The first full month of summer brings with it plenty of concerts, arts events, food festivals, and lots of other options for having the best July ever. Below, we've compiled the best events in July that you can still buy tickets forâplus links to buy your tickets now, before they sell outâincluding festivals like the Timber! Outdoor Music Festival, Capitol Hill Block Party, and the Seattle International Beerfest, as well as arts events like a live version of Welcome to Night Vale, the Seattle Immersive Theatre's Turn of the Screw, and the first stop of Malala Yousafzai's summer tour. See them all below, and, if you're looking to kick off your July with a bang, make sure to check out our complete Fourth of July calendar.
Want this in your inbox? Sign up for the Stranger Things To Do email newsletter.
JULY 1-3
Camptacular!
Drag burlesque duo Kitten 'n' Lou bring a new (wet, hot, American) summer theater treat to Seattle with Camptacular! This performance will be a contemporary dance, drag, and burlesque Bomb Pop featuring Stranger Genius Award winner Cherdonna, contemporary dancer Markeith Wiley, ever-rising star Waxie Moon, and special guest Jeez Loueez, who, according to my extensive YouTube video searches, blends twerk and burlesque to great effect. Go. You'll be a happy camper. RICH SMITH
Victoria International JazzFest 2016
Victoria is certainly worth the drive, or boat journey, this time of year if you find yourself in need of some excellent live jazz. This yearâs Jazzfest lineup includes super(babe)group case/lang/veirs, million-member-heavy Tedeschi Trucks Band, deeply charismatic vocalist Gregory Strong, and many more.
JULY 1-16
Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival
The 22nd Annual Icicle Creek International Chamber Music Festival beckons, with an entire weekend of musical experiences brought to you by beloved composers and world-class artistsâlike Harumi Rhodes, Anthony Elliott, and the Volta Piano Trioâin an intimate woodland setting.
JULY 2
Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs
Alan Cumming, he of the countercultural film and television career, spry Broadway-worthy and Tony-Award-winning voice, and infamous perfume commercial, will be swinging from the rafters of Town Hall. He brings with him a setlist sure to be filled with stage and screen classics, and many tunes of the titular theme.
Fred and Toody Cole, Topless, Top Down, Male/Female
Fred and Toody Cole are, in a word, indefatigable. Far before many of us were dragged into this world, they were screeching through walls, blasting through graveyards, and exposing the Northwest region to what could be your life if you just paused at an Oregonian club to flirt with a local waitress. For decades, this twosome has released album after album with the same rugged yet tender passion for freeform psychedelia and hard-won punk rock. You want the gritty heart of a regional music scene thatâs outlasted each fad for which this place is known? The Coles are it. KIM SELLING
JULY 5
2016 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.
Greg Adams and East Bay Soul
Greg Adams exhibits his musical signatures with East Bay Soul, showcasing legendary arrangements that made the Tower Of Power (of which he was a founding member) horn section a stand-alone entity. Adams continues to make his mark on todayâs music landscape, especially with regards to jazz, soul, and funk.
JULY 6
Basque Dinner
Celebrate the release of Basque chefs Alex Raij and Eder Montero's new cookbook, The Basque Book, with a multi-course dinner and optional wine pairing. All attendees will receive a copy of the cookbook, so they can (attempt to) recreate the dishes at home.
JULY 7
Neil Hamburger
The Stranger published the following words more than a decade ago, and theyâre still true, for good and ill: âNeil Hamburger understands the stereotype of comedians as low-life losers and becomes the role with exquisite relevance; a common initial reaction to his performance is abhorrence and resentment. His art dwells in catching audiences at their most unwelcoming: some level of drunk and waiting for the next band. His clever repertoire balances the audacious and mundane until the line is blurred to a totally ridiculous degree. If you can restrain yourself from heckling, you'll find his material bursting with some of the most brilliant and relevant comedy that our era has to offer.â JAMES SQUEAKY
Serious Fun: Ghost in the Shell
Discuss the recent whitewashing of Asian roles in Hollywood with panelists from GeekGirlCon and the JACL (Japanese American Citizens League), then watch a screening of 1995 anime film Ghost in the Shell.
