Bumbershoot

Seattlites love their summertime. As soon as the sun begins to shine, locals take lunch al fresco and the long way home. The season is gorgeous, and we don't waste a second of it, and even bid it goodbye with the city's biggest party of the year, Bumbershoot.

Held annually on Labor Day weekend, the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival is the largest urban arts festival in North America. It covers all of Seattle Center's 74 acre campus with stages, tents and featuring live music, theater and dance performances, film screenings, stand-up comedians, readings by writers and poets and mini-gallery showings of visual arts. Bumbershoot also includes a dizzying, pocket-emptying array of food stalls and vendors, including a special marketplace for local and indie crafts.

The focal point of the festival, however, is its main stage, which attracts some of the biggest musical acts in the world. This year, headliners include folk legend Bob Dylan, R&B diva Mary J. Blige, indie superstars Weezer, home grown grunge rockers Hole, and the quirky Neko Case. The other 7 music stages feature local and national acts, playing everything from hip-hop to world music, classical to kid-safe favorites.

The festival schedule is always jam-packed, with several events going on simultaneously. It can get overwhelming with so much to do, so if you plan on attending, get your hands on a schedule (check the website) ahead of time and plan your attack.

Bumbershoot tickets are notoriously expensive, with 1 day economy passes (these do not include entrance to the main stage, FYI) costing $22 and day passes with main stage admission priced at $40. Kids under 10 get in free with an adult guardian.

There are VIP gold and platinum passes which include VIP benefits, such as access to a hospitality lounge and priority into all areas on all 3 days—with VIP prices between $250 and $450.

 

- by Caren Gussoff Sumption, Seattle Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Caren Gussoff Sumption

Caren Gussoff Sumption is a freelance writer and editor from Seattle, WA. She's written for USA Today, the Seattle Times/NW Source, MSN and AOL, and her fiction has been published worldwide. She received her MFA in writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.