The Must List: Bumbershoot, Bigfoot Convention and PAX West
Your guide to Seattle's hottest events.
By Danny Sullivan and Callie Little August 31, 2017
MUST BUMBER
Bumbershoot
(9/1-9/3) Seattle’s flagship music festival (keep dreaming Upstream!) returns Labor Day weekend as Seattle Center becomes the staging ground for Bumbershoot. With daily headliners Flume, Lorde, Washington’s own Odesza and too many other great acts to list, Bumbershoot has something to offer to even those who can’t name a Big Sean tune. Activities like Yogashoot (group yoga) and Youngershoot (an area designed for children 10 and under) provide a welcome counterpoint to the intensity of the crowds and concerts. Peep our tips on making the most of your Bumbershoot experience before heading to the fest. Prices vary; Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St.; bumbershoot.com
MUST CHASE SQUATCH
International Bigfoot Conference
(9/1-9-3) If the Twin Peaks revival still hasn’t scratched your itch for woodsy Northwest mysteries, head to Kennewick this weekend for the second annual International Bigfoot Conference. This event—as unbelievable as Bigfoot himself—will focus on the scientific evidence that points toward the hairy beasts’ existence and has attracted speakers that range from true believers to literature professors fascinated by the persistence of sasquatch creatures in folktales from all over the world. It looks to be a fun dive into one of the enduring and endearing quirks of our region. Prices vary, all ages; Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick, 7016 W Grandridge Blvd.; internationalbigfootconference.com
MUST PLAY
PAX West
(9/1–9/4) From new Greenwood game bars to virtual reality lounges in Ballard, gaming has officially blown up. Since its 4,500-attendee beginnings in Bellevue in 2004, PAX has become the largest gaming event in North America, drawing tens of thousands of attendees each year. Peruse halls packed with exhibits, expert panels, game-play stations and cosplayers as far as the eye can see. Times and prices vary. Downtown, Washington State Convention Center, 705 Pike St.; west.paxsite.com
MUST TOAST
Chateau Ste. Michelle’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Weekend
(9/2–9/3) Our region’s most renowned winery isn’t the only institution celebrating a big anniversary this fall. But Chateau Ste. Michelle’s 50th anniversary bash marks the grand opening of its brand-new $7 million, 22,700-square-foot visitor center with live music, food trucks, tours, tastings and more. The beloved winery had a big showing in Seattle magazine’s Washington Wine Awards, so you know the juice will be good. 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Free. Woodinville, 14111 NE 145th St.; 425.488.1133; ste-michelle.com
MUST SING
Karaoke World Championships Washington State Finals
(9/2-9/3) The qualifiers are over and this Saturday and Sunday the Washington state finals in the Karaoke World Championships go down at the Tulalip Resort Casino. The top three men and women will advance to the finals at Circus Circus in Las Vegas. At stake in Vegas is the chance to rep the United States in the world championships in Helsinki. While it’s too late to make your own karaoke dreams come true, an opportunity to watch Washington’s best karaoke rock stars perform ought to be a blast. Times vary, $15, 21-plus; Tulalip Resort Casino’s Canoes Cabaret, 10200 Quil Ceda Blvd.; tulalipresortcasino.com
Follow Us
Seattle’s Big Holiday Arts Guide
A full lineup of seasonal performances across local theaters and venues.
In the words of William Shakespeare, “All’s well that ends well.” Local theater and arts organizations are hoping for exactly that. Holiday productions often account for as much as half of their annual ticket sales. A 2018 Dance/USA survey found that The Nutcracker alone represented 48% of yearly revenue for many companies producing the Tchaikovsky…
Outside The Frame
In their first solo museum exhibition in Seattle, artist Camille Trautman uses photography to reclaim history, narrative, and self-expression.
You have probably seen Camille Trautman’s work without even realizing it. A huge photograph—20 feet wide—is currently hanging across the exterior of the Frye Art Museum, visible to passersby driving along Boren Avenue. The image is of a wooded landscape in black and white. Its edges are vacuous, with trees swallowed by darkness, but the…
Holiday Hunt in Pioneer Square
A daily ornament drop turns December into a neighborhood-wide scavenger hunt.
The holidays tend to bring out the kid in all of us. And if opening presents and eating too many treats weren’t enough, there’s also a scavenger hunt in Seattle’s oldest neighborhood. Pioneer Square’s Holiday Ornament Scavenger Hunt has returned for its third year. Twenty-five handblown glass ornaments—all made at Glasshouse Studio—are hidden across 25…
Chit-Chat Kids
Phone a friend.
Twenty years ago, before everyone walked around with a device in their pocket, kids used to call each other on a landline—often tethered to the kitchen in their home. It was a simpler time, when parents didn’t have to worry (nearly as much) about a potential predator contacting their child. Nowadays, things are different, which…