Upstream Music Fest + Summit
Through May 13, Seattle, upstreammusicfest.com
This new festival, centered in Pioneer Square, showcases the best of the Northwest, with Summit keynote speeches by Macklemore, Quincy Jones, Ron Jones, Portia Sabin and more.
Notable acts: Dinosaur Jr., Shabazz Palaces, Beat Connection, Flying Lotus, Jay Park, Mike McCready
Sasquatch! Festival
May 26-28, George, $295, sasquatchfestival.com
Started in 2002, this oldest of the Northwest’s destination festivals features views of the Columbia River from the Gorge Amphitheatre.
Notable acts: Blitzen Trapper, Chance the Rapper, Courtney Marie Andrews, DoNormaal, Fred Armisen, LCD Soundsystem, Manatee Commune, Sisters, The Head and the Heart, The Shins
Northwest Folklife Festival
May 26-29, Seattle Center, free, www.nwfolklife.org
During all of its years, this gathering has celebrated the music, dance, stories and arts of people of all cultures, including kids, who make the Northwest home, drawing an estimated 250,000 revelers to Seattle Center each Memorial Day weekend. It remains free for anyone to attend.
Notable acts at the 46th annual festival include: Squirrel Butter, The Skablins, Fabulous Roof Shakers, Vela Luka Croatian Ensemble, Mossyback Morris Men, Grace Love, The Warren G. Hardings, Total Experience Gospel Choir, Northwest Scottish Fiddlers, Wes Weddell, Bailadores de Bronce, LeRoy Bell, Smilin’ Scandinavians, Show Brazil!, the Not-Its!, Clinton Fearon
Juan de Fuca Festival
May 26-29, Port Angeles, $60, www.jffa.org
Notable acts: the Papberboys, Geoffrey Castle Band, Polecat
Volume: Inlander Music Festival
June 2-3, Spokane, $25, volume.inlander.com
Doggedly regional, this festival features 100 up-and-comers from throughout the Northwest at venues around the city.
Notable acts: Built to Spill, Motopony, Nacho Picasso, Shawn James and the Shapeshifters, Blossom
Big Bldg Bash
June 3, Seattle, $40, bigbldgbash.com
The all-ages, one-day, not-for-profit music festival, which is in its fourth year, offers 50 plus acts on five stages, an arts market, food trucks, local beer on tap and free parking.
Notable acts: DoNormaal, Fabulous Downey Brothers, Wild Powwers, Kingdom Boogie Band
Elkfest
June 9-11, Spokane, free, elkfestspokane.com
This festival has filled the streets of the historic Browne’s Addition neighborhood for more than a decade. This grassroots weekend of music spurns sponsorship and puts indie acts front and center.
Notable acts: Afrolicious, Fat Lady, Dustin Thomas, The Donkeys
What the Festival
June 16-19, Dufur, Ore., $325, whatthefestival.com
Held on the 250-acre Wolf Run Ranch in Mount Hood National Forest, this large-scale “beach” party features three stages, a wading pool, an illuminated forest and lots of electronic music.
Notable acts: Gramatik, Zhu, Cut Copy, Fort Knox Five, The Funk Hunters
Fremont Solstice Festival
June 17-18, Seattle, free, fremontsolstice.com
The Fremont Solstice Fair’s parade — with its nude cyclists — gets the attention, but the music has become just as much fun.
Notable acts: Orgone, Dirty Revival, Ayron Jones & the Way, Scott Pemberton Band
Block Party at The Station
June 17, Seattle, free, www.stationblockparty.com
The Station Cafe on Beacon Hill is the host of this one-day, all-ages, hip-hop festival.
Notable acts: DoNormaal, Dave B, Da Qween, Koga Shabazz, KO Nikkita
The Spur Festival
June 22-25, Darrington, $90, www.thespurfestival.com
Darrington’s Music Park festival season begins with this second annual country music festival. Tickets are discounted if purchased before June 3.