Taylor Swift vs. Katy Perry
Prep thyself for a battle of bubblegum proportions, with a brawl between pop princesses Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, courtesy of a DJed dance party at Neumos.
JULY 7-30
Twister Beach
The newest musical cabaret from Nordo's Culinarium, Twister Beach features beach games, sing-a-longs, tropical food, tiki drinks, squirt guns, and a story about the "dangers of a hasty seaside vacation."
JULY 7-31
Things You Can Do
After an initial reading at the Construction Zone 2015 series, Things You Can Do is making its full-length production debut this season. Directed by Live Girls! founder and Artistic Director Meghan Arnette, it's playwright Kristen Palmer's take on global climate change, told through the story of a family "meltdown.â
JULY 7-AUG 11
Cary Grant for President
On Thursdays through August 11, SAM will celebrate the "comic perfection" of this classic, handsome film star in this series, whose title is an appeal to the political nature of 2016. Scheduled films are Bringing Up Baby (1938), My Favorite Wife (1940), The Philadelphia Story (1940), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), and Charade (1963).
JULY 8
Bootie Seattle: Electric Bootie Carnival
If you missed the Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas in June, the DJs at Bootie Seattle wants to bring you the next best thing, in the form of EDM mashups, LED sticks, glow necklaces, and "rave toys galore."
Dixie Chicks
Revered, best-selling pop-country legends and general badasses the Dixie Chicks play the White River Amphitheater with Anderson East and Josh Herbert.
Seattle Night Ride
The Seattle Night Ride is a 15-mile evening bike ride that starts at Peddler Brewing Company. You'll get at t-shirt (and some minor street cred) for signing up.
Todrick Hall: Straight Outta Oz
Todrick Hall performs a "twisted" version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with more than 20 original songs, depicting Hall's travels from his small town in Texas, to the big time: "Oz Angeles.â
Mark Lanegan with Sean Wheeler
Mark Lanegan, he of the great Northwestern alt rock legacy (Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age, The Gutter Twins), breaks out his newest stuff with Sean Wheeler.
Steven Tyler: Out On A Limb
Rock and roll royalty Steven Tyler brings the stories of his music and career to Seattle, with Loving Mary, his backing band, and full visuals, in an effort to illustrate an entire life lived in pursuit of icon status.
JULY 8-10
Czech That Film Festival
This weekend-long festival promises seven films highlighting the best of Czech cinema: drama The Way Out, beautiful and emotionally devastating Home Care, crime thriller Ganster Ka, puppet animation The Little Man, sci-fi classic Invention for Destruction, and comedies Chasing Fifty and Schmitke.
JULY 8-31
Turn of the Screw
An immersive take on Henry James' gothic ghost story, where you can sip tea or whiskey by the Victorian parlor's roaring fire as creepy things start to happen and the governess descends into madness. You're encouraged to come dressed to impress in black "cocktail finery," and, although general admission tickets are $25, upgrades include a Scotch flight for $25, the $99 "Lovers' Rendezvous" reserved seating package with port and cheese, or the $5,500 "Executive Producer" package, which includes a Victorian dinner for up to 12 of your closest friends before a private show for up to 40 people.
JULY 8-AUG 7
Daisy
Based on the true story that led to the infamous "Daisy" attack ad from 1964 (in which voters were encouraged to vote for Lyndon B. Johnson or risk letting little girls die in nuclear war), this world premiere show tells the story of the "ad-men" working for Johnson's presidential campaign and their decision that has forever changed American elections.
JULY 8-10
Chinook Fest Summit
Enjoy three days of live music from artists like Whitney Monge, the Fame Riot, and Magic Giant nestled within the setting of what Chinook Fest describes as "the Great Outdoors," which means there will be equipment rentals for trail and water activities, as well as camping.
Seattle International Beerfest
Look forward to trying new brews at this weekend full of people celebrating beer: specifically, beer thatâs ârare, hard-to-find, and exotic...no matter what the cost or where theyâre from.â Sample from more than 220 beers on the grounds underneath the Space Needle, and, if youâre overwhelmed by the choices, there will also be $3 pints of Pilsner Urquell.
