Summer gets into full-swing in July, and there are plenty of ways to go out and enjoy it this month in Seattle. Below, we've rounded up the 150 biggest events that you should know about, including music festivals like Capitol Hill Block Party and Timber!, food events like the Bite of Seattle and Burning Beast, and arts and performance events like the Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival and the opening of MUSE: Mickalene Thomas Photographs and tĂŞte-Ă -tĂŞte. Click through the links below for complete details, and, as always, find even more events on our complete Things To Do calendar, including sub-sections for outside events, Fourth of July, and Bastille Day.

JULY 1

FESTIVALS

1. Urban Craft Uprising Summer Show
"Seattle's largest indie craft show" boasts a very large number of vendors—150 or more—selling toys, clothing, jewelry, food, clothes, crafts, etc., etc., etc. It's a boon for small business owners and customers alike. Just be prepared for crowds: These markets can easily draw 12,000 indie shoppers.

MUSIC

2. Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 Organ
They're firing up the organ for Camille Saint-Saëns's big, bold, adventurous Third Symphony, which is always a treat. Before that, Benjamin Grosvenor, a super precise, but not at all mechanical, British pianist will likely deliver a performance of Chopin's Second Piano Concerto so clean you can eat off it. And before that, we'll get a Saint-Saëns amuse bouche in Danse macabre, which sounds like the music a Viking would make after drinking a lot of coffee. RICH SMITH

3. Vance Joy
Known best for his hit single "Riptide," Melbourne folk and pop singer-songwriter Vance Joy will return stateside on his "Nation of Two" World Tour in support of his latest works.

JULY 1-6

SPORTS & RECREATION

4. 2018 Special Olympics USA Games Seattle
Every four years, the Special Olympics USA Games showcase the abilities of athletes with intellectual disabilities and "promote the ideals of acceptance and inclusion through sport." Seattle will host this year's Games, which will feature 14 sports (including basketball, tennis, swimming, gymnastics, soccer, and golf) performed by more than 4,000 athletes, as well as ceremonies, forums, and live entertainment. Kickoff events include the final leg of a five-day run wherein an "elite" group of law enforcement officers and six Special Olympics athletes will carry the Special Olympics Flame of Hope and the Opening Ceremony, where the athletes will parade in and Charlie Puth, Marshmello, Allen Stone, Ann Wilson of Heart, and the Massive Monkees will play live music.

JULY 2

MUSIC

5. Dua Lipa, Guests
Dua Lipa, the world's newest British pop star, has lit up the charts with her brassy break-up anthems and dance-floor-ready production. She'll return to Seattle on her 2018 summer world tour for a night of dark and fiery pop moments.

JULY 2-27

MUSIC

6. 2018 Seattle Chamber Music Society Summer Festival
Seattle Chamber Music Society is, once again, throwing their summer festival, with free informal recitals and full orchestral performances for all ages throughout the month of July. The cabal of esteemed artists involved this year will include Mary Lynch, Andrew Wan, Benjamin Beilman, Jonathan Vinocour, Astrid Schween, George Li, and many more. Plus, don't miss the Music Under The Stars series, during which a student ensemble sets up in a park and plays to whoever shows up, often folks with picnic blankets in tow and maybe a surreptitious bottle of wine or two, after which Benaroya Hall pipes in whatever festival performance is happening that night.

JULY 3

FOOD & DRINK

7. Late Night Eats: That Dumpling Dough
Hood Famous Bakeshop will host an evening of nocturnal nosh in the form of Filipino-inspired handmade dumplings made with longganisa (Filipino sausage links). Gobble them on the spot or purchase frozen dumplings to stash in your freezer. All proceeds support International Solidarity Mission in the Philippines.

JULY 4

HOLIDAYS

8. Fourth of July
Champion life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on Independence Day while eating a hot dog (if you like hot dogs). Find all the ways to celebrate in Seattle here, including the Seafair Summer Fourth and Plant-Loving BBQ Block Party, or check out our list of cheap & easy Independence Day events.

JULY 5-8

MUSIC

9. Will Downing
Known widely as "The Prince of Sophisticated Soul," legendary singer Will Downing will showcase his talents for interpreting soul, jazz, and R&B classics for a four-night stint in support of his latest release, Soul Survivor.

PERFORMANCE

10. Camptacular!
The drag burlesque duo Kitten N’ Lou are often called "the world's show-busiest couple," and they continue to live up to the title by bringing their summer burlesque hit Camptacular! back for its third year. Stranger Genius Award winner/generally beloved adult baby Cherdonna will be returning to the show, as will Waxie Moon, Randy Ford, and Markeith Wiley, who all somehow live in Seattle even though we really don't deserve them. New to this year's cast is LA performer Tito Bonito, who I've seen strip off a bedazzled Boy Scout uniform to Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda." It was hot. And artistic! CHASE BURNS

JULY 5-15

PERFORMANCE

11. Seattle International Butoh Festival
If you’ve ever wanted to see a ghost come to life, attend the Seattle International Butoh Festival—and you’ll see them dance. This contemporary form of Japanese performance is inspired by the grotesque, but its intense beauty comes through in each dancer’s meticulous, slow, hyper-exaggerated movements. The festival brings the avant-garde dance/art form to the Northwest with events in Seattle, Shoreline, and Snohomish, and it is organized by and features performances from Joan Laage’s Seattle-based DAIPANbutoh Collective. The festival also offers an array of international guest artists and masters of the form, including Japan’s Mushimaru Fujieda. SOPHIA STEPHENS

JULY 6

FILM

12. 'Sorry to Bother You' Opening
Boots Riley’s tale of a not-too-distant dystopian future steeped in racially aware class struggle takes on a deserving protagonist: black telemarketer Cassius Green (played by Lakeith Stanfield, of Atlanta and Get Out), who discovers that his “white voice” just might help him achieve his dreams. But like anything involving white people, there’s probably a catch. David Cross supplies Green’s “white voice” in the film, while Cassius’s coworker Langston (Danny Glover), who clues Cassius into the secret of the “white voice,” gets a taste of that sweet, sweet white privilege from the vocal cords of Steve Buscemi. SOPHIA STEPHENS

MUSIC

13. Ann Wilson of Heart
It seems wild to me that it would be necessary to qualify Ann Wilson’s name with “of Heart,” considering that her widely renowned vocal prowess, expansive personality, decades of chart-topping tracks, and taste in velvet blazers should speak for themselves, but that’s basic promotional marketing for you. I grew up on Wilson’s power ballads of love lost and confidence gained, and I heavily credit her (and her also incredible sister, Nancy) for carving out a wide swath in pop culture for strong womxn making complex rock in a time when it was definitely easier to simply go down the fringed groupie route of her lesser male counterparts. KIM SELLING

14. Dean Ween Group, Mike Dillon Band
Breakups can be good for a band. In the case of Ween—purveyors of ironic and absurd rock music—coleaders Dean and Gene Ween focused on their respective solo selves. Deaner reunited his hard-rock group Moistboyz and started a new one, too, the Dean Ween Group, releasing two albums under his old (new) moniker: The Deaner Album in 2016, and a sophomore follow-up this March, rock2. Both are high-quality outings and what you’d expect from the brasher, louder, readier-to-initiate ball-busting member of the group. Sonically, he draws heavily on elements of hard-rock, prog, and psych-rock, more lightly from metal and twang, and adds dashes of nasty funk and soul; “Dicky Betts” is a homage that sounds like straight up Allmans, and cheeky brown humor is intact in songs like “Pussy on My Pillow” and the greasier “Someone Greased the Fat Man.” LEILANI POLK

15. Neurosis, Converge, Amenra
It’s a bicoastal battle royale, as Boston-based metallic hardcore heavyweights Converge team up with Bay Area underground icons Neurosis to form the metal equivalent of Macho Man Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan joining forces back in 1988. Both bands are unapologetically intense, with Converge’s thrashing onslaught creating the perfect juxtaposition for Neurosis’s slow, crushing freight train of riffs. Joining these two iconic acts is Belgian band Amenra, whose 2017 album Mass VI is a haunting and brutal mix of post-rock passages and assaultive doom-metal dirges. All three of these bands are innovators of left-brained heavy metal awesomeness. KEVIN DIERS

JULY 6-8

FILM

16. Czech That Film
This touring film festival is billed as "the largest Czech cultural event in the United States," traveling around American cities while showing off the variety and talent in Czech cinema. When it stops in Seattle, audiences will have the chance to see nine feature films, including the Slovak thriller The Line and the Czech films Accumulator 1 and Barefoot (by Jan Sverák, who made the Oscar-winning Kolya), Gangster Ka: African, Masaryk and Milada (two historical dramas), Ice Mother (by Bohdan Sláma, The Country Teacher), 8 Heads of Madness, Family Friend (Jan Hrejbek, The Teacher), and Quartette. All this takes place over two days in a single theater.

