From Global Flavors to Oktoberfest: Fall in Seattle Southside

World Table District Is Now Global Dining District, Bringing New Public Art and Cultural Experiences to SeaTac
Explore Seattle Southside is excited to announce the Global Dining District, formerly known as the World Table District, which celebrates the extraordinary cultural diversity of SeaTac through dining, art, entertainment, retail, and community experiences. 

Centered on a stretch of locally owned restaurants, cafes, and markets along International Boulevard in SeaTac City, the district invites visitors to explore the world through food along one convenient corridor. But the vision goes beyond dining. Since launching this spring, the district’s streets have been enhanced with public art by local artists , such as Meals Under One SeaTac Sky, a colorful mural by SeaTac-based artist Toka Valu. This original piece can be seen at Stoup SeaTac City, a family-friendly brewery pop-up. Along the fences of International Boulevard, artist Christy Caravaglio’s Nylon Fabric on Wire Grid adds another colorful expression of the district’s identity. 

The city’s plans to further enhance the district include a recurring international night market and a tourism and retail conference, while a long-term placemaking effort will continue enhancing the district through public art, sidewalk beautification, and other visitor-focused improvements. In the meantime, visitors can head to SeaTac to sip strong Ethiopian coffee, share a plate of crispy birria tacos, try roasted Peruvian chicken, and much more.

Together, these cultural touchstones establish the Global Dining District as a destination where anyone is welcome to experience the many cultures that make the city unique. Learn more and plan your visit at www.GlobalDiningDistrict.com.

Continue the celebration through food with a taste of Seattle Southside’s vibrant Latin American dining scene. Try Salvadoran pupusas and specialties at Las Palmas Restaurant, Peruvian favorites like lomo saltado and ají de gallina at San Fernando Peruvian Chicken, Honduran baleadas at Caribe Latin Cuisine, or discover even more Mexican and Latin American favorites in Seattle Southside’s Global Dining District. It’s a delicious way to experience the cultures and locally owned businesses that shape the Seattle Southside community.

Raise a Stein & Set Sail: Oktoberfest Weekend in Des Moines
Turn Des Moines Marina Oktoberfest into an easy fall weekend getaway, September 18–20. The three-day waterfront celebration kicks off Friday with the OktoberCrawl™ before a weekend of live music, local brews, German-inspired fun, Oktoberfest contests, chicken dancing and family activities overlooking Puget Sound.

On Sunday, take the celebration out on the water with an Oktoberfest Brews Cruise departing from Des Moines Marina. The one-hour cruises set sail at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on September 20, offering a festive—and affordable—way to cap off the weekend from the water. Adult tickets are just $25 and include the cruise, sausage, apple strudel and game vouchers, making it an easy all-in-one Oktoberfest experience with Puget Sound views. Beer is available for purchase.

With three days of festivities culminating in a beer-filled cruise on the Sound, Oktoberfest offers plenty of reason to make a weekend of it and experience Des Moines at its best in early fall.

Fall Flavors & Cozy Escapes: A Seattle Southside Getaway
You don’t have to venture far from Seattle for a quintessential fall escape. Make Seattle Southside your basecamp for a weekend of crisp waterfront walks, cozy local stops, seasonal flavors and a little autumn indulgence. Start with a walk along the Des Moines Creek Trail, a wooded route that winds through the changing leaves toward Des Moines Beach Park and the Puget Sound waterfront. Warm up afterward with coffee and a pastry at Second Love Coffee Roasters before heading to Zenith Holland Nursery & Gift, which transforms for fall with pumpkins, seasonal displays, photo opportunities and an expansive gift shop stocked with upscale autumn decor.

For a cozy afternoon, retreat to The Spa at Cedarbrook Lodge for a massage or treatment, followed by a seasonal, farm-to-table dinner at Copperleaf Restaurant & Bar. Or satisfy a sweet tooth at the Seattle Chocolate Factory, where visitors can browse seasonal chocolates in the colorful factory shop or book a behind-the-scenes tour. When the weather calls for something hearty, lean into comfort-food season with slow-roasted meats, scratch-made pasta and whiskey at Sharps RoastHouse. Add an overnight stay, and it all comes together as an easy fall getaway just minutes from Seattle.

Find even more inspiration with Seattle Southside’s Autumn Adventure itinerary and guide to fall events and adventures.

New & Noteworthy: What’s Opening in Seattle Southside
Seattle Southside continues to welcome new restaurants, retailers and entertainment experiences, with several noteworthy openings in Tukwila, Des Moines and Westfield Southcenter.