JULY 9
Proof: Washington Distillers Festival
Sample craft gin, whiskey, vodka, bourbon, and other spirits from more than 40 Washington distillers, and then purchase your favorite. Local restaurants (including Theo Chocolate and Uli's Famous Sausage) will also provide savory and sweet bites.
Too $hort
Bay Area hiphop pioneer Too $hort (born Todd Shaw) unleashes his years of independent hustle as the creator of true pimp rap and 19 albums worth of dark raunchy power. Get ready to sweat.
JULY 10
Campout Cinema: The Fellowship of the Ring
Watch the critically acclaimed first film in director Peter Jacksonâs Lord of the Rings trilogy in EMPâs impressive Sky Church at a screening complete with photo ops, trivia, and fun goodies. This event is all ages, and there is also a 21+ screening on July 8.
The Kinsey Sicks: Electile Dysfunction
This musical election year show was called "clever and jubilantly performed" by The Washington Post, and follows the story of the first Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet's campaign to be elected President of the US on the Republican ticket. Parody songs from the Kinsey Sicks include "I Wanna Be a Republican," "Sell the Poor," and "Sikh to Shiek."
JULY 11-SEPT 20
Rooftop Dinner Series
Enjoy the warm summer weather (and clear views of mountains and the sound) at Bastille's twice-weekly rooftop dinner series. The groups are smallâunder 10 guestsâand the food is super local, often harvested directly from the rooftop garden.
JULY 12
The Round #134
The 134th edition of The Round features music and performances by Paris Alexa, Arthur James, and Emily Donohue. They'll also have a Youth Speaks slam poet, and live painter Victoriana Dan, if music isn't your thing.
JULY 12-16
Can You Hear Me Now?
Presented by Intiman Theatre Festival and The Hansberry Project, this five-day series features five contemporary plays written by Black women: Sunset Baby by Dominique Morisseau, Sojourner by Mfonsio Udofia, Bright Half Life by Tanya Barfield, A Lovely Malfunction by Shontina Vernon, and In Her Own Words, a sampler of work from local writers including Kathya Alexander, Rosalind Bell, Alma Davenport, Nina Foxx and Storme Webber.
JULY 12-31
A Gentlemanâs Guide to Love & Murder
This riotous musical about murdering your way to your inheritanceâwhile also being posh about itâwas the winner of the 2014 Tony Award for best musical.
JULY 13
Mitski, Japanese Breakfast, Jay Som
Mitski's hauntingly straightforward bedroom pop will pluck at your heart strings in an assuredly uncomfortable way, with bill support from up-and-comer Japanese Breakfast, and Jay Som.
JULY 14
The Seattle Files Live: Harry and the Hendersons
Chris Allen (host of podcast The Seattle Files, about our local history) will tell "a true tale of the Northwest," then present a screening of Harry and the Hendersons.
JULY 14-16
Psych Fest
Experience three whole days of the expansive experimental genre of psychedelic music, featuring artists like Wayne Horvitz, Scriptures, Sarah Rudinoff, and many more.
Timber! Outdoor Music Festival
Timber! Outdoor Music Festival returns to Carnation for another year of diverse music and small-town, outdoor fun. The all-star line-up includes Langhorne Slim & the Law, Telekinesis, Deep Sea Diver, The Moondoggies, The Maldives, Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter, Chastity Belt, Lemolo, Jason Webley, Ravenna Woods with Seattle Kokon Taiko, Maszer, Acapulco Lips, Animal Eyes, Sundries, Blood Squad, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, John Dillon, Travis Thompson, Paris Alexa, and Carson Mchone. There will also be activities including a 5K run, swimming, mountain biking, stargazing, and tree-climbing.
JULY 14-17
Sergio Mendes: 50 Years
Probable father of all Brazilians, Sergio Mendes has been incalculably influential on pop, jazz, and samba genres as a producer, composer, keyboardist, and vocalist. Enjoy his worldly presence as Mendes breaks out his five-decade-spanning album catalog and really throws around his old school Rio swing.
