Festivals, Concert Series, and Mega-Shows, Part 2: Music Goes Well With...

Festivals, Concert Series, and Mega-Shows, Part 2

The PNW is blessed with plenty of ambitious event planners that cater to a wide range of musical interests. This post highlights festivals and mega-shows (our term for a one-day festival) in our region that feature more than just great music.

Music goes well with...craft beer!

Like to wash down your music with a frosty brew?

Taking place from 4pm till midnight on the last Saturday of Winter (March 16) at King's Hall, The Stranger presents its first Penumbra Beer Bash. The event features 25 craft beers from local breweries like Hilliard's, Fremont, Naked City, and more and the music lineup includes 6 different bands: The Catheters, Pleasureboaters, TacocaT, Wimps, La Luz, and Prism Tats. Tix are $25 and you get 7 drink tokens; you will definitely get your money's worth, and proceeds benefit the nonprofit The World is Fun. Need more? Food trucks will be there! Like Skillet and Seattle Biscuit Company! Plus there's this weird thing called a Randall which dispenses beer with "various specialty ingredients, thereby infusing unique flavors".... sounds cool, right? They're having a Randall Competition and there will be 12 of 'em!

I know what you're wondering. What does Penumbra mean? Well, they want you to think of it as the "darkness that defines the silver lining." I think it's an allusion to the last dark days of Winter before the Spring.

Music goes well with beer and...bikes! 

But you'll either have to take my word for it, or travel to Boise, Idaho to experience the only New Belgium Brewing Tour de Fat stop in the PNW.

Portland-based March Fourth Marching Band plays Tour de Fat at Gasworks way back in 2008

Tour de Fat is a traveling bike/beer/music summer mega-show that used to make stops in Portland and Seattle, but I guess they decided these fair cities were bike-friendly enough. Bike parade, music, variety acts, beer, and it was held at Gasworks park in the middle of summer...sigh...those were the days. Anyways, they continue to bring this good time to cities all over the nation, and if you find yourself near Boise on August 17th, make a point of going.

Thankfully, New Belgium still stops in Seattle for their Clips of Faith bike, beer, and folly-inspired traveling short film festival...which is totally awesome, too, but it doesn't feature music.

Music goes well with...comedy, ballet, rat city roller girls, short films, theatre, great food, and whatever else the geniuses at Bumbershoot can think of! 

Death Cab for Cutie at Bumbershoot 2008

Labor day weekend is August 31-September 2 this year, folks. Bumbershoot tickets have been on-sale in one form or another since Halloween 2012, and ticket prices will only continue to increase. You can currently buy a 3-day pass to this morning-till-midnight music and arts binge for $99 (before fees). That's 34% off door prices. It is the best value for your money as far as PNW festivals go, and if you get burnt out on music, there are ALL THE OTHER THINGS. It boggles my mind. There will be more on Bumbershoot as soon as they start posting lineup information.