• Immersive Gamebox – Interactive entertainment comes to Westfield Southcenter with Immersive Gamebox, where projection mapping, motion tracking and touch-screen technology put groups directly inside the action.
• Royal Indian Grill – Taking over the former Marina Mercantile space in downtown Des Moines, Royal Indian Grill brings Indian cuisine to the waterfront neighborhood and adds another globally inspired dining option to the community. The restaurant features North Indian comfort classics, 12 varieties of fresh tandoori bread, flavorful vegetarian and vegan dishes, vibrant Indo-Chinese appetizers, and a full bar featuring Indian beers.
• Haidilao Hot Pot – The internationally known Chinese hot pot brand has expanded to Tukwila with its August opening, bringing the highly interactive, communal dining experience to Seattle Southside.
• Hotpot City – Hotpot City brings a fun twist to the Southcenter dining scene with conveyor-belt hot pot, allowing diners to select ingredients as they pass by and cook them tableside in their choice of broth.
• TESO Life – Popular Asian lifestyle retailer TESO Life is opening in Tukwila with a colorful selection of Asian snacks, beauty products, home goods, collectibles and specialty finds.
• THE GUNDAM BASE – Anime and model-building fans have something big to look forward to at Westfield Southcenter: THE GUNDAM BASE, the official destination for GUNPLA model kits and merchandise, is slated to open a Seattle-area location in late 2026.
• Fabletics Run Club – Fabletics at Westfield Southcenter is getting shoppers moving with its new Run Club, bringing the community together Saturdays beginning August 29 for group runs and an active way to experience the area.
• FOB Sushi – Seattle’s popular grab-and-go sushi spot is expanding to Seattle Southside, bringing its signature pay-by-the-pound sushi concept and colorful selection of rolls, nigiri and other Japanese favorites to the area.
• UGTea – A new spot for tea lovers, UGTea adds another refreshing option to Seattle Southside’s growing lineup of Asian-inspired cafes and restaurants, with specialty tea drinks and customizable flavors.

Fall into Fun: Seasonal Events in Seattle Southside
From hands-on garden workshops and fall foliage to festive runs and family-friendly Halloween celebrations, Seattle Southside offers plenty of ways to embrace the season. Throughout September, October and into early November, visitors can craft with pumpkins, create their own bonsai, take in brilliant autumn color, lace up for the Burien Brat Trot or celebrate Halloween among aircraft at the Museum of Flight. With events for families, garden lovers and fall enthusiasts alike, there’s something happening all season long.

Fall Gardening & Seasonal Craft Workshops at Zenith Holland, September 19–Oct. 30
Embrace the changing seasons with a series of hands-on gardening and crafting workshops at Zenith Holland Nursery in Des Moines. Participants can learn the fundamentals of healthy garden soil during the Soils 101 workshop (Sept. 19), discover how to successfully overwinter dahlias for next year's blooms (Oct. 3), or create a festive Pumpkin Succulent arrangement to take home during workshops offered Sept. 26 and Oct. 10, 17 and 30. The workshops offer a fun and educational way for visitors to celebrate fall while connecting with local gardening experts.

Burien Brat Trot, Oct. 3
A 5K run/walk and kids’ 1K benefiting the Highline Schools Foundation, followed by food, beer and festivities in Burien Town Square. Find details and register here.

Brew up Fall Fun at the Pacific Bonsai Museum, October 10 and 25
Experience autumn through the lens of one of the nation's only museums dedicated exclusively to bonsai. The season begins with Brew Up a Bonsai (Oct. 10), a hands-on workshop where participants enjoy local beer, explore the art of bonsai and create their own miniature tree to take home. The fun continues with Trunk or Treat (Oct. 31), a free family-friendly Halloween celebration featuring costumes, candy, festive activities and the chance to enjoy the museum's beautiful grounds during peak fall color. Together, the events showcase the Pacific Bonsai Museum as a unique destination where art, nature and community come together throughout the season.

The Museum of Fright, Oct. 25
The Museum of Flight turns into the “Museum of Fright” with Halloween carnival-style games, activities, special displays and other seasonal programming. Costumes are encouraged, and kids 17 and under in costume receive free admission. Learn more and find tickets here.

Fall Foliage Festival & Plant Sale, November 7-8
Celebrate the arrival of peak autumn color at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden during this free seasonal festival. Visitors can stroll through vibrant displays of Japanese maples, deciduous azaleas and other fall favorites while enjoying guided garden tours, plant shopping, food trucks and family-friendly activities. The weekend also features pop-up plant vendors, a kids' scavenger hunt and plenty of opportunities to capture stunning fall photos at one of the Pacific Northwest's premier botanical gardens.