JULY 15
A Frames, The Spits, Scared of Chaka
Raising money for Cara Joy's cancer treatment fees are Seattle alt rock legends A Frames (back together for one night only), The Spits, and Scared of Chaka. This show is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see all three bands together.
JULY 15-17
Darrington Bluegrass Festival 2016
For 40 years running, the Darrington Bluegrass Festival has been going strong, with a stacked line-up of live bluegrass jams, food, booze, and vendor booths, all set against the natural backdrop of beautiful Darrington. This year's headliners include North Country Bluegrass, Lonesome Ridge, Mountain Faith, and many others.
The Fellowship of the Ring with the Seattle Symphony
Experience The Fellowship of the Ring, the first film of the beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy, on the big screen as the Seattle Symphony performs the score live and in sync with the film's progression. This epic score, composed and orchestrated by Academy Award-winner Howard Shore, will be performed live by the orchestras and two full choirs to full emotional, visual, and audial effect.
Kirkland Uncorked
Kirkland's summer food and wine festival (which doubles as a benefit for the Homeward Pet Adoption Center) features a 21+ tasting garden with more than 70 Washington wineries, a Friday burger brawl featuring sliders from Eastside restaurants, and an all-ages street fair (featuring a cover dog model contest for CityDog Magazine).
Seattle Swelter 2K16
Seattle Swelter 2K16 is a two-day all-ages music festival designed to kick your teeth in, with featured punk, metal, and alt rock groups like Storms and Tributaries, Onesimus, Defenestrator, The Unending Thread, and many more.
Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival
For the 29th year running, Winthrop's the place to be for all your rhythm & blues needs this summer: a full three days of music with on-site camping, beer gardens, food, and actual showers so you can hold onto some semblance of your humanity.
JULY 16
Channel Fest
Channel Fest is slated to happen in two shifts. The free, all-ages day segment offers people a chance to get to know the labels' output and obtain their rare releases while several Seattle DJs spin records. The organizers also promise zine creators, radio hosts, projected visuals, a photo booth, a raffle giveaway, and outdoor food trucks. The ticketed, 21+ night segment presents live sets by some of the Pacific Northwest's best bandsâGaytheist [Good to Die Records], SSDD (Steal Shit Do Drugs) [Help Yourself Records], and Roladex [Medical Records]âplus more DJs and projections, and other elementsâincluding the headlining act. DAVE SEGAL
Marymoor Park Summer Concert Series
The 640-acre Marymoor Park again hosts its annual outdoor concert series, so pack your blankets and wine Nalgenes and head out into a sonic woodland experience. In July, the lineup includes Barenaked Ladies, The String Cheese Incident, Willie Nelson & Family, Weezer and Panic! At the Disco, and The Piano Guys.
Olympic Music Festival
The Olympic Music Festival features classical programming almost every weekend of the summer from Beethoven and Mozart to Schubert and Franck. Kicking off in mid-July with virtuoso violinist Sarah Chang, this festival brings artists of the highest caliber (like pianist Fred Hersch and the Iglitzin Chamber Fellows) and of varied musical traditions to the Pacific Northwest.
JULY 16-17
Seattle to Portland Ride
Up to 10,000 riders will bicycle this epic 200+ mile course from Seattle to Portland in either one or two days, riding through scenic Washington and Oregon.
Sushi Making and Sake Tasting
Learn to roll five different types of sushi at this tasting event with Chiso Sushi owner Hirohiko Kirita. You'll also get three different sake tastes, a full pour of your favorite one, a prize for the best sushi maker team, and a take-home sushi-making guide.
JULY 16 & 30
Fete Music Festival with Nas and Guests
Spend your summer in White River with some of the biggest names of hiphop, like Nas, August Alsina, and Rae Sremmurd.