FOOD & DRINK

17. Seattle International Beerfest
This three-day specialty beer fest boasts everything from classic beers to "a gaudy selection of top-rated double IPAs, farmhouse/saisons, sours, barleywines, imperial stouts, barrel-aged strong ales, and anything else delicious yet shunned by the masses." There is a lush grass area on which to spread picnic blankets, in addition to indoor and outdoor seating. Deal-seekers, take note: At the Grande Beer Garden, you can grab full pints, including Pilsner Urquell, Hop Valley Citrus Mistress, and Crispin Blackberry Cider, for just three tickets ($3) and take your pint anywhere in the park. JULIANNE BELL

THROUGH JULY 7

PERFORMANCE

18. How I Learned to Drive
Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning memory play might feel a little overly familiar for Playwriting 101 students, but the time is certainly right—especially for Seattleites—to revisit Li'l Bit's story. Her uncle Peck teaches her how to drive, which gives her a kind of freedom, but he also manipulates and molests her throughout her childhood and adolescence. As she floats between the past and the present, she describes the work it took to leave him in the dust. It's an incredible story of resilience and trauma, and Strawshop has treated it well. Frank Boyd, who can switch from genuinely sweet to sickly sour at the drop of a hat, is a good choice to play Uncle Peck, a monstrous man with a nice-guy exterior. And Amy Danneker is also an inspired choice for Li'l Bit. (Though for some reason, she keeps getting cast in roles where her family members molest her. See: A View from the Bridge.) If you haven't seen the play before, now is the time. RICH SMITH

JULY 7

ART

19. Seattle Frida Fest 2018
Browse works by artists and crafters who've been inspired by Frida Kahlo, one of the most famous women artists who ever lived, and enjoy music, fashion, a lookalike contest, food, and kids' activities. Organized by Colectiva Noroeste.

20. TECHBOUND Fashion Show
See models adorned with science-y and tech-y fashion and accessories, courtesy of the Living Computers Museum and Outsider Comics. You can enjoy cosplay, meet designers, and shop fashions "right off the runway."

COMEDY

21. Steve Martin & Martin Short
The prospect of two of the funniest human beings who ever drew breath together on stage, telling stories, singing songs, and making fun of the world and each other is without question one of the most tantalizing, don’t-missable events imaginable. However, like all but 2,000 or so of you, I missed it the last time they came to town. Fortunately, Martin and Short appreciate the value of an encore, so they’re doing two shows this time. It’s riotously expensive and may sound about as appealing as Sunday school to some of you. But these guys are giants and no one lives forever. The great thing about seeing successful artists who clearly don’t need to do this kind of work is that it forces you to consider why, in fact, they do it. And the answer is always because it’s what they are supposed to do. And because they love it. But even if they don’t love it, I do. And so will you. SEAN NELSON

FESTIVALS

22. Seafair Pirates Landing
A ruthless crew of Seafair pirates left behind some treasure in West Seattle last year, and they're sailing back to from the seven seas to collect their bounty. Watch as the scallywags storm the shore, but don't get in their way.

FOOD & DRINK

23. Mt. Rainier Wine Festival
Taste a variety of wines from Washington wineries alongside tapas and live music.

24. Proof: Washington Distiller's Festival
The Pacific Northwest isn’t as known for its spirits as it is for its craft beer or local wine, but names like OOLA Distillery, Captive Spirits, Westland Distillery, Copperworks Distilling Co., and many more are working to change that. At this festival, you can sip small-batch craft spirits from more than 40 Washington distilleries (including all of the aforementioned producers), who will provide all the usual suspects, like gin, whiskey, vodka, and bourbon, as well as more obscure spirits, like aquavit, amari, grappa, absinthe, and others. Local restaurants, including the swanky Tom Douglas lounge, the Carlile Room, and chef Shubert Ho’s recently opened fishmonger/seafood eatery Mar·ket in Edmonds, will provide sustenance as a ballast for all the booze. JULIANNE BELL

MUSIC

25. Air Supply
Can the hedgehog still hit the high notes? And no grown-up will ever understand that this is a matter of so much importance! Well, okay, no non–Air Supply fan. Air Supply fans don’t mind or laugh off their silly clothes (me, I searched the web in vain for a bright-white dress shirt with a yellow tiger over the right breast), unapologetic use of French horns, Jim Steinman’s confession that they almost bored him to death (“but I found that fascinating”) while he recorded one of their hugest hits. Air Supply rarely bother with new albums. They’re about the hits and the memories of those tiger-shirt days. Graham Russell looks like he never leaves the beach. Russell Hitchcock’s the hedgehog. Hope he’s still got it! (That shirt, I mean, which may be too much to hope for.) ANDREW HAMLIN

26. The Damned
While the Clash and Sex Pistols might be the most well-known bands to rise from the UK’s late-1970s punk scene, they weren’t the first. That feat belongs to the Damned, who released their debut studio album, Damned Damned Damned, a couple months before Joe Strummer and his Clash rockers. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow and brooding, the Damned were a dynamic band that influenced both the hardcore and goth music scenes. Led by original vocalist Dave Vanian and guitarist Captain Sensible, the band continues to tour the world and just released a new album—Evil Spirits—in April. KEVIN DIERS

27. Harry Styles, Kacey Musgraves
In a world in which One Direction didn't set teen hearts afire, Texas troubadour Kacey Musgraves might be headlining this stadium show. Her third studio effort, Golden Hour, is among the year's best. It’s the kind of lovingly crafted work that feels like the warm embrace of a good friend, as she sings about sisterly love and fading romance. Fellow reality-show veteran Harry Styles has only one solo album to his name, but his self-titled debut is a surprisingly mature, if inconsistent, effort that splits the difference between the sophisticated pomp of the Beatles and the breezy Britpop of Blur. KATHY FENNESSY

28. Kenny Chesney
Country music golden boy Kenny Chesney will hit Seattle with a full lineup of star-studded supporters like Thomas Rhett, Old Dominion, and Brandon Lay on his Trip Around The Sun Tour.

29. The Posies
The Posies are on tour in honor of their 30th anniversary (their first cassette-only album, Failure, came out in 1988, and was reissued through PopLlama Records in 1989), and they are bringing their distinct brand of indie melancholy to a venue near you. However dark things may seem, there is still a light somewhere—however small, and however lost you may be—and the Posies have delivered that surviving light throughout their three decades as a band and in their discography. Celebrate the survival of your emotional, vulnerable self in all its glory at this show—and if you do cry, make them tears of joy. You made it. SOPHIA STEPHENS

JULY 7-8

FOOD & DRINK

30. Seattle Street Food Festival
This curbside festival from Mobile Food Rodeo gathers food trucks, trailers, street food vendors, and handmade shops on the streets of South Lake Union for a night of gluttony. Past events have featured over 150 vendors. This year's event will also feature a Saturday night market beneath the stars.

