Seattle is often associated with coffee and technology, but this city has another solid fixture – glass art.

This medium can be seen in Seattle at various art galleries and working studios. A shining example is Chihuly Garden and Glass, a museum at the Seattle Center named for renowned glass artist and Washington State native Dale Chihuly. It is also one of many locations for an upcoming event showing why this Pacific Northwest destination is a big U.S. hub for glass art.

Taking place October 17-20, 2024, “Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience” is a weekend of glass art exhibitions, parties with artists and collectors, studio tours and live demonstrations.

"Our goal is for guests visiting from around the world to remember Seattle for this city’s exceptional glass artists," said Michelle Bufano, executive director at Chihuly Garden and Glass, in a media announcement. "Highlighting those artists continues the longstanding commitment of Chihuly Garden and Glass to enrich Seattle Center with vibrant creativity."

Now in its sixth year, “Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience” will feature dozens of local glass artists, including talent from Seattle and its neighboring cities such as Everett, Bainbridge Island, Issaquah and Tacoma.

The festival will also welcome some special guest stars. Glass artists who appeared on the Netflix reality competition series, “Blown Away,” will also participate.

Morgan Peterson, the winner of the show’s fourth season, along with the show’s Challenge winners, Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen and Gemma Holliste, will have their works on view in an exhibition.

“The exhibition showcasing some of the show’s contestants is just one of many diverse events on offer during Refract, but it provides us with the perfect opportunity to draw fans of the show and reveal to them the wider world of glass art found in Seattle, from neon and fused glass to blown works and beyond,” says Tracey Wickersham, Visit Seattle’s senior director of cultural tourism.

The tourism board is also involved with the festival, joined by more than 60 Pacific Northwest arts organizations. Additionally, they’ve created a PDF guide to Seattle’s glass art scene.

Programming for “Refract: The Seattle Experience” will shine with more than 90 events, with many of them having free admission.

Artist demonstrations will extend to daily presentations at Seattle Glassblowing Studio, involving artists like Venetian glass artist James Mongrain, Manolo Aguilera, whose works reflect upon Mesoamerican culture, and “Blown Away” Season 3 runner up, Minhi England.

Live demos of 3D printing and kiln casting glass will happen at the private studio of lighting fixture sculptor Milo Snyder. Radiant Neon, a neon art studio space in Seattle, will present neon bending demos. Plus, the Washington city of Shoreline will host live demos by Indigenous artist Dan Friday throughout the weekend.

Another major offering at “Refract: The Seattle Experience” will involve access to, and tours of, artist studios. A key highlight is the rare opportunity to tour The Boathouse, Chihuly’s private studio and hot shop; it is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 17.

The Refract Artist Open Studios has scheduled tours of 20 typically private locations across Seattle and on October 19 and 20. On October 17, there’s a guided tour of Seattle–Tacoma International Airport’s public glass art.

Tickets for all of these tours are limited and must be served in advance; visit the event’s website for more information, a complete schedule and updates.