Notable acts: Tayla Lynn, Marlin James, Jessica Lynne, Knut Bell, Miller Campbell, Lowdown Drifters, FrogHollow, Boot Boogie Babes, The Folsoms, Norman Baker, Whiskey Fever, Ryan Blair
Paradiso Festival
June 23-24, George, $183, paradisofestival.com
The largest annual EDM gathering in the Pacific Northwest, this event at the Gorge Amphitheatre regularly attracts some of the genre’s premiere DJs.
Notable acts: Tiesto, KSHMR, Marshmello, Alan Walker, Oliver Heldens, Yellow Claw, Sam Feldt, Anna Lunoe, Baauer, Saymyname, Vini Vici, Will Sparks, Porter Robinson
Victoria International Jazz Fest
June 23-July 2, Victoria, B.C., prices vary, jazzvictoria.ca/jazz-fest
Jazz, blues and world-beat music flood the town’s historic streets and attract huge crowds.
Notable acts: Mavis Staples, Ziggy Marley, Tommy Emmanuel, Jacob Collier, Elvin Bishop
Waterfront Blues Festival
June 30-July 4, Portland, Ore., $40, waterfrontbluesfest.com
The largest blues festival west of the Mississippi, this annual event began in 1987 as the Rose City Blues Festival. It benefits the Oregon Food Bank.
Notable acts at the 30th fest: Canned Heat, Chris Isaak, Elvin Bishop, Eric Gales, Joss Stone, Galactic, Duffy Bishop, Lady Kat, King Louie’s Blues Revue, MarchFourth, Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles
Ballard Seafood Fest
July 8-9, Seattle, free, seafoodfest.org
Music to go with your salmon and all things Ballard.
Notable: Strand of Oaks
Timber! Outdoor Music Festival
July 13-15, Carnation, $75, www.timbermusicfest.com
The festival is at the wonderful Tolt-MacDonald Park, with its intimate setting, and hiking and biking trails just on the other side of the Snoqualmie River.
Notable acts: Sisters of Soul, Shovels and Rope, Sera Cahoone, Cataldo, the True Loves, Shelby Earl, Smokey Brights
Cascadia Northwest Arts & Music Festival
July 13-16, Granite Falls, $180, www.cascadianw.com
Music, crafts, workshops and camping at the Masonic Family Campgrounds.
Notable acts: CloZee, Dubtribe, Andreilien, David Starfire
Northwest String Summit
July 13-16, North Plains, Ore., prices vary, stringsummit.com
This annual event at the beautiful Horning’s Hideout west of Portland features a lot of bluegrass and jammin’ string bands. Look for the peacocks and the old Grateful Deadheads.
Notable acts: Darol Anger, Yonder Mountain String Band, Greensky Bluegrass, Del McCoury Band, Elephant Revival, JJ Grey & Mofro, Fruition, Todd Snider, Turkuaz, Shook Twins, DeadPhish Orchestra, Banana Slug String Band, Sally Van Meter, Scott Law, Noam Pikelny
Pemberton Music Festival
July 13-16, Pemberton, B.C., $369, pembertonmusicfestival.com
This four-day event at the foot of Mount Currie in the pastoral Pemberton Valley, 25 minutes from Whistler.
Notable acts: Chance the Rapper, Muse, A Tribe Called Quest, Major Lazer, Marshmello, Ben Harper, Ween, Alesso
Vancouver Folk Music Festival
July 13-16, Vancouver, B.C., $155, thefestival.bc.ca
This internationally renowned festival at Jericho Beach Park brings in artists from around the world.
Notable acts: Barenaked Ladies, Billy Bragg & Joe Henry, Shawn Colvin, Jim Kweskin, Mbongwana Star, Blind Pilot, Belle Game, Wesli
Vancouver Island Musicfest
July 14-16, Courtenay, B.C., $179, www.islandmusicfest.com
Set on the banks of the Tsolum River in the Comox Valley, this festival has six very different stages.
Notable acts: Barenaked Ladies, Emmylou Harris, Robert Randolph, Bruce Cockburn, Ania Soul, Rita Coolidge
West Seattle Summer Fest
July 14-16, West Seattle, free, wsjunction.org/summerfest
This family-friendly event features great music and a lot of cool stuff for kids.