THROUGH JULY 8

PERFORMANCE

31. Until the Flood
To create this one-act solo show about the shooting of Michael Brown, theater-maker Dael Orlandersmith conducted hours of interviews with 60 to 80 citizens of Ferguson, Missouri. "I let them talk, I let them talk," Orlandersmith said in an interview. What emerged from those conversations is this collection of powerful recollections, one that ultimately demands the end of the slaughter of black men in the streets of Saint Louis and everywhere else, and one that offers some practical solutions for how we might best accomplish that goal. If you've never seen Orlandersmith perform, you should know she wields a no-nonsense delivery that pins you to your chair and forces you to listen. Get ready. RICH SMITH

JULY 8

FESTIVALS

32. Georgetown Garden Walk/Cross Pollinate
Artists paint in local gardens and create multimedia installations at this yearly festival of greenery and paint.

MUSIC

33. A$AP Ferg, IDK, Buddy
While A$AP Rocky may be the A$AP crew's flagship artist, Ferg has become something of their MVP, with an ear similar to Rocky's for effectively synthesizing regional styles into either a street anthem or pop missive. After reintroducing the rap world to the classic Three Six Mafia track "Slob on My Knob" via his cover hit "Plain Jane," Ferg brings his unique vocal stylings and ear for banging beats to town for what's sure to be a party of a live show. NICK ZURKO

34. George Thorogood & The Destroyers
Rock and roll lifer George Thorogood has walked the line between hoarse country singer and barfly rocker for decades. He'll pull from his decades of male stripper singles with his band The Destroyers.

JULY 9

FOOD & DRINK

35. Seattle Cares, Do YOU?
In response to a certain graffiti'd Zara jacket heard round the world, the Navy Strength crew has recruited a dream team of bartenders, chefs, and friends from all over Seattle to sling food and drinks to benefit RAICES, an organization that reunites immigrant children with their parents at the border. Similarly concerned citizens can enjoy music from a DJ and food and drinks from such beloved Seattle establishments as Babirusa, Ma'ono, Carlile Room, Vita Uva, Hood Famous Bakeshop, and more. A suggested donation of $15 gets you in, and all tips and a majority of drink sales will go to the cause.

READINGS & TALKS

36. Mona Hanna-Attisha: What the Eyes Don't See
Pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha sounded the alarm on Flint's lead-polluted drinking water, and she's here to be present her story in What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City. Find inspiration in her experience defending children's health.

JULY 9-15

FESTIVALS

37. Critical Northwest 2018
The Northwest version of Burning Man invites you to take a "trip to the moon" as fire-shooting monkeys and illuminated dinosaurs roam the grasses, mer-people float in the river, gold tapestries welcome wish-making, and wizards oversee unusual-skill contests.

JULY 10

READINGS & TALKS

38. Clarion West Presents: Karen Lord
Multiple award winner Lord, who was born in Barbados and studied in Toronto, draws on Senegalese myth and her own work as a sociologist of religion for her sci-fi.

JULY 10-11

MUSIC

39. Liv Warfield with NPG Hornz
The Prince-approved vocalist Liv Warfield has toured extensively around the world, carefully honing her soulful sound over the years. She'll be joined by NPG Hornz for this performance.

JULY 11

MUSIC

40. Brahms V. Radiohead
The intersections and departures between two pieces of music created more than 120 years apart are explored and expanded upon in this intriguing rock and classical mash-up: the four movements of Brahms' Symphony No. 1 (circa 1876) and eight songs from Radiohead's OK Computer (1997). Seattle Symphony stages the program with support from three guest vocalists, including Andrew Lipke. LEILANI POLK

READINGS & TALKS

41. Charles Johnson: Night Hawks
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Charles Johnson said the title story in his new collection of short fiction, Night Hawks, emerged from "15 years of spirited 8-to-10-hour dinner conversations here in Seattle" with his friend August Wilson, the greatest playwright to ever scribble away an afternoon in a cafe on 15th Avenue. If that is not enough of a reason for you to pick up the book or listen to the MacArthur Genius/National Book Award–winning author read from it, then you don't deserve to read anything ever again. RICH SMITH

JULY 12

FOOD & DRINK

42. Outstanding in the Field Dinner: Hama Hama Oyster Farm
Named after that old dad chestnut about the farmer who got promoted, the Outstanding in the Field dinner series, founded in 1999 by artist and chef Jim Denevan, takes the “farm-to-table” concept one step further and instead brings the table to the farm. Diners take a seat at a communal table and break bread in an extraordinary outdoor location, the very place where their food was sourced from. This year, the tour will stop at Hama Hama Oyster Farm, where chef Jason Stoneburner of Stoneburner and Bastille will prepare a meal. Stoneburner is committed to sourcing ingredients as directly as possible—he has owned farmland in Redmond and harvests ingredients from his own garden and beehive on top of Stoneburner—so he’s a natural choice for this hyper-local supper. JULIANNE BELL

PERFORMANCE

43. Mama Tits is 'Big & Loud'
Get a load of the pipes on that broad! Everyone's favorite giant of drag is back in town and ready to belt out one showstopper after another. Mama's show Big & Loud is part storytelling, part musical revue, and part comedic act—with a voice so sultry, it'll make your socks go up and down. Mama is one of a rare breed of drag performers whose song, dance, and personality can command any space she enters, whether it's a coffee shop or an auditorium or a city street. And with dinner and drinks served to your table, the Triple Door is a perfect home for this triple threat. MATT BAUME

JULY 12-AUG 16

PERFORMANCE

44. Nights at the Neptune
The Neptune will lend its stage to speakers, dancers, and artists who address the most urgent social and race issues of our time. This year, there will be Dare to Claim the Sky by storyteller and musician Sharon Nyree Williams; theater hip-hop by #1hr2manup; The Invisible Vegan: Hosted by Hip Hop Is Green, a film by Jasmin Leyva, with Q&A led by Keith Tucker; Artist Watch 2018: Hosted by Seattle Sound Music Awards; the film Khu.Ă©ex: The Magic of Noise by Heartstone Media; and Imana Gunawan's cabaret, moonshine.

JULY 12-14

COMEDY

45. Guys We F#@ed Comedy Tour: Corinne Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson
Krystyna Hutchinson and Corinne Fisher are the NYC comedy duo known collectively as Sorry About Last Night, and they’re the minds (and voices) behind Guys We Fucked: The Anti Slut-Shaming Podcast, where they discuss sex and all the things that surround it (kinks, reproductive rights, assault, relationships, neuroses, etc.) via a mix of commentary, anecdotes, and interviews with other comics, writers, progressive thinkers, and captivating intellectuals (including our own Dan Savage). Shows on their Guys We F#@ed Tour feature audience interactive advice sessions/open forums with both ladies, as well as solo sets of frank and uncensored stand-up by each. LEILANI POLK

MUSIC

46. Timber! Outdoor Music Festival
Timber is back for its sixth year with three days of crowd-friendly folk, rock, and pop performances, and all-ages activities like camping, kayaking, and stargazing all weekend long. This year's lineup includes Car Seat Headrest, Industrial Revelation, Naked Giants, and more.

JULY 12-29

PERFORMANCE

47. Persimmon Nights
Sara Porkalob, the prominent local creator of Madame Dragon, will mount another dinner theatre production, which she'll also star in: Seayoung Yim's story of a young Korean nightclub owner's rise and fall in the '60s and '70s. Be serenaded by the Kimchi Kittens and enjoy a Korean-inspired menu as you watch.

JULY 12-AUG 12

PERFORMANCE

48. Wooden O
A handful of parks throughout Washington State will host free performances of two classic Shakespeare plays—the Merry Wives of Windsor and King Lear.

JULY 12-AUG 18

ART

49. Summer at SAM
These Thursday and Saturday events offer a range of family-friendly arts programming throughout the park, including yoga and Zumba on Saturdays, tours, shows, workshops, food trucks, and more.

