Daytime Schedule
Workshops
March 9 & 10
Seattle Yiddish Fest workshops are an immersive experience. Classes are meant to work cohesively to give participants a clear picture of Yiddish culture and strengthen our community, so we recommend to attend the whole event. Of course if that's not possible, you can join for one day, or even one session and we're sure you'll still get a lot out of it!
Workshops will take place Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 - 6:00, then there's a dinner break and evening concerts.
Our goal with the music workshops is to both give an overview of Eastern European Jewish practices while also highlighting nuances like style and ornamentation, and particularly to try and embody Ashkenazi gesture and sensibility in all the fields we explore.
In our effort to expand the festival offerings and provide more programming for folks who don't sing or play or dance in public, we're very excited to offer a whole weekend of classes in Yiddish culture and visual art as well as a few chance to speak Yiddish, whether you're an expert or beginner or don't even know one word!
See below for a detailed schedule and start planning your weekend in Yiddishland!
Lecture Series
March 10
Geared towards the general public and specialists alike, this special program of talks by artists, historians and Yiddish culture specialists explores diverse aspects of Ashkenazi culture from Polish Synagogue Art to Philadephia's Legendary Queen of Klezmer Drumming.
Spend the day immersed in the lectures or hop between lectures and workshops and finish including day seeing all our faculty perform just down the road at the Royal Room!
Evening Schedule
Wednesday, March 6
7:30pm
An evening with Michael Wex
Michael Wex opens the festival with an evening talking about… Yiddish of course!
@ Minyan Ohr Cadash and online
This year opening the festival is an event with our special guest New York Times Bestselling Author Michael Wex and his infinite wisdom and humor.
Thursday, March 7 7:30pm
Vilde Verter - Wild Words
Art Exhibition + Live Music + Jam
@ Love City Love
Opening night of the festival and the unveiling of Los-Angeles based artist Benny Ferdman's exhibition, 'Vilder Verter - Wild Words'.
Featuring a short artist talk, a live-painting collaborative mural, table with prints zines and postcards by local artists and live music.
Saturday, March 9
7:30 pm
Seattle Klezmer Showcase
Local Favorites Take The Stage
@ Love City Love
A celebration of the rich and diverse scene right here in Seattle. Starting from the early years of the Klezmer revival in the 1980's, Seattle has been an unexpected but vibrant home for Yiddish culture in North America.
There's be a strong resurgence in recent years and this evening will celebrate the folks pushing it forward in our community.
Sunday, March 10
8 pm
"Rapsody in Shmaltz"
Closing concert featuring our incredible faculty
@ The Royal Room and online
Final concert of Seattle Yiddish Fest featuring the festival's faculty - Susan Hoffman-Watts, Ilya Shneyveys Craig Judelman, Michael Wex and more!
An evening of both kinds of songs - romantic and happy! plus some soulful kelzmer tunes and maybe even that Yiddish country hit you always wanted to hear but hoped you never would.