Darrington Bluegrass Festival
July 21-23, Darrington, $65 but prices vary, www.darringtonbluegrass.com
The longest running bluegrass festival of its kind in the Northwest, Darrington’s family-friendly 41st anniversary festival is a celebration with banjos, fiddles and vocal harmonies.
Notable acts: The Combinations, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Special Consensus, Gold Heart, Rural Delivery, Ragged Union, Birdsview Bluegrass, Robert Mabe, Kathy Boyd, Red Desert Ramblers
Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Fest
July 21-23, Winthrop, $110, www.winthropbluesfestival.com
The festival brings some of the best blues artists to the Blues Ranch in the Methow Valley.
Notable acts: Too Slim & the Taildraggers, Delbert McClinton, Marcus King Band, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Delgado Brothers, Rae Gordon Band
Capitol Hill Block Party
July 21-23, Seattle, $135, capitolhillblockparty.com
Capitol Hill celebrates its 21st year by showcasing 100 local and national artists in three indoor venues, dozens of restaurants and bars, and on two outdoor stages.
Notable acts: Wolf Parade, Thundercat, Kyle Craft, Lord Huron, Manatee Commune, Naked Giants, Sloucher, Julie Byrne, Diplo
Watershed Music Festival
July 28-30, George, $199, watershedfest.com
Country music and camping at the Gorge Amphitheatre.
Notable acts: Chase Rice, Darius Rucker, Christ Stapleton, Bailey Bryan, Eric Paslay, Lee Brice, Luke Bryan, Old Dominion, Cadillac Three, Ashley McBryde, Lanco, Midland, Smithfield
Doe Bay Fest
Aug. 10-13 Orcas Island, prices vary, doebayfest.com
Music, food, camping in the San Juans. What else is there? Tickets could sell out.
Lineup to be announced.
Pickathon
Aug. 3-6, Happy Valley, Ore., $310, pickathon.com
Having long since strayed from its bluegrass moniker, this festival on the Pendarvis Farm features a wide variety of artists while still focusing on Americana.
Notable acts: Charles Bradley, Drive-by Truckers, Mandolin Orange, Courtney Marie Andrews
Mount Baker Rhythm & Blues Festival
Aug. 3-6, Deming, $140, www.bakerblues.com
Lots of good music at the 22nd annual festival on the Deming Log Show grounds.
Notable Acts: Davy Knowles, Josey Wails, Shane Dwight, Fabulous Roof Shakers, Stacy Jones, Chris Eger, Walter Trout, Brian Lee
Subdued String Band Jamboree
Aug. 10-12, $75, Deming, www.stringbandjamboree.com
More information to come.
Summer Meltdown
Aug. 10-13, Darrington, $215, summermeltdownfest.com
Enjoy the view of Whitehorse Mountain and a diverse musical program while camping out with your family. One of the best fests around.
Notable acts: The String Cheese Incident, Nahko and Medicine for the People, The Floozies, The Polish Ambassador, The Infamous Stringdusters, G Jones, The Wailers, Elephant Revival, Flowmotion, Shook Twins, Polecat, Polyrhythmics
Stillaguamish Festival of the River
Aug. 12-13, Arlington, $10 to park, otherwise free, festivaloftheriver.com
Put on by the Stillaguamish Tribe, the Festival of the River & Pow Wow takes place at the River Meadows County Park.
Notable acts: LeAnn Rimes, Jonny Lang
Music Fest NW Project Pabst
Aug. 26-27, Portland, $99, portland.projectpabst.com
This joint festival is two days outdoors, rain or shine, on two stages at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland. Food trucks and beer add to the festival atmosphere.
Notable acts: Iggy Pop, Beck, Father John Misty, Lizzo, Die Antwoord, Pup, Filthy Friends
Bumbershoot
Sept. 1-3, Seattle Center, $235, bumbershoot.com
Seattle’s very own annual music and arts festival, Bumbershoot includes live music, comedy, theater, film, visual arts, dance performance. It costs a pretty penny now, but Bumbershoot is still one of the best-loved contemporary festivals in North America.
Notable acts: Flume, Lorde, Odesza, Weezer, Big Sean, Solange, Margaret Cho, The Skins, Shook Twins, Cataldo, Tacocat
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