JULY 12-SEPT 2

PERFORMANCE

50. Island Shakespeare Festival
Whidbey Island players will perform Shakespeare classics like Othello and Twelfth Night, as well as a theatrical adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility and Scott Kaiser's original play Shakespeare's Other Women, which amplifies the voices of the Bard's female characters.

JULY 13

COMMUNITY

51. Woodland Park Zoo's 41st Annual Jungle Party
Northwest wildlife leaders will convene for an evening of silent and live auctions, reception activities, live entertainment, a fancy sit-down dinner, and schmoozing at the annual Jungle Party. This year's theme is "Wander Into the Wild."

MUSIC

52. Logic, NF
Young Maryland MC Logic fits easily into the "sensitive guy" rapper lineage, with his hardscrabble origin story buffeted by beats ripped straight from the turn-of-the-century Kanye gospel-soul playbook and rhymes that can achieve the internal fluidity of B-side Kendrick, with sadly little of the unflinching honesty that marked Mr. Lamar as a major new player. Indeed, this (good) kid can flow, and the production glistens expensively, but one finds little substance beyond the artfully flipped syllables and platitudes dressed up as choruses. KYLE FLECK

53. Ry Cooder, Joachim Cooder
Synonymously linked with pioneers like the Buena Vista Social Club, Captain Beefheart, and Ali Farka Touré, Ry Cooder is a living legend. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. As a wunderkind, he starred in Captain Beefheart’s Safe as Milk at age 20. He cruised on a solo and session-musician career for decades, then later went on to be the producer and collaborator of the world-renowned Buena Vista Social Club. Cooder doesn’t tour much these days, so now is the time to see him. Plus, he’s brought along his son Joachim on this tour—they’re generationally genius. ZACH FRIMMEL

54. Skid Row, Vixen
Throwback hair rockers Skid Row have self-resurrected and are back on the scene, er, the casino circuit, this time with equally long-haired band Vixen.

55. Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, the self-admitted First Couple of Country, hit the road on their Soul 2 Soul world tour, with a stop at our humble Seattle Center.

56. Woodinville Bluegrass Classic: BĂ©la Fleck & The Flecktones, Del McCoury Band, The Jerry Douglas Band
Bluegrass bigwig BĂ©la Fleck and his backing band the Flecktones will play sonic vignettes of Fleck's multi-decade career as the "king of the banjo." He'll be joined by the Del McCoury Band and the Jerry Douglas Band.

PERFORMANCE

57. DANCE This!
After an intense collaboration with community and international artists, teens will perform three new dance works in the 20th iteration of this annual series.

READINGS & TALKS

58. Ottessa Moshfegh: My Year of Rest and Relaxation
At one point in your life, you have likely said, "I just want to live under a rock and hibernate for a year." You probably haven't followed through on that wish, but that's the difference between you and Ottessa Moshfegh's wealthy, young, New York City protagonist. In My Year of Rest and Relaxation, her main character holes up in her apartment, takes tons of prescription drugs, and sleeps as often as she can. When a famous artist catches wind of her decision to clock out for a year, shit really starts getting weird. In this novel, and in general, Moshfegh is darkly funny and unsparing in her critiques of human behavior, and ultimately just a really fun and nervy writer to read. Her last book, Eileen, was short-listed for the 2016 Man Booker Prize, and this one might get similar treatment. RICH SMITH

JULY 13-15

COMMUNITY

59. Lavender Harvest Days 2018
Relinquish all of your anxieties, if only temporarily, by spending three days amid newly harvested lavender. Gather bundles at a U-Pick, pick up artisanal lavender products, eat lavender treats, and much more.

FESTIVALS

60. 48 Hour Film Project
Dozens of teams of Seattle fly filmmakers had only 48 hours to make a film, and now you can watch the results on the big screen. Winning films will go on to Filmapalooza and Cannes 2019 Short Film Corner.

61. West Seattle Summer Fest
Spend some time shopping, dancing to live music, dining, drinking in beer gardens, and enjoying other summery activities at this annual family-friendly festival.

FOOD & DRINK

62. Ballard SeafoodFest
Originally started as a celebration of the neighborhood’s fishing industry in 1974, this festival has expanded over the years to include an alder-smoked salmon dinner, a crab shack, a beer garden replete with Ballard craft brews, a lengthy list of food and artisan craft vendors, and music. This year's music lineup includes experimental country/folk rockers Blitzen Trapper, Nashville rock band All Them Witches, Canadian folk/bluegrass group the Dead South, and many more. Gluttons for punishment can enroll in the lutefisk eating contest, an annual competition to see who can scarf the most of the salty, gelatinous fish. JULIANNE BELL

63. Kirkland Uncorked
This summer wine festival, which benefits no-kill shelter Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center, encompasses a 21+ wine tasting garden, a "burger brawl," and music, as well as a street fair with a boat show, a food truck feast, and other activities.

MUSIC

64. Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert
The Seattle Symphony will perform the work of legendary composer and Hollywood score master John Williams, featuring Star Wars: A New Hope on the big screen with pitch-perfect symphonic accompaniment.

JULY 13-AUG 18

PERFORMANCE

65. GreenStage Shakespeare in the Park and Backyard Bard
Theater is alive in Seattle, but, as in most places, it generally isn't cheap. GreenStage's productions are a nice change: See Shakespeare and Shakespeare-based works in the great outdoors—for free. This year, as part of their 30th annual Shakespeare in the Park series, they'll present Henry IV, Part 1 and The Three Musketeers. They'll also offer the one-hour-long Backyard Bard series, a "smaller Shakespeare in the Park for smaller spaces," featuring The Two Gentlemen of Verona and The Winter's Tale.

JULY 14

COMEDY

66. The Bodega Boys Live Featuring Desus Nice & The Kid Mero
Hilarious Bronx-born web comedians Desus and Mero, aka the Bodega Boys, will regale you with their snarky and slightly mean takes on pop culture and politics.

COMMUNITY

67. Goatalympics
Goats of all shapes and sizes will compete (in a fun-loving and low-stakes kind of way) for "Best Trick," "Most Spots," "Longest Beard," and other exciting categories. If you think this event sounds like small potatoes, you would be wrong—last year's Goatalympics saw upwards of 5,000 spectators, contestants, and their darling goats.

68. Latinx Pride Festival Seattle
Celebrate LGBTQ+ Latinx identities with live entertainment, dancing, food, and more.

EVERYWHERE

69. Bastille Day
Bastille Day, or French National Day, recognizes both the 1789 Storming of the Bastille and the Fête de la Fédération, which celebrated the unity of the French people in 1790. Find Seattle places to celebrate here.

FESTIVALS

70. Lucerne Seafair Milk Carton Derby
This annual "quirky celebration of creativity, science, and boatmanship" invites community members to build their own milk carton boat to race on Green Lake to win prizes.

MUSIC

71. The Bash
BIG BLDG RCRDS' annual summer music festival is now simply The Bash, happening in partnership with KEXP's Audioasis this year, and culminating in a four-stage, 30-artist, food truck and local beer extravaganza. Local notables will include Sloucher, GOODSTEPH, bod, Great spiders, Haunted Horses, and many more.

72. Melissa Etheridge, LeAnn Rimes
Folk-rock legend and '90s lesbian rumor mill icon Melissa Etheridge will spread her wings and do other inspiring Americana metaphors on her tour with country-pop star LeAnn Rimes.

73. Pentatonix
Texas-based a cappella pop group Pentatonix are best known for their covers of popular hits—particularly Christmas songs—in their own harmony-laden style.

