1. First Night Celebrations - In 1983, Seattle hosted the first ever "First Night" celebration, a family-friendly New Year's Eve event that occurs in cities across the United States. The event features live music, performances, and interactive art installations.

2. Space Needle Fireworks - Since 1995, Seattle's Space Needle has put on an impressive fireworks display every New Year's Eve. The show can be seen from all over the city and draws around 100,000 spectators annually.

3. Oldest Bar in Seattle - The J&M Cafe, opened in 1889, is Seattle's oldest bar and has been a popular spot for New Year's Eve celebrations for over a century.

4. Washington's Liquor Laws - In 2013, Washington became the second state in the United States to legalize the sale of marijuana for recreational use. However, the state has some of the strictest liquor laws in the country, limiting the sale of hard alcohol to state-run liquor stores.

5. A Presidential Visit - On December 31, 1992, President George H.W. Bush made a surprise visit to the USS Missouri, which was moored at Naval Station Bremerton, to celebrate the new year with the sailors aboard. This was the same ship where the Japanese formally surrendered in 1945, ending World War II.