Bumbershoot
bumbershoot annual international music art festival held seattle washington one north america largest festival take place every labor day weekend leading including first monday september acre seattle center built world fair seattle center includes indoor theater outdoor stage bumbershoot began cityfunded budget art music festival called mayor art festival also known festival held seattle center august – event total attendance visitor amidst local economic depression triggered near collapse boeing festival attempted revive local spirit largest event held seattle center since world fair talk radio host irving clark jr chaired fair committee avantgarde impresario anne focke used onefifth budget light show incorporated laser still something novelty time computer graphic enormous inflatable soft sculpture land truth company electronic jam session event included dance theater folk music art craft art car body painting miss hot pant contest amateur motorcycle race one outoftown performer country singer sheb wooley festival held july – took guest festival adopted present name bumbershoot grew five day pulled visitor national act included cal tjader joe venuti john handy grew day visitor festival opened renaissance processional kilometer downtown center mayor wes uhlman city council participated year role ranging clowning reading childrens story aloud mayor case running lost child center another prominent bumbershoot event era bumbernationals artist soapbox derby continued early day festival produced park department employee john chambless former university washington professor history philosophy produced sky river rock festival pacific northwest hippieera festival declining government grant support bumbershoot tried keep afloat donation sale poster button tshirts poor weather hurt attendance year left free festival scrambling financially stable option first festival retrenched number day bringing national talent according john chambless percent budget went outoftown talent festival nearly percent local cut two weekend cut labor day weekend happened labor day weekend rainy city brought northwest nonprofit organization one reel produce event running ever since mids attempt seattle center wrest back control overruled city council early one reel worked red sky poetry theatre rspt ran many literary art aspect bumbershoot several year rspt would hold competition determine local talent would read performance stage precursor poetry slam according website one reel originated traveling show one reel vaudeville show founded former one reel president ceo norman langillone reel also operated teatro zinzanni summer night concert series family th lake union event one reel vaudeville show organization involved event since second year new role festival producer came big changeonce festival featured headlining national international talent act year included emmylou harris chuck berry art ensemble chicago etta james clifton chenier eugene fodor martin mull added admission chargeinitially admission charge u day although free friday tradition lasted decade grown u day substantial new premium ticket offering also introduced including gold platinum pass fullevent ticket providing guaranteed inclusive admission limitedseating event reserved vip seating certain live music venue new formula featured worldclass act continuing ground festival bedrock pacific northwest talent record number art music lover flocked multiple indoor outdoor stage gallery food art craft vendor artist eurythmics james brown spinal tap tina turner shared turf art oddity like gigantic flying pencil bumbernationals soapbox derby robotic art although initially resistant hip hop mids bumbershoot introduced first largescale hip hop show ever held seattle tradition thats still much alive ash grunge rock scene came new brand seattle sound influential alternative rock band sleater kinney modest mouse death cab cutie grand archive played bumbershoot new millennium international artist included group baba maal grand kabuki theatre japan ethiopian youth circus one reel film festival held within bumbershoot celebrates american independent film short bumbershoot incorporated new art form poetry slam break dancing well older art circus contortion aerial street theater one reel signed threeyear programming promotional agreement aeg live one largest forprofit international promoter rock concert large event deal allowed aeg assist one reel booking musical act sponsorship ultimately proved unfruitful party region largest single showcase regional talent bumbershoot became cultural tastemaker festival—which become seattle longestlived music art festival—paved way seattlearea outdoor event festival happening many northwest folklife festival premiered seattle center memorial day weekend nine month first bumbershoot become established tradition right several year financial trouble aeg live took lead promoter one reel providing supporting programming aeg previously taken secondary production role experienced significant loss due rain great recession contrary time secondary producer aeg would majority control one reel longer financially healthy company struggle chris porter bumbershoots music booker nearly two decade said time one reel bow way aeg wanted thing order get deal done word aeg kept festival alive would make major decision didnt authority past local worried aeg stepping would change deep cultural significance festival served city highlighting local creatives experienced similar situation new orleans seattle local interviewed seattle time said soon aeg began produce jazzfest significance city history culture fell background local artist replaced money making headliner though concern truth matter local aeg team believed bumbershoot seattle aeg took nearly million dollar debt threatened festival future source told crosscut magazine local aeg staff thought festival saved represented potential chance make money signing contact aeg one reel founder norm langill met chad queirolo rob thomas aegs pacific northwest chapter langill reported seattle time full faith queirolo thomas take bumbershoots operation november aeg live announced decided continue producing bumbershoot contract renewal aegs rob thomas said decision heartbreaking initially invested saving music festival believed decision came year problem since seattle maintains ownership bumbershoot related problem arise union city overtime pay police fee seattle center also construction last several year restricts area available festival use significantly keyarena industry expert noted likely aeg lost upwards million dollar year promoted bumbershoot many festivalhosting city government funding – grant – organized continue festival maintain profit tourism tax gain bumbershoot experienced economic profitability thus aeg chose step fall announced aeg live declined renew option produce bumbershoot following fiveyear run lead producer edition cancelled due covid pandemic edition cancelled allow new operator new rising sun revamp festival time golden anniversary third stone new rising sun announced would relaunching bumbershoot new rising sun nrs team concert promoter visual art producer obtained right produce bumbershoot partnership seattle center march announced musical lineup bumbershoot would include sleaterkinney brittany howard band horse zhu jawbreaker afi descendent sunny day real estate among others list historic rock festival capitol hill block party sasquatch music festival seattle center paul dorpat bumbershoot historylinkorg essay september accessed september official website bumbershoot age archived march wayback machine page showing yearbyyear promotional artwork list performer image festival