74. Sylvan Esso
Every new generation of college kids needs at least one party album to rally behind. For my freshman year, it was M.I.A.’s Kala and Kanye West’s Graduation—for this year’s crop, it will be Sylvan Esso’s What Now. Their electrified, multilayered pop is clever, bright, and fully hitched to dance as a primary activity in a way that feels much like two-dimensional worship. Preaching a lifestyle adjacent to “the power of dance heals all” is a little #LoveWins for my taste, but Sylvan Esso manage to carry their music through these lyrical tropes with a strength of conviction that is truly impressive (and occasionally beguiling). And hey—who am I to shit on such an active joy? KIM SELLING

75. TUF FEST
TUF FEST is back for year three in Judkins Park. This annual, free, all-day/all-night affair is thrown by the local TUF collective of female/nonbinary/trans artists and creatives with an emphasis on electronic music and comes with support from the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. Panels will cover nuts-and-bolts matters like how to set up a PA, career advice like business skills for artists, and critical reflections on the music industry, with a stacked lineup of daytime performers and a late-night after party.

JULY 14-15

FESTIVALS

76. DragonFest
When you live in Chinatown, you start to take the dragon and lion dances—a traditional form of Chinese dance that is said to bring good luck and fortune—for granted. But the performances are longer and more elaborate during Dragon Fest, taking on extra festive overtones as the team of performers maneuvers and manipulates the long, undulating bodies down the streets of the I.D. using poles positioned along their length, coordinating with the throbbing beat and crashing cymbals issued by the accompanying percussion players. It is quite the sight. Dragon Fest also boasts 14 hours of cultural performances outside of these dances—traditional Korean drumming, bhangra/Bollywood presentations, martial arts demos, and Pacific Islander dances, among others. Plus, there’s the $3 Food Walk (encompassing more than 40 restaurants), and a range of temporary vendors hawking food, goods, and bevvies galore. LEILANI POLK

PERFORMANCE

77. Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival
Theater is alive in Seattle, but, as in most places, it generally isn't cheap. GreenStage, Theater Schmeater, and Wooden O Productions set out to change that in 2001 with the first Outdoor Theater Festival. Watch Shakespeare plays and more contemporary pieces from the festival's founders and seven other theater companies over what will hopefully be a sunny weekend.

SPORTS & RECREATION

78. Seattle to Portland Bicycle Race
Upwards of 10,000 cyclists will ride 203 miles from Seattle down to Portland in this annual race, whose proceeds benefit Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Bikes. Participants can choose to stop midway through in Centralia/Chehalis (which takes approximately one day) or peddle all the way to Stumptown (which takes approximately two days).

JULY 14-SEPT 30

ART

79. MUSE: Mickalene Thomas Photographs and tĂŞte-Ă -tĂŞte
Earlier this year, Mickalene Thomas's bright, brilliant portraits of black women in dazzling interior spaces graced the walls of Seattle Art Museum as part of Figuring History, a multigenerational group show that placed her in a lineage of monumental painters that also includes Robert Colescott and Kerry James Marshall. While most of Thomas's works begin with photographic sources, MUSE is the first exhibition devoted to considering her photographs as finished works in themselves. As the title suggests, this show revolves around the inspiring women who compose Thomas's community. Curated by Thomas, tĂŞte-Ă -tĂŞte is an accompanying exhibition of photographs by artists who further inspire her. EMILY POTHAST

THROUGH JULY 15

EVERYWHERE

80. FIFA World Cup
The biggest soccer event of the year will be held in Russia, where 32 teams will compete in 62 games for the coveted trophy. Watch it at sports bars everywhere, including these Seattle places.

JULY 15

COMEDY

81. Bill Burr
As a comedian with a big mouth, brash attitude, and selective filter, Bill Burr regularly offends people, which is pretty easy to do with the current profusion of snowflakes floating around the country. Also, no subject matter is off limits; during a recent Conan appearance, he touched on the military, obesity, and sexual harassment, all in one fell swoop, while on his next visit, he discussed his desire to yell at other peoples’ kids and how fatherhood is kind of like being the back-up quarterback—everyone else comes first. I don’t know what he’ll be discussing on his current tour, but belly laughs are guaranteed. LEILANI POLK

FOOD & DRINK

82. Lamb & Rosé Dinner
In her book A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus: Menus and Stories, chef Renee Erickson writes that she’s always harbored a fondness for rosé, ever since it first started gaining popularity in the United States, and has long appreciated its ability to stand up to foods that “other wines can’t.” One such food is lamb. Because a leg of lamb was too time-consuming to offer as a regular menu dish, Erickson and her colleagues at Boat Street Cafe conceived a joyful, family-style dinner party of lamb and rosé for a special feast. And the tradition stuck. The dinner takes place every July, usually on a night that Erickson describes as “the kind of warm summer evening that brings a whisper of salt air in from Puget Sound.” Over the years, the event has evolved—this year’s festivities will feature applewood-roasted Katahdin lamb cooked in the Whale Wins’ wood-fired oven—but some things remain constant: Guests can always count on a never-ending flow of pale pink wine and lots of dancing. JULIANNE BELL

MUSIC

83. The Pillows feat. FLCL, Noodles, Cullen Omori
Japanese rock band the Pillows, who provide the soundtrack for the anime series FLCL, will be joined by Noodles and Cullen Omori on the U.S. tour stop.

84. Quicksand, Glassjaw
Though they might not sound too much alike, Quicksand and Glassjaw have a lot in common. Most notably, they have both been classified as “post hardcore” and returned from long hiatuses in 2017 to release comeback albums: Glassjaw with Material Control and Quicksand with Interiors. If there weren’t a Quicksand to rise from the underground New York hardcore scene in 1990 and break into the mainstream with a more melodic, alternative-rock edge, sign to a major label, and tour on the first ever Warped Tour, there may never have been a Glassjaw to take that blueprint and push it even further in the late ’90s. KEVIN DIERS

85. Wye Oak
Baltimore duo Wye Oak forged their signature sound from the start with a dusky spin on Americana that doubles as a rootsy take on shoegaze. The first two records from bassist Jenn Wasner and drummer/keyboard player Andy Stack are lovely, if a little uneventful, but they came into their own on 2011's Civilian, where Wasner’s magic-hour alto meets with the moodiest of melodies. Since then, they've traded the guitar for more electronic textures. On their fifth full-length, The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs, the clouds have started to lift, placing even greater emphasis on Wasner's ever-majestic vocals. KATHY FENNESSY

JULY 16

FOOD & DRINK

86. Barangay Fiesta: Filipino Pop-Up Night
Joule sous chef Tom Hoolian and the Trove team will collaborate to create a menu of festive Filipino party favorites like fresh lumpia, crispy pata, shrimp ukoy, and their take on mussel kinilaw and pancit palapa.

MUSIC

87. Five Finger Death Punch, Breaking Benjamin, Bad Wolves
The terrifyingly-named Five Finger Death Punch make Las Vegas-bred heavy metal in the nĂĽ-grunge style of bands like Staind and Papa Roach. They'll be joined by Breaking Benjamin on this tour.

JULY 17

READINGS & TALKS

88. Clarion West Presents: Karen Joy Fowler
Hear work by the much-praised Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austen Book Club, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, and many smart, emotional, literary spooky stories.

JULY 18

FOOD & DRINK

89. Author Talk: Farm Food: Volume 2: Spring and Summer with Kurt Timmermeister
Reformed city slicker Kurt Timmermeister helmed Seattle’s iconic Cafe Septieme for close to two decades before absconding to a pastoral life on a farm on Vashon Island. You might know him from Kurt Farm Shop, his hidden gem of an ice cream shop tucked away in Capitol Hill’s Chophouse Row, where he churns up homespun ice cream with Jersey milk and pastured eggs from his farm, Kurtwood Farms, in flavors like salted plum, tomato jam, and “Flora’s cheese” (yep, it’s studded with real chunks of his creamy farmstead cheese). His magazine Farm Food, Volume 1: Fall and Winter, provided a lovely peek into his bucolic lifestyle, with photos, essays, and recipes for handmade pasta, cheese, and cake. For the next volume in the series, Farm Food, Volume 2: Spring and Summer, he’ll share stories of summertime and impart wisdom on how to make your own ricotta and ice cream. Even if you live in a cramped studio apartment rather than 13 acres of sprawling countryside, his generous, joyful writing and rustic recipes are sure to inspire you. JULIANNE BELL

MUSIC

90. Dipset: Cam'ron, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Freekey Zekey
Harlem-formed hiphop group the Diplomats (aka Dipset) formed in 1997 by Cam'ron and Jim Jones. Juelz Santana and Freekey Zekey will join the original members on this tour stop.

READINGS & TALKS

91. Angela Garbes
One of the finest writers who ever worked at this newspaper, Angela Garbes (author of “The More I Learn About Breast Milk, the More Amazed I Am,” the 2015 story that broke our website’s traffic records) presents her first book, an investigative reflection on an aspect of childbirth that receives surprisingly little attention from the medical establishment or the baby book publishing industry: the mental and physical health of the mother. "Your OB will cautiously quote statistics, online sources will scare you with conflicting and often inaccurate information, and even the most trusted books will offer information with a heavy dose of judgment." To educate herself, the food and culture writer embarked on an intensive journey of exploration, diving into the scientific mysteries and cultural myths that surround motherhood to find answers to her questions that had only previously been given through a lens of what women ought to do—instead of allowing them the freedom to choose the right path themselves." SEAN NELSON

JULY 19

FESTIVALS

92. JamFest 2018
The third annual JamFest enlivens the historic International District with live music sets, cabaret and burlesque performances, art, and food specials. A donation at the front gets you into all involved music venues (including Chiyo's Garden, Nihonmachi Alley, and Canton Alley). The lineup includes Julz Ilang-Bulan, Sendai Era, Groove Clan, Siahna, DJ Magic Sean, and many others.

FOOD & DRINK

93. 3rd Annual Baby Goats and Brews
Cuddle adorable rescued baby goats and knock back a couple brews, all in the name of supporting Puget Sound Goat Rescue: $1 of every beer, growler, and flight sold that day will go towards their efforts to rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home goats.

94. 9th Annual Feast on the Farm
This annual event highlights the bounties that Puget Sound farmers are growing, as well as the environmental stewardship on their land. Chef Branden Karow of Ethan Stowell Restaurants will prepare a meal from sustainable ingredients, paired with Salmon-Safe wine from Chateau Ste. Michelle. There will also be tractor rides and a special musical guest.

JULY 19-22

FESTIVALS

95. The King County Fair
This annual summer festival promises live music, vendors, food, 4-H classes, and more.

JULY 19-28

PERFORMANCE

96. ARC Summer Dance at the Center
Once again, ARC Dance will stage world premieres of works blending ballet and modern styles by choreographers from across the country (plus one from Canada): Bruce McCormick, Wen Wei, Jason Ohlberg, Marika Brussel, and Paul DeStooper.

JULY 20

FILM

97. 'Blindspotting' Opening
In rapidly gentrifying Oakland, Collin (Daveed Diggs) is trying to survive his last three days of probation when the slightest infraction will send him back to jail. However, his best friend Miles (Rafael Casal) is white, wild, and reckless. Collin should avoid Miles, but he doesn’t. While trying to get home before curfew late one night, he witnesses a rogue cop pursue and shoot a fleeing black man. CARL SPENCE

MUSIC

98. The English Beat
Two-Tone ska legends the English Beat (known to Brits as simply the Beat) built a particularly danceable strain of late-'70s revivalist (or "second wave") ska, separated from contemporaries like the Specials and Madness with the easy, soulful charm of new wave troubadour Dave Wakeling. After three albums, the band dissolved and members formed '80s pop hit machines General Public (Wakeling) and Fine Young Cannibals (Andy Cox/David Steele). Although the original band has reunited before, right now the English Beat are just Wakeling with an "all-star backing band" playing mostly Beat songs, as well as General Public and his solo material. Normally I'd scoff at a one-man reunion also featuring his other bands' songs, but the potential of also getting to hear GP's "Tenderness" or "Hot You're Cool" live makes for a definitively squee-worthy night. BRITTNIE FULLER

99. G-Eazy, Lil Uzi Vert, Ty Dolla $ign, YBN Nahmir, P-Lo, Murda Beatz
Pop-hopper G-Eazy has ridden the coattails of the post-hyphy movement (and his experiences as a producer during his college years) into the mainstream, using his Bay Area background to beef up his stage presence by repeatedly enlisting a crew of talented openers. This time he'll be joined by Lil Uzi Vert, Ty Dolla $ign, YBN Nahmir, P-Lo, and Murda Beatz on his Endless Summer Tour.

JULY 20-22

FESTIVALS

100. Capitol Hill Block Party 2018
Twenty-plus years ago, Capitol Hill Block Party was a one-day music event, featuring just a single stage. These days, the now iconic Capitol Hill festival takes over six blocks of the Pike/Pine corridor for three days of local and national artists on five separate stages. This year's lineup includes mainstage heavy-hitters like Father John Misty, Dillon Francis, Oh Wonder, and BROCKHAMPTON, as well as mid-size artists like Bully, Yaeji, and Ryan Caraveo, and smaller local acts like Dude York and Parisalexa.

101. Darrington Bluegrass Festival 2018
The Darrington Bluegrass Festival has been going strong for 42 years running, with a lineup of live bluegrass jams, food, booze, and vendor booths, all set against the natural backdrop of beautiful Darrington. This year's headliners include Dave Adkins, Band of Ruhks, Volume Five, Sister Sadie, and many others.

102. Seafair Indian Days Pow Wow
Join the United Tribes of All Indians in the 30th annual festival of music, dance, and food. Snack on some frybread, buy art from Native vendors, see the pow wow dancing, and join in during the Intertribal part of the festivities.

FOOD & DRINK

103. Albert Lee Appliance Bite of Seattle
Seattle's "Original Food & Beverage Showcase" rounds up food from over 60 restaurants and pop-up vendors along with craft beer and cider tastings and live music. There's also a movie night on Friday and the Alley, a restaurant showcase benefiting Food Lifeline.

MUSIC

104. Phish
Lifelong jammers Phish headline a weekend at the Gorge, as they do every year with little to no fanfare, but thousands of people to tie-dye it up with them for three whole days. If you never got to follow the Dead, this is basically the second coming, at least when it comes to the fervor of dedicated jam band fans.

JULY 20-AUG 12

PERFORMANCE

105. Lauren Weedman Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Usually, when you run into someone you knew years ago who left Seattle for NY or LA to pursue their showbiz dreams and are back for a visit, it’s fun to talk about the folly of youth and ambition and, really, dreams in general. When that someone is Lauren Weedman, who was a big fish in the brackish pond of local comedy/media before going legit and winding up with credits like The Daily Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, Childrens Hospital, and loads of others, the conversation has many more interesting possibilities. Weedman will be returning with the latest in what has become a series of solo (with guests) shows that incorporate monologue, sketch, and song—the last one I saw ended with a rendition of “Stand Up” by Ludacris that no one present will be likely to forget—all in the service of a noble goal: revealing the facets of herself that may be less than exemplary while also being very funny. Weedman says the new show, directed by the mighty Alison Narver, PS, deals with “the issues of being betrayed and getting divorced,” but that “the themes are applicable to most anyone—for example, discovering who you really are, or finding yourself alone, or perhaps realizing that you're not who you thought you were.” SEAN NELSON

JULY 21

MUSIC

106. Chris Stapleton, Marty Stuart, Brent Cobb
Chris Stapleton stepped out into the public consciousness several years ago with the release of his debut album, Traveller. Since then, he's continued to blend country, blues, rock, and R&B into his distinct journeyman style. He'll be joined by Americana talents Marty Stuart and Brent Cobb.

107. HOT 103.7's All-Star Throwback Jam 2018
Relive your adolescence with the "Throwback" Jam, a stacked summer fest lineup of '90s classics, including Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ja Rule, E-40, Ying Yang Twins, Baby Bash & J.J. Fadd, and many more.

108. Us The Duo
Husband-and-wife folk-pop pair Us the Duo (Michael and Carissa Alvarado) will strum and harmonize their popular Americana tunes on their Together Tour.

JULY 21-22

FESTIVALS

109. Bon Odori Festival
For Bon Odori, or Obon, Japanese Buddhists commemorate their ancestors through ceremony and dance. Seattle's festival, officially part of Seafair, will line the street with food booths, showcase taiko drumming and martial arts, and provide arts and crafts demonstrations.

110. Renegade Craft Fair
Renegade Craft Fair ("the largest independent craft fair in the world") will return to Magnuson Park, bringing along a few hundred makers selling their wares, conducting DIY workshops, vending food and drinks, and more.

JULY 22

FESTIVALS

111. Wekfest Seattle
What claims to be the "dopest car show in the nation" will return to Seattle to showcase over 350 shiny European, Japanese, and domestic aftermarket builds.

FOOD & DRINK

112. Burning Beast 2018
Hosted at retired Snohomish dairy farm Smoke Farm, this annual carnivorous bacchanal organized by James Beard award-winning chef Tamara Murphy of Terra Plata features fourteen local chefs working their magic with sustainably raised meats and fish, all of them cooking with fire. Plus, a towering wooden animal effigy will be set ablaze in a ritual sacrifice. Proceeds benefit the educational, environmental and cultural projects at Smoke Farm.

MUSIC

113. Blind Pilot
Blind Pilot kind of sound like a lot of different bands; their eccentric guitarwork and emotive lyrics wouldn't be out of place wedged into the middle of a soundtrack of a Wes Anderson movie, for example, and I'm sure that rabid folk fans have tried to keelhaul Blind Pilot into their own, weirdly isolationist corner of the musical landscape. But that's always the case with truly good bands; you want to force them into a cubbyhole until you're comfortable enough to give them their own category, into which you'll toss lesser bands. For me, the moment of individuation for Blind Pilot in my brain was in their song "Go On, Say It," when the violins rise and the lead singer lets loose with a clever little "Uh-huh, uh-huh!" That was the birth of the Blind Pilot sound for me. PAUL CONSTANT

114. The Roots
The Roots are late-night TV personality Jimmy Fallon’s favorite hiphop group, but don’t let that repel you. For the last 30 years, these Philadelphia mainstays have been bringing phenomenal live funk and jazz chops—led by super-versatile drummer ?uestlove—to an art form traditionally reliant on samples. As inventive lyrically (shout to Black Thought) as they are musically, the Roots continue, against the odds, to make hiphop an exciting live prospect. DAVE SEGAL

JULY 22-29

MUSIC

115. Jazz Port Townsend Festival
Here is what you have to do: drive down to the ferry dock, drive onto a ferry, cross the bay on this ferry, exit the ferry, drive across the island, cross some bridges, stop at a gas station for something fried, salty, and not good for you, eventually enter Port Townsend, and, before heading to Fort Worden State Park, admire a number of the town’s Victorian-style homes. When you finally park your car in the pretty park, roll down your window and listen to jazz music from the Jazz Port Townsend Festival in the sun-brightened air. Cars were not made for the city, but for short trips like this. CHARLES MUDEDE

JULY 23

READINGS & TALKS

116. Marti Jonjak: Inside Witnesses
The writer Marti Jonjak survived the Twilight Exit shooting in the Central District in 2013. She miraculously made it out of the bar unscathed, but on her way she saw a pool of blood and the bouncer, who’d been shot, lying nearby. Jonjak later documented the incident and its aftermath in a column for McSweeney’s. The bouncer sustained serious injuries, but survived, and eventually could walk again. He will appear at this event in conversation with Jonjak. CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE

JULY 24

READINGS & TALKS

117. Clarion West Presents: Ellen Datlow
She’s the badass editor behind a huge number of sci-fi, horror, and fantasy anthologies, including all of those collections featuring modern re-tellings of classic fairy tales (2014’s Silver Birch, Blood Moon earned the World Fantasy Award and featured contributions by Neil Gaiman, Robin McKinley, and Tanith Lee, among others). She’s also the fiction editor of OMNI Magazine, and acquires short fiction for Tor.com, the website of one of the country’s biggest sci-fi and fantasy publishers, Tor Books. She has more than 35 years of experience, which means she’ll likely share much insight about elements of a story that grab her interest, and those that turn her off. LEILANI POLK

118. Supernatural Cats
Zack Davisson, author of the understandingly popular book Kaibyo: The Supernatural Cats of Japan will share tales of the Bakeneko, a shape-shifting cat; Kasha, a corpse-eating demon; and the Bigfoot-like Iriomote Great Mountain Cat. What's more, you can hang out with real live kitties while you listen.

JULY 24-25

FILM

119. The Mads Are Back: Live Movie Riffing with Trace and Frank
The "Mads," aka Frank Conniff ("TV's Frank") and Trace Beaulieu (the original Crow T. Robot, Dr. Frank Forrester), are most notorious for their goofy personae on Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Here, they will be riffing live on movies too bad to watch without hilarious commentary.

JULY 25

FOOD & DRINK

120. Game of Chefs
At this first annual event benefiting Seattle Good Business Network, in which Iron Chef meets the iron throne, Restaurant Week and Seattle Restaurant Week and Seattle Made chefs will duke it out to be crowned the top chef by local celebrity judges and the audience, using Seattle Made pantry products and local ingredients sourced from Pike Place Market. Guests can try bites and a signature cocktail, mingle with the participating chefs, and purchase Seattle Made products.

JULY 27

FILM

121. 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout' Opening
The latest in the apparently immortal franchise (starring the apparently ageless Tom Cruise) has all the stunts, glamorous women, and stirring soundtrack beats of the previous installments.

FOOD & DRINK

122. Red, White & Brew 2018
Seattle magazine's Red, White and Brew tasting features enough samples from over 60 wineries and breweries, bites from local restaurants, and live entertainment. They'll also announce the winners of the magazine's second annual Beer Awards.

123. Tasting Flight
At this after-hours fundraiser for the Woodland Park Zoo, taste several varietals of wine in the zoo's north meadow, and enjoy admission to certain animal exhibits.

124. Theory 2018
Sip a signature drink in each of the Pacific Science Center's eight bars—and learn the science behind them. Once you're informed and a little sauced, spend the rest of the evening dancing, watching laser shows, and building your own Tinker Tank.

MUSIC

125. Cody Johnson
Cody Johnson's 2014 album Cowboy Like Me earned him the attention of Nashville big wigs, and he's been crooning country originals with solid instrumentation and easygoing melodies ever since.

126. Foreigner, Whitesnake, Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience
Upon forming in 1976, Foreigner were a low-key supergroup featuring ex–Spooky Tooth guitarist Mick Jones and Ian McDonald—the guy who did much of the weird stuff on In the Court of the Crimson King. Like their peers Kansas and Styx, Foreigner was a well-oiled pop machine masquerading as a “serious” rock band. Their self-titled debut remains one of the more listenable relics of the AOR era precisely because of how poppy it is. The one-two opening punch of “Feels Like the First Time” and the McCartney-worshipping “Cold as Ice” is masterful sequencing, but even non-hits like the woozy “Starrider” and “The Damage Is Done” are significantly meatier than your average 1970s diet-rock filler. The real star, however, is Foreigner’s erstwhile lead vocalist Lou Gramm, who, along with Steve Marriott, could be classic rock’s most underrated singer. (Circus magazine famously remarked that Gramm possessed a voice “Robert Plant might envy,” and he probably did.) MORGAN TROPER

127. MXPX
MxPx’s best-known cut, “Chick Magnet,” told my story! No, really! I was always sitting there, unable to even get a woman to talk to me. And the guy next to me scored at will, and I could never figure out why or how. As I got older (not necessarily wiser), I met other fellows who thought MxPx were singing their song, too. And so I learned my story isn’t so special. A few years ago, I met the Chick Magnet (my Chick Magnet) on a bus platform. I’d noticed him back in town, wasn’t sure whether to talk. He was divorced, he said. He never saw his children. A few years later, his son died. And so I learned that even Chick Magnets live with what they conceal and they muster through. A painfully human moment sprung from punk-pop. ANDREW HAMLIN

128. Toad the Wet Sprocket
Formed in 1986 in Santa Barbara, indie rock foursome Toad the Wet Sprocket are still rocking after a few break-ups and make-ups. Join them live for a retrospective of hits.

JULY 27-28

PERFORMANCE

129. Strictly Seattle
If you love dance, you can't miss this festival of innovative choreography and experimental workshops. Dancers will have collaborated with choreographers Heather Kravas, Jody Kuehner, Zoe Scofield, Marlo Ariz, Daniel Costa, Jaret Hughes, and Maya Soto to invent brand-new works during the month of July. The results—which also include KT Niehoff's dance film class's pieces—will be performed for the public at the end of the month, so you'll be seeing world premieres.

JULY 27-29

FESTIVALS

130. BAM Artsfair
Shop arts from more than 300 creators and take advantage of free museum admission at this annual festival, which they claim is the largest arts and crafts fair in the Northwest. The event includes the KIDSFair, the BAMboozle children's stage, a Sound & Movement stage with international acts, and a chalkfest.

131. Cascadia NW Arts and Music Festival
Starborne presents an entire weekend to camp out and enjoy live music, interactive art, workshops, performances, and artisan vending. In their words: "Family Friendly and Party Approved."

JULY 28

FESTIVALS

132. Seafair Torchlight Parade
This massive annual parade boasts floats, dancers, marching bands, and more in honor of Seafair. There will also be a Seafair Torchlight Run, as well as a Torchlight Parade Fanfest before the parade.

FOOD & DRINK

133. Hale's Ales 35th Anniversary
Seattle beer stalwart Hale's Ales is celebrating a whopping 35 years of business with a bash that includes live music from local musicians, vintage and rare beer samplings, raffles, food, and shout-outs to their "many long-standing industry friends." $1 per pint sold will go to Seattle nonprofit City Fruit, which "promotes the cultivation of urban fruit in order to nourish people, build community, and protect the climate."

MUSIC

134. Bruce Cockburn
Folk and jazz-influenced singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn is widely regarded as one of Canada's finest exports. He'll play an evening set rife with memories from his exceptionally long career.

135. Streetlight Manifesto
There’s nothing wrong with liking ska. Or is that just what I tell myself to make my enjoyment of third-wave ska less shameful, as I throw on a pair of checkered pants? Skanking out of New Jersey for the past 15 years, Streetlight Manifesto are one of the genre’s heavy hitters, giving life to a scene that’s often considered a passé novelty of the 1990s. Streetlight Manifesto’s last album, 2013’s The Hands That Thieve, broke into the Billboard Top 100, but they have yet to release anything in the last few years, partially due to public conflicts with their record label, Victory Records. KEVIN DIERS

136. Sublime, Rome, Lupe Fiasco, New Politics
Put on your baja and longboard down to Redmond for a Sublime reunion show (R.I.P. Bradley), with Rome, Lupe Fiasco, and New Politics.

137. The Voidz
Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas flaunts a "low-rent, audacious, bizarro-world transfiguration" in his current band Voidz. Rock out to their lo-fi blend of new wave, electro, hair metal, and yacht rock.

JULY 28-29

FESTIVALS

138. Scottish Highland Games and Clan Gathering
Celebrate Scottish culture and heritage by watching Scottish dancing, piping, drumming, and athletic competitions.

FOOD & DRINK

139. CoffeeCon Seattle 2018
The world's first consumer coffee festival, with a tasting floor, seminars, coffee experts, and labs in every brewing method, will return to Seattle for the second year.

JULY 29

FESTIVALS

140. Glass Fest Northwest
This festival-style celebration of glass art promises work from more than 25 local artists, live glassmaking demonstrations, food, wine, craft beer, music, and family-friendly activities.

141. Wine Country Blues Festival
Chateau Ste. Michelle kicks off another year of blues in the wine country, with a stacked summer festival bill of live sets by genre masters TajMo (The Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’ Band), Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and John “Greyhound” Maxwell.

MUSIC

142. Animal Collective, Lonnie Holley
The critical vanguard has abandoned Animal Collective in recent years, a surprising development for a band whose brilliance was, as recently as 2010 or so, the subject of plenty of tortured internet debates. (At least among nerdy indie-rock dudes on music blogs, which, hey, guilty.) Luckily for AC fans, it’s the conversation, not the music, that’s changed. The group’s last two full-lengths, Centipede Hz and 2016's Painting With, elicited a collective shrug from music critics, but the group’s hallmarks—charmingly elliptical songwriting, wide-eyed psychedelia, vertiginous vocal harmonies—remain. No longer an “important” band, Animal Collective are just Animal Collective, and that’s more than okay. ANDREW GOSPE

143. The Grouch & Eligh, DJ Fresh
Grouch and Eligh, two of the best-known members of LA’s Living Legends crew, have been undie-rap workhorses for what seems like forever (a quick internet check reveals it to be closer to almost two decades—close to forever in rap years). Back in 2014, they released a triple album (!) called Tortoise and the Crow, and if you fuck with heart-on-the-sleeve wise-guy hiphop, you can probably recite half the lyrics from memory by now, as few do it better than these guys. If you’ve graduated beyond the backpack, there’s always dubious crossover attempts like “All These Lights,” in which perma-melancholy Eligh tries his damnedest to spit a party rhyme. Props to these dudes’ work ethic, but at a certain point rapping just to hear yourself flow gets a little stale—just ask the sober dude at your next late-night cipher. KYLE FLECK

144. The Psychedelic Furs, X
New-wave act the Psychedelic Furs exist in the same hazed, romantic dreamworld as 1980s contemporaries the Church or Echo & the Bunnymen. Also like those acts, the Furs have toured the past few years to the delight of fans not fortunate (or old) enough to have experienced their heyday. Best known for hits like “Pretty in Pink,” “Heartbreak Beat,” and “Love My Way,” the UK band is armed with exquisitely surreal lyrics, swirling, jangly guitars, soaring sax flourishes, and riffs that situate themselves firmly in your memory. BRITTNIE FULLER

JULY 29-AUG 5

FESTIVALS

145. Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival
Sink into blues with musicians from the Mississippi Delta to the deep wells of Texas, and steep your ears in this great American cultural expression of their acoustic talents.

PERFORMANCE

146. Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation
The Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation, presented by Velocity Dance Center, is a diverse weeklong exploration, with intensive classes, drop-in workshops, talks, "jams," and performances, including the avant-garde Dance Innovators showcase on August 2.

JULY 31

MUSIC

147. Seether, 10 Years, The Dead Deads
Top-billing hard rock group Seether have been touring non-stop since the drop of their critically acclaimed 2014 album Isolate and Medicate. Now they're back in Seattle with new material and a live set with 10 Years and the Dead Deads.

148. Toto
In celebration of their 40th year playing music together, American rock band Toto will set out on North American and European tours entitled " 40 Trips Around The Sun," with an accompanying "greatest hits" album.

JULY 31-AUG 1

MUSIC

149. Freddie Jackson
R&B icon Freddie Jackson will share his decades of experience, stamina, and musical legacy, taking on urban contemporary, soul, and jazz for a two-night set.

THROUGH AUG 1

COMMUNITY

150. Evening Zoo
The zoo will stay open a little later so you can explore exhibits like the Molbak’s Butterfly Garden, the Tropical Rain Forest, and the Willawong Station without the sun beating down on your face. Plus, enjoy special presentations and discovery stations in the North Meadow. There will also be a beer and wine garden.