june 22–23
Catapult Fest
Catapult Fest takes place at Seafarers Memorial Park on the lovely shores of Anacortes, with a lineup composed of all-Northwest talent, featuring the Lonely Forest, Special Explosion, Kithkin, Cat from Hue, Whitney Ballen and the Intimates, Us on Roofs, and many more.
• Seafarers Memorial Park, Seafarers Way, Anacortes, Friday $10, Saturday free, www.catapultfest.com
JUNE 23
Paradiso Festival
Presented by USC and featuring performances by Avicii, Afrojack, Donald Glaude, LA Riots, Above & Beyond, Knife Party, Excision, and many more. This festival is 18+ and VIP passes are available.
• Gorge Amphitheatre, 754 Silica Rd NW, George, $65, www.paradisofestival.com
JUNE 24
2012 PrideFest
Musical guests at this year's PrideFest include Cazwell, Debby Holiday, DJ Phil B, Peppermint, Vockah Redu & the Cru, and more.
• Seattle Center, 321 Mercer St, www.pridefestseattle.org, free
JULY 6
Shockwave Festival
The Seattle stop of this touring metal and hard rock festival includes performances by Fear Factory, Voivod, Cattle Decapitation, Misery Index, Revocation, Havok, Dirge Within, and many more.
• Studio Seven, 110 S Horton St, 286-1312, $25/$27, www.shockwavefest.com
JULY 10–14
Victoria Skafest
Featuring Toots & the Maytals, the Pietasters, Leroy "Heptone" Sibbles, Larry & His Flask, and Easy Big Fella. Pick it up, pick it up.
• Various venues, Victoria, BC, www.victoriaskafest.ca
JULY 13–15
West Seattle Summer Fest
Every year, the West Seattle Junction closes off the streets for a weekend to bring together local music, food, arts, and more. The musical lineup hadn't been announced at press time, but past performers include beloved locals like the Fastbacks, Head Like a Kite, the Cops, Caspar Babypants, the Dusty 45s, and Jesse Sykes.
• West Seattle Junction, free, www.wsjunction.org/summerfest
JULY 14
Slack Fest
With performances by the Moondoggies, Hobosexual, Hounds of the Wild Hunt, "the Rolling Stones," Big Wheel Stunt Show, Country Lips, and more.
• Slime Dog Race Track, 23311 70th Ave N, Stanwood, $25-$35, www.facebook .com/slackfest
JULY 20–21
Basin Summer Sounds
A free music festival with Vicci Martinez, Pearl Django, the Sweetback Sisters, the Chris Eger Band, Bowling for Soup, and more. Also: a car and bike show, and kids' activities.
• Grant County Courthouse, 332 W Division Ave, Ephrata, free, www.basinsummersounds.com
JULY 20–22
Capitol Hill Block Party
Three days and 100 artists, including Neko Case, Major Lazer, Fitz and the Tantrums, Grimes, Diplo, Cloud Nothings, as well as an impressive collection of local talent like Absolute Monarchs, Black Breath, Keyboard Kid, Helms Alee, and Dude York. And literally 89 more.
• At 10th and Pike on Capitol Hill, $85 for a three-day pass, www.capitolhillblock party.strangertickets.com
25th Annual Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival
Featuring music from Elvin Bishop, John Mayall, Ruthie Foster, Chubby Carrier, Too Slim & the Taildraggers, Sugar Blue, and many more. Onsite camping (with free showers!) is available.
• The Blues Ranch, Winthrop, advance tickets start at $80, www.winthropblues festival.com
Photosynthesis 5
With dozens of DJs and electronic music artists including Random Rab, Desert Dwellers, [A]pendics Shuffle, Mikael Stavöstrand, Skeetaz, Birds of Paradise, Bil Bless, and many more. Also: circus and theater performances, yoga, scavenger hunts, a kids' zone, