The Next 50 at Seattle Center

Seattle hosted the World's Fair in 1962, so this year marks the 50th anniversary. It would be so awesome if Seattle would host a 2012 World's Fair, but instead the city is marking the anniversary of the 1962 event with a six-month celebration called "The Next Fifty." Yesterday was the opening celebration. Hoping for some cool retro nostalgia, we headed to Seattle Center -- where the Space Needle is. The Space Needle was of course constructed for the 1962 World's Fair, and the "saucer" part was recently painted orange because that's how it looked back then -- when it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. Seattle Center is a huge area -- home to Key Arena, Memorial Stadium, Pacific Science Center, Experience Music Project, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle Repertory Theatre, SIFF Cinema, Seattle Children's Theater, the new Chihuly Garden and Glass museum (opening soon!), the International Fountain Pavilion, a Poetry Garden... and lawns for lounging and picnicking.

The weather this weekend could not have been better, warm and sunny and perfect for enjoying an day outside watching school marching bands, drill teams, and skateboarders at the skatepark, and sampling fare from the many assembled food trucks. There wasn't much in the way of 1962 artifacts, but there are some cool vintage tchotchkes for sale in the gift shop, and 1962 TV shows were playing the pavillion. ("The Beverly Hillbillies" was onscreen when I popped in.)

The Next Fifty celebration is going on until October 21 (to coincide with the 1962 World's Fair dates), so it's a great time to visit Seattle Center!