JULY 17
Die Antwoord
South African rave-rappers Die Antwoord burst onto the scene in 2009 with their debut album, $O$, featuring the universal WTF?-inspiring video hit âEnter the Ninja.â Since then, the band that calls itself the Answerâcomposed of rappers Ninja and Yo-Landi Vi$$er and DJ Hi-Tekâhave released two more records: 2012âs Ten$ion and 2014âs Donker Mag, with the body of work making three things abundantly clear: They prefer dollar signs to normal Ss, they live to shock and are exceptionally good at it (see the video for âPitbull Terrierâ), and their music is highly enjoyable if slightly poisonous candy. DAVID SCHMADER
JULY 17-AUG 24
ZooTunes
ZooTunes is a 30-plus-year Seattle tradition that brings big-name artists to the North Meadow of the Woodland Park Zoo. Kids are welcome, and can play in the Seattle Gymnastics Academy play area, but, if youâre attending without kids, there are also two beer gardens. July's schedule includes Phillip Phillips & Matt Nathanson, The B-52s, and "Weird Al" Yankovic.
JULY 18
Twenty One Pilots
Frenetic power pop thrashers Twenty One Pilots bring their straight-edge-teen following to WaMu Theater on their Emotional Roadshow tour.
Untamed: Hair, Body, Attitude
Presented by Intiman Theatre Festival and The Hansberry Project, Untamed was originally commissioned by New Black Fest of New York and curated by Dominique Morisseau, and promises five short plays exploring beauty, image, and representation: Melanin Intervention by Chisa Hutchinson, The Hair Play by Cori Thomas, San Francisco Cab by Lenelle MoĂŻse, White-Ân-Luscious by Jocelyn Bioh, and Peace Officer Privilege by Nikkole Salter.
JULY 19-20
Buckwheat Zydeco
Zydeco music pioneers Buckwheat Zydeco (also known as Stanley Dural, Jr.) demonstrates their 30-plus years of influence on this genre steeped in Louisiana culture, and exhibits their funky accordion chops for your benefit. No other Zydeco artist has come close to selling as many records or exposing this particular genre of music to more people around the world as Buckwheat Zydeco, who released the first-ever major label Zydeco album (On A Night Like This) in 1987 on Island Records.
JULY 21
Sting and Peter Gabriel
Welcome back to the early '80s! You know you want to take a dip in these waters again, boomers. Get in your hours of pleasure-building with Sting, and what will sure to be the back catalog of all back catalogs with Peter Gabriel.
Golden Silence: The Score Feels
A screening of a film by Astro King Phoenix about young creatives in Seattle, accompanied by a live score performed by the band themselves, plus DoNormaal, Sendai Mike, Dex Amora, J-Nasty, and Hansmjustin.
JULY 21-23
Damon Wayans Jr
Movie and television star Damon Wayans Jr. (Let's Be Cops, New Girl, Happy Endings, and much more) will spew funny words from his dashing face.
Summer Dance at the Center
This eclectically curated production offers the world premiere of a new work by Daniel Ojeda (Ballet Idaho), in addition to performances of "critics' favorites" by Edwaard Liang (New York City Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater), Kirk Midtskog (Halby Dance Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet), Alex Ketley (The Foundry, San Francisco Ballet), Elizabeth Cooper (Nationaltheater Mannheim), and Marie Chong (ARC Director).
JULY 21-30
Dragon Lady
Sara Porkalob keeps re-working her one-person performance of The Dragon Lady, a hilarious and surprising romp through the lives of a Filipina gangster's entire family, and it keeps getting better. According to press materials, this one features more than 30 characters from several generations. Pokalob has the ability to morph between incredibly nuanced characters without a hitch, and she does a weirdly good job at playing children, which is hard to do convincingly. Prepare thyself for much laughter. RICH SMITH
JULY 22
Red, White & Brew
The fifth annual Red, White & Brew features more than 40 local wineries and breweries, food from local restaurants, and music, all with up-close views of the Space Needle.
JULY 22-23
Buck Naked: The Buckaroos at the Triple Door
Celebrate "National Day of the Cowboy" âwith The Buckaroos, who'll present a funny, sexy male revue teeming with machismo.
JULY 22-24
Capitol Hill Block Party
For 72 straight hours, the 20th annual Capitol Hill Block Party will take over the Pike/Pine corridor with sticky wristbands, expansive public joy, and live music from a variety of genres. Find the complete schedule and critics' picks on our Block Party calendar.
