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Must List: Bumbershoot, Summer Rewind Film Festival, Bremerton Blackberry Festival

Your weekly guide to Seattle's hottest events.

Bumbershoot 2017 at Seattle Center in Seattle, WA on September1st, 2017 (Photo by David Conger / Bumbershoot)
Bumbershoot 2017 at Seattle Center in Seattle, WA on September1st, 2017 (Photo by David Conger / Bumbershoot)

MUST LOVE MUSIC

Bumbershoot
(8/31–9/2) Bumbershoot is supposed to be a festival, but it’s always had a slightly melancholy end-of-summer vibe—and it doesn’t help that it’s named after an umbrella, callously reminding us that eight months of rain are around the corner. Bold-face names in this year’s lineup include Lil Wayne and Fleet Foxes; other offerings include dance, comedy, theater, visual arts and yoga on the lawn. Times and prices vary. Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St.; 206.684.7200; bumbershoot.com

Photo via Washington State Fair Facebook page

MUST DO THE PUYALLUP

Washington State Fair
(8/31–9/23) Have you ever witnessed daring horseback acrobatics or rode on an old-fashioned roller coaster? No? Then it’s time to hop in your car and get to Puyallup for the Washington State Fair. Ogle prize-winning produce, taste a fair scone or buttery elephant ear, take in a rodeo and listen to Macklemore (9/21) at the state’s biggest fair. Times and prices vary. Closed Tuesdays and September 5. Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup, 110 Ninth Ave. SW; 253.845.1771; thefair.com

MUST GAME

PAX West
(8/31–9/3) This weekend, Seattle’s downtown hub will taken over by the crème de la crème of the gaming industry. The annual Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) showcases the best and on the rise video, arcade and tabletop games during this jam packed four-day festival. Check out panels on the latest games, meet gaming legends and test out the newest games for yourself. PAX sells out every year, so if you’re even remotely interested in checking it out, buy a day pass ASAP. Times and prices vary. Washington State Convention Center, downtown, 705 Pike St.; west.paxsite.com

MUST WATCH FILMS

Summer Rewind Film Festival
(8/31–9/6) Soak up the last bits of summer by seeing the season’s blockbuster hits. Cinerama will be showing the best summer movies starting this weekend. Watch (or rewatch) Ocean’s 8, Deadpool 2, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, A Quiet Place and more. Just don’t forget the chocolate popcorn. Times vary. $15. Cinerama, downtown, 2100 Fourth Ave.; 206.448.6680; cinerama.com

MUST EAT BLACKBERRIES

Bremerton Blackberry Festival
(9/1–9/3) Stuff yourself silly with one of Pacific Northwest’s most iconic berries at this family friendly festival. Now in it’s 29th year, the festival celebrates blackberries by preparing them every which way. Want blackberry ice cream? They got that. Or how about blackberry sausage? Yep, they got that too. Wash the treats down with some blackberry wine or soda. Don’t worry, if you feel overloaded on blackberries, they will have vendors selling non-blackberry food and drink, too. Times vary. Free. Bremerton Boardwalk Waterfront, Bremerton, 100 Washington Beach Ave.; blackberryfestival.org

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

SENSORIUM Takes on Our Screen Addiction

Dance, drag, and immersive art collide in an eight-week exploration of our phone-obsessed lives, with a few surprises along the way. 

What do drag queens, smartphone addiction, art installations, and an old luggage shop have in common?  According to longtime Seattle choreographer Alana O’Farrell Rogers, a lot.  “There’s no dead time anymore,” says Rogers, explaining how the proliferation of smartphones fills the empty spaces that once served as time for rest or connection. Where we snuggled…

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Salt-N-Pepa on Breaking Barriers and Staying Power

Ahead of their performance at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture gala, the hip-hop pioneers talk about creative ownership, connecting with new generations, and the songs that still resonate.

The Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP) will host its annual ICONS of Pop Culture Gala in Seattle on October 22, honoring five artists and institutions whose work has helped shape entertainment and culture.  This year’s honorees are martial arts and film legend Bruce Lee, fashion designer Jeremy Scott, the video game franchise Halo, hip-hop pioneers…

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Studio Sessions: Christopher Paul Jordan

Drawing on childhood memories, neighborhood history, and salvaged materials, Christopher Paul Jordan’s latest show at Cornish’s Behnke Family Gallery explores how the past stays with us.

Start in the middle. It’s good advice for telling a story, and a way into Christopher Paul Jordan’s paintings. By the time you encounter them, their materials have already been something else, and who knows what they might move on to become. The Tacoma interdisciplinary artist works with salvaged objects, including screens, picture frames, canvas,…

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Rearview Mirror: Wedding Bells, A Furniture Launch, and the Symphony’s New Look 

Things I did, saw, ate, learned, or read in the past week (or so).

WEDDING BELLS I’ve been a bit absent from this column lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: I got married! It’s already been three weeks since my September 19 wedding, but I’m still reflecting on the magic of the day. My fiancé, well husband now (I can’t get used to saying it!),…