WEEKEND PREVIEW: Why you might hear screaming from Lincoln Park on Sunday night

Maybe the most unusual event in our calendar this weekend: Scream Club Seattle. We didn’t get direct notice of this but happened onto it while searching online to be sure we weren’t missing anything major at West Seattle’s biggest parks (sometimes we don’t get word of Lincoln Park or Alki Beach events organized by non-West Seattleites). At 7 pm (corrected) Sunday, at Lincoln Park picnic shelter 4, this new monthly gathering will get together for a cathartic scream. From the RSVP page:

Scream Club™ is a safe, non-judgmental gathering for mental health, connection, and emotional release. We live in a world that tells us to stay quiet, hold it together, and pretend we’re fine, while stress, anger, grief, and even unspoken joy build up inside. Screaming is a release, a reset for the mind and body, and when we do it together, something shifts. You realize you’re not the only one carrying heavy things, and you don’t have to carry them alone.

What to Expect:

A warm, welcoming space
Setting an intention together
A collective scream
A simple closing to ground before heading out

What to Bring:

Weather-appropriate clothing
Water bottle
(Optional) Journal

How to Join:

Free and open to all. RSVP & come as you are.

The RSVP page says they’re planning to do this on first Sundays every month.

1994 September 5, 2025 (10:02 pm)

Thanks for the info! That could result in some calls to 911 if people don’t know this is a therapeutic experience. Not sure this is something I would like to hear in the park.

Frog September 6, 2025 (12:55 pm)

Reply

Not my thing either, but the owl clutchers of West Seattle might be over-reacting somewhat. It sounds like a group of people screaming more or less at the same time in the same place, not random screams all over the park for hours on end. It will probably be more annoying than scary, somewhat like a Taylor Swift concert minus the music.

Neighbor September 5, 2025 (11:32 pm)

I fancy myself a fairly open minded and nonjudgmental person. But holy smokes, this is … awful. While there is no shortage of reasons to want to let loose a primal scream these days, unless you seriously need help, please do that into a pillow instead of the park. 🙏

BDR September 6, 2025 (2:41 am)

Oh my goodness. Can you imagine people enjoying the park and then hear a bunch of loud screaming? That alone would scare any bad juju out of people. I hope they clearly post something about this event at the park entrances. I could understand this could be a good stress relief however hopefully it won’t stress out people near by that are not aware of this gathering. It could easily be quieted by everyone bringing a pillow to scream into. Just a thought

Dad September 6, 2025 (6:04 am)

Screaming so much that they will have to rehydrate? That’s intense.

Brian September 6, 2025 (6:37 am)

Between this club and the silent book club that routinely takes over an entire bar why can’t this city be normal just once?

anonyme September 6, 2025 (6:45 am)

A quiet park is the most inappropriate place possible for this event. People go to Lincoln Park to get away from stress, not listen to collective screaming. Believe it or not, not everyone reads the WSB; this is bound to cause trouble well beyond the unnecessary disruption to a peaceful place. Why should “healing” be destructive? SMH. What a total lack of judgment.

T Rex September 6, 2025 (7:35 am)

Ok? To each their own, but it will more than likely cause folks call to 911 anyway. Even though this blog is amazing, not everyone will know about it. My heart goes out to all the wildlife and birds.

Wendell September 6, 2025 (9:16 am)

Non-judgmental question: Can they do this next to the train tracks instead?

Dairmuid September 6, 2025 (10:25 am)

This is amazing and if I wasn’t sick I would definitely be there!!! Next month 😱😱😱

Lise September 6, 2025 (10:27 am)

Good to know, thanks for the information. It’s not a good venue for this – we seem to too often forget that Lincoln Park is a sanctuary for a LOT of wildlife – AND for us to find the quiet and peace in nature. Please don’t do this even once.

D-Mom September 6, 2025 (11:43 am)

Reply

I fully agree. Great idea, but please not at the parks where others are trying to enjoy being outdoors. Especially Lincoln Park.

Solace September 6, 2025 (11:32 am)

I feel this is inappropriate for Lincoln Park.
This type of noise is alarming to hear.
I respect the right to practice their therapy, but please practice it in-doors or somewhere private where screams cannot alarm others.

ITotallyAgreeWithYou September 6, 2025 (11:50 am)

I’m with Lise. An event like this is in settings like Lincoln Park is very tone deaf- of wildlife, of those who want to enjoy the tranquility and happy sounds of the park, of neighbors, and of those who equate screaming with trauma. Growing up, I was forbidden from screaming unless I was in danger because it would dredge up PTSD for a neighbor. Screaming is not the opposite of quiet. It is not the quiet’s singular alternative. The choice is not one or the other. There is a wide spectrum of choices between the two that doesn’t cause unnecessary and unwelcome disturbances. There are also better venues (with better acoustics and sound proofing!) that keep the noise to those who want to hear it. I hope this group realizes in their quest for release that forcing their screaming on others is not “togetherness” and there is more to be considered.

Joe September 6, 2025 (12:05 pm)

This is so Seattle…lol.

Brandon September 6, 2025 (12:26 pm)

Im sure the people driving around alki with music loud is cathartic to them too. But will they get yelled at for disturbing the peace? Sure will, probably by these people in the park ironically.

Wtf September 6, 2025 (1:06 pm)

What in the hecking heck? I am all for screaming, absolutely, but not in Lincoln Park. Go to the stadium or something, someplace you won’t be terrifying wildlife or people who don’t read the local news or whatever. This is so thoughtless I’m boggled. My heart goes out to every bird and critter and human who has to endure this on top of the multiple times a year when morons with fireworks destroy things.

k September 6, 2025 (2:16 pm)

Every time I read these comments about Lincoln Park I’m always desperate to find out where this tranquil wildlife sanctuary people talk about is hidden, because I’ve been coming to this park for 25 years and I’ve never seen it. It’s a public park. There are kids. There are dogs. There are lots of birds and other animals, all of which are habituated to human activity because they live in a public park with dogs and kids. The sound-sensitive crows, opossums, and squirrels have found somewhere else to live by now, I assure you. The water itself is pretty noisy and will drown out most of the screaming noise before it ever reaches your delicate ears. Thank you, Scream Club, for hosting such an event.

Derek September 6, 2025 (2:18 pm)

People need to relax. This isn’t a regular thing and can we not concern troll birds and such when it’s just something we don’t understand or like. Just be honest! Let’s not do pickleball thing all over again.

1994 September 6, 2025 (10:31 pm)

Reply

Yes, they plan this to be a regular thing. The RSVP page says they’re planning to do this on first Sundays every month.

park user September 6, 2025 (2:50 pm)

This is a really really bad idea and incredibly disrespectful to all other park users. I understand the need for group therapy, but do this inside at a gym or something and not at public park where people go to enjoy nature. Sure the group might be welcoming and nonjudgmental but other park users/dogs/bicyclists/children are not going to be welcoming when they become frightened by this random screaming.

N September 6, 2025 (3:45 pm)

I think the whole point is to be outdoors and let yourself be heard. Considering the scream won’t likely last more than 30 seconds, I feel like these comments might be a bit of an overreaction. Consider the fact that kids routinely play loudly in the park, there is a public pool, it hosts community sporting events, and you can reserve space for outdoor parties there. It’s already consistently noisy at times. Lighten up.

No September 6, 2025 (4:20 pm)

If i heard mass screaming in the park, in the distance or closer, and didn’t know it was scheduled “scream therapy”, I’d be out ASAP with a pounding heart. Collective screaming as a release and a community building exercise is unfortunately, other unsuspecting park goer’s nightmare, cortisol spike, ride on a terror train.