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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 13, 2026

NEWLY RENOVATED BENAROYA HALL OPENS ITS DOORS ON OCTOBER 18 FOR A FREE DAY-LONG FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, ART AND COMMUNITY

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THE HEAD AND THE HEART JOINS THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY FOR A FREE CONCERT 

THE FESTIVAL ALSO FEATURES PERFORMANCES BY CHINESE AMERICAN BEAR AND FAWN WOOD, A CULINARY TASTING AND Q&A WITH CHEF ETHAN STOWELL, AN ARTE NOIR EXHIBITION, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE, ROMANTASY AUTHOR AND VIDEO GAME MUSIC PANELS, FAMILY PROGRAMMING AND MORE

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Seattle, WA — Benaroya Hall will host a free, day-long Open House on Sunday, October 18, beginning at 10 a.m., celebrating the Hall’s reopening following the completion of the Amplify campaign. The capital campaign reimagined the Hall’s public spaces and elevated its hospitality program in partnership with Sodexo Live! and award-winning Seattle chef and restaurateur Ethan Stowell. Programming throughout the day will include live music, storytelling, interactive experiences, family activities, food and special events and performances featuring artists and organizations from across Seattle’s vibrant arts and culture community. 

The Open House culminates in a free concert featuring the Seattle Symphony alongside members of the indie folk-rock group The Head and The Heart at 4 p.m., followed by a dance party in the Grand Lobby to close out the day. Free tickets for the Seattle Symphony’s concert with The Head and the Heart will be available in-person only at Benaroya Hall beginning at 9 a.m. on the day of the Open House. Limit two tickets per person, while supplies last. Tickets are not required for any other Open House events or activities.

“As we celebrate the reopening of Benaroya Hall following the Amplify campaign, we welcome the entire community into the building to discover everything Benaroya Hall has to offer," said Jeremy Rothman, President & CEO of the Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall. "Whether you come for the music, the food, the art, or simply to explore the Hall, this Open House is our invitation to experience this beautiful civic space at the cultural core of our city.”

The event includes performances by Totem Star artists, Chinese American Bear with Seattle Symphony musicians, a Tiny Tots quartet featuring Seattle Symphony musicians, a set curated by KEXP Sounds of Survivance DJ Kevin Sur featuring Fawn Wood and more. Other event highlights include a Romantasy author panel and book signing, an Arte Noir exhibition and opening reception featuring a Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra performance, a National Geographic Live presentation with photographer Steve Winter, and a video game music panel featuring Dave Gross, Kazuma Jinnouchi, Wilbert Roget II, Nadia Wheaton and Danny Baranowsky. Programming throughout the Hall includes live DJ sets by The Residency’s DJ JAM, hands-on activities for all ages, exclusive ticket offers, and opportunities to explore Benaroya Hall’s refreshed public spaces.

New culinary offerings will be showcased at the in-house restaurant in the Norcliffe Founders Room, where Chef Stowell will present his food and beverage selections through tastings, a catering presentation and a Meet the Chef Q&A.

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PROGRAMMING

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S. MARK TAPER FOUNDATION AUDITORIUM

• Resounding Love Center for the Arts Gospel Choir (2024/2025 Community Stages Fund awardee)
• Pacific Northwest Romantasy Author Panel featuring Taylor LaRue, Tessonja Odette and Elizabeth Stephens, hosted by The High Fae Housewives Podcast and in partnership with Beguiled Books
• Chinese American Bear with Seattle Symphony musicians
• The Head and The Heart with the Seattle Symphony

ILLSLEY BALL NORDSTROM RECITAL HALL

• Tiny Tots performance with Seattle Symphony musicians
• National Geographic Live: Wild Cats and Friends with photographer Steve Winter
• Video Game Composer Panel featuring Kazuma Jinnouchi, Wilbert Roget II, Nadia Wheaton and Danny Baranowsky, moderated by Dave Gross
• Fashion show presented by Mabel Brempong with Seattle Symphony musicians
• KEXP Sounds of Survivance DJ Kevin Sur presents Fawn Wood

OCTAVE 9: RAISBECK MUSIC CENTER

• Exploratory art space with music therapist Life on Music
• Indigenous Storytelling 
• Jessi Harvey's Composing a Life: The Periodic Title with Xiaohui Yang (2025/2026 Community Stages Fund Octave 9 Residency awardee)
• Roy Franklin Symphony Block Bike Corals exhibition and Tour
• Totem Star artists
• Future Arts' Drops of Hope exhibition

NORCLIFFE FOUNDERS ROOM

• Culinary Tasting Presentation and Q&A with Chef Ethan Stowell

COMMUNITY SPACE

• Arte Noir exhibition and Opening Reception featuring a Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra performance
• Livestream of Taper Auditorium programs

SAMUEL & ALTHEA STROUM GRAND LOBBY

• Guided tours of Benaroya Hall
• Beguiled Books pop-up shop
• Arts & crafts activities
• Romantasy Author Signing Table and “flash” tattoos by Mama Bird Tattoo
• Live DJ sets by The Residency’s DJ JAM

THE BOEING COMPANY GALLERY

• Newly remodeled café featuring coffee and Northwestern fare
• In-person ticket promotions and information table

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SEATTLE SYMPHONY

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Under the leadership of Music Director Xian Zhang, the Seattle Symphony unleashes the power of music, brings people together and lifts the human spirit. Recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR), the Seattle Symphony is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming, community-minded initiatives and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of over 150 recordings, the orchestra has won five GRAMMY Awards, 27 GRAMMY nominations, two Emmy Awards and was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle from September through July, reaching over 500,000 people annually through live performances and radio broadcasts.

 

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BENAROYA HALL

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Benaroya Hall, the home of the Seattle Symphony, is located in downtown Seattle. Opened in 1998, Benaroya Hall is the most-visited performing arts venue in Seattle. It has received numerous awards, including a 2001 American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Honor Award for outstanding architecture. Benaroya Hall has three versatile performance venues, the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall and Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center, all renowned for their pristine acoustics, luxurious design and prime location. For additional information, including rental information and event listings, visit benaroyahall.org.  

The Benaroya Hall Open House is generously sponsored by 4Culture, BNY Mellon, Charter Hotel, CMIT Solutions, Delta Air Lines, KEXP, Seneca Group, Seyfarth Shaw LLP and Sodexo Live!