Cascadia NW Arts & Music Festival
Starborne presents Cascadia NW Arts & Music Festival at the Masonic Family Campgrounds in Granite Falls, 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.â
Welcome to Night Vale
Created by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, Welcome to Night Vale is the twice-monthly podcast that presents itself as a news-radio show for a fictional town where all conspiracy theories are true. In style and content, the show blends Garrison Keillorâs Lake Wobegon with David Lynchâs Twin Peaks, and the results are deeply weird and beguiling. Tonight, Night Vale comes to life onstage. DAVID SCHMADER
JULY 22-28
Noir City 2016
If you love cinema, then you must love film noir. And if you love film noir, then you must love the Noir City festival, which comes to Seattle this week and will feature a number of known and less known movies in this genre that has lots of spiderlike women, lots of long knives, lots of rooms with dark curtains, lots of faces of the fallen, and lots of existential twists and turns. CHARLES MUDEDE
JULY 23
FroYo Run
Run through scenic Juanita Beach Park in Kirkland at this 5K and 10K race with a truly sweet rewardâfrozen yogurt at the finish line.
PNA Beer Taste Olympics
Try ten samples from more than 20 local microbreweries at the "Beer Olympics," which (as you'd expect) promises games, as well as pub snacks and brats.
Float Dodger 5K
Run down a car-free West Seattle's main California Ave SW, cheered on by thousands of people while trying to outrun the parade floats from the West Seattle Grand Parade.
Steve Martin and Martin Short
The two celebrated, beloved comicsâboth of whom have performed on Saturday Night Live and were in Father of the Brideâtalk about their lives and careers in this show that will combine "banter, singing, and banjo playing."
JULY 24
Malala Yousafzai
Global celebrity (and the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize) Malala Yousafzai will begin her summer 2016 U.S. tour with a stop in Seattle. She's likely to speak about her book, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban, as well as her political, social, and educational initiatives worldwide. Don't miss this chance to see a legend in person.
Sublime with Guests
Put on your baja and longboard down to WaMu Theater for a Sublime reunion show (R.I.P. Bradley), with Rome, Dirty Heads, Tribal Seeds, and Bleeker.
JULY 26
Chow Down 2016
Rainier Avenue South is a magical place for eating and drinkingâa place where you can get Ethiopian injera, Neapolitan pizza, Kenyan goat, Peruvian roast chicken, and craft beersâsometimes all under the same roof. Chow Down, a restaurant-and-bar crawl through Columbia City and Hillman City, gives you the chance to taste the many cultures found in those neighborhoods. Even better: Proceeds benefit the Rainier Valley Food Bank, ensuring everyone in the neighborhood is well fed. ANGELA GARBES
JULY 27
The Psychedelic Furs and The Church
Relive your gothiest, most post-punk dreams of the '80s with this resurgence of alt rock classic bands the Psychedelic Furs and The Church.
JULY 28
Puget Soundtrack: Fungal Abyss present The Devils
Puget Soundtrack, presented by Northwest Film Forum, invites musicians to create a live score for a film of their own choosing. This time, band Fungal Abyss will provide "free-flowing psychedelic improvisations" to accompany dramatic historical horror film The Devils.
JULY 29-30
Strictly Seattle Performances 2016
New works by Zoe Scofield, Amy OâNeal, Alice Gosti, Mark Haim, Marlo Martin, Rosa Vissers, and films from KT Niehoffâs Film Track students, created as part of the Strictly Seattle adult dance intensive.
JULY 30
The Dinner Detective Interactive Murder Mystery Show
Enjoy a four-course meal (with choice of entree), but know that a killer is in the room, and they may just be hidden at your table. Dinner theatre gets an extra interactive boost at this murder mystery event with a prize package for best detective.
Modest Mouse and Brand New
Veering from arena rock in many ways, alt bros Modest Mouse and Brand New co-headline this KeyArena night.
Sexploration
This all-day event features sex workshops, panels, parties, mingling and moreâyou'll design your own schedule and get to explore kinks/quirks you never knew you had (or wouldn't admit to until now).
