Forget Decibel, Sasquatch!, Bumbershoot, and the rest—in my world, this is the festival that matters. For the 31st year in a row, On the Boards hosts a two-weekend cornucopia of the freshest performances (each less than 20 minutes) from the good, the great, and the question marks. On deck this weekend: solo work by Stranger Genius Sarah Rudinoff, music by Genius finalist Jherek Bischoff (along with Zac Pennington and Steven Reker), dance by Rainbow Fletcher, bizarro puppetry from Kyle Loven, and more. NWNW has been a springboard for artists who’ve gone on to sear the city—who will it be this year? (On the Boards, 100 W Roy St, ontheboards.org, $14–$30, June 6–15)