street from the Greenwood branch library. Throwdown in the same location.
___________________________________________________________________
PLEASE NOTE: At most USk outings, at least one admin is present to act as “leader” for that event. Very occasionally, no admins are available to attend. If you have attended previously and know the drill, and you notice that no admins have stepped up to start the outing at the appointed start time, please welcome any first-timers, decide on a throwdown location, and announce the throwdown time. If you can, please also take a group photo after the throwdown and share on social media with the hashtag #uskseattle . Thank you!
-
Your USk admin
team:
Tina (tinakoyama1 [at] gmail)
Kate (mkbuike [at] comcast.net)
Jane (janewingfield [at] gmail.com)
Kim (jkplus2 [at] gmail.com)
Attention Google Group E-mail Subscribers
Some Google email group members are still occasionally finding our emails in their spam folders. Please go into your spam folder options and choose “never block” mail from
urbansketchers-seattle@googlegroups.com . We are also experiencing occasional problems with our emails not going out at all or only to some members. It’s frustrating and annoying, but we don’t know how to resolve it. This page on the blog is always kept up to date with the current outing announcements, so if you haven't received your email, please check here!
love to join, are most outings during the week?
ReplyDeleteSandee
We schedule at least one outing per month on a weekend (usually the third Sunday of the month) and at least one on a Friday. In the warmer weather months, we usually meet several times a month.
Deleteam just beginning to sketch during self isolation. please recommend online courses available. thank you
ReplyDeletemyblueprint.com has excellent online video art courses, including many on urban sketching! Have fun and keep drawing!
DeleteHi Miata
DeleteI tried going on blueprint but did not come up with the art site. Do you have another name for it? Thanks
Unfortunately, Bluprint went out of business a few months ago. :-(
DeleteIt has been rebranded as Craftsy again: https://www.craftsy.com/#
Deleteplease let us know when we can start sketching together, 6 feet away right? With masks?
ReplyDeleteHi Sandee! We're all eager to sketch together again! We are following Gov. Inslee's requirements for organizations to resume meetings. Currently King Co. is in modified phase 1, which limits social gatherings to 5 or fewer people outdoors.
DeleteHello fellow sketchers
ReplyDeleteIs anyone sketching in downtown Seattle these days? I go to the Market and stay outdoors and it seems to work fine. Please let me know if you are starting up again. Stay Well
Hi Susan! We're all eager to sketch together again! We follow Gov. Inslee's requirements for meetings. The limit for our type of organization is still 5 or fewer people outdoors. Since we have no way to limit the number of people who might show up at a sketch outing, we are still not organizing any official outings. But you are welcome to invite 4 or fewer friends for an outdoor gathering while maintaining social distance and following other safety protocols. Stay safe and happy sketching!
DeleteIt is now mid-March 2021 any more thoughts about meeting outside now that spring is coming? Thanks, susan
DeleteHi Susan! We are still following the state's requirements for "recreational" gatherings, which are currently restricted to 15 people from no more than 2 households. We are as eager to sketch again as a group as you are! Thanks for your patience, and happy sketching!
DeleteHi there! I am on the communications team for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and we would be interested in starting an conversation with you for hosting an outing in the future after the current COVID-19 restrictions are softened. My email is hudson.k@portseattle.org to connect. Thank you! -Kate
ReplyDeleteI’m having trouble finding out about upcoming outings. A friend recommended urban sketchers seattle but didn’t give my the way to connect
ReplyDeleteHi Gay! Do you see the announcement on this page (above)? This is where we announce the outings. We are also on Facebook. If you'd like to receive email announcements, please make a request at usk.seattle at gmail.com , and we'll put you in our Google group. Thanks for your interest!
DeleteWhen does the March 2022 outing get posted?
ReplyDeleteHi Susan! We don't have it scheduled yet... we are playing it by ear this month so that we can meet outdoors and will likely announce on short notice based on the weather. The best way to be informed is to get on our Google mailing list, which I think you are already on...?
DeleteHello, I applied to join Seattle Urban Sketcher group via Facebook. Is it ok to attend an event as a guest?
ReplyDeleteThere's no actual "membership" involved ;-) ... anyone can attend at any time! :-)
DeleteI'm coming up to Seattle on the morning train. I won't get there in time to sketch with you, but will be able to join you for the throw-down.
ReplyDeleteGreat! Welcome! Please introduce yourself during the throwdown.
DeleteWhat is a throwdown ?
DeleteThe throwdown occurs at the end of a sketch outing when everyone "throws down" their sketchbooks to share with everyone else. :-)
DeleteHey Team, I was curious to know can anyone join the upcoming USk meetup without prior experience or is there something expected from them as new joinees?
ReplyDeleteAnyone is welcome to any meetup, regardless of experience! :-)
DeleteHi, do you still have a google group? I can't find it and this link doesn't work: https://groups.google.com/g/urbansketchers-seattle
ReplyDeleteYes, we do still have the Google group. You can just go to Google Groups and search for Urban Sketchers Seattle, or you can email usk.seattle[at]gmail.com and request to be put in the group.
DeleteExcellent
ReplyDeleteHey! I would like to come to the one on Friday. How do I sign up or do I just show up ?
ReplyDeleteYup, you just show up! :-) That's why we post notices here. Welcome!
DeleteHi there! Are there often weekend sketches for the m-f workweek folk? Or is it pretty variable?
ReplyDeleteWe do try to schedule outings throughout the week, including most weekends, to accommodate as many people as possible!
DeleteThank you! I would love to try this with my partner!
DeleteHi, are there any outings scheduled for the weekend of 2-3 May 2026?
ReplyDeleteYes! This page will be updated in the next day or two! :-)
DeleteRaising my hand for more weekday outings. as it looks like none in June so far... ultimate Sadness!
ReplyDeletemeanwhile i will keep the faith. thank you urban sketchies!
Hi! We usually do have several weekday outings per month, but in June we are dodging all the World Cup matches, which are all on weekdays. We will probably announce some weekday outings on short notice, depending on traffic reports once the World Cup gets going. Stay tuned!
Deletei will watch like an eagle for weekday additions - thank you!
Delete