Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival 2026

The Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival is one of the oldest LGBTQ+ film festivals in the United States, screening queer cinema from across the world in Capitol Hill and downtown Seattle venues each October. Since its founding in 1986, the festival has championed queer stories from every genre and tradition, with particular attention to emerging filmmakers and films from communities whose LGBTQ+ voices are rarely heard on mainstream screens.

The programme includes feature films, short film collections, documentaries, and retrospective screenings, with Q&As from filmmakers and industry events that make it a gathering point for the Pacific Northwest queer arts community. The festival runs across multiple Capitol Hill and downtown venues, with the Egyptian Theatre on Capitol Hill typically serving as the flagship screening space.

For visitors to Seattle in October, the film festival provides a cultural programme that complements the bar scene and outdoor activities of the Pacific Northwest autumn.