2 Best Performing Arts Venues in The Central District, Seattle

Forget about 40-ounce Cokes and popcorn with neon-yellow butter—Central Cinema makes movie night a more elegant experience. The first few rows of this charming, friendly, little theater consist of diner-style booths; place your order for pizzas, salads, and snacks (including popcorn with inventive toppings like curry or brewer's yeast), and servers will deliver your food unobtrusively during the first few minutes of the movie. Wash it down with a normal-size soda, a cup of coffee, or better yet a cocktail or a glass of wine or beer. The theater shows a great mix of favorites and local indie and experimental films.

A community hub that celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, the Central District's Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute (LHPAI) offers a gathering place for Seattle's Black community—even as it's become more dispersed—through a variety of programming like classes, film screenings, readings, and theater. Housed in an elegant historic domed building, LHPAI also hosts the annual Seattle Black Film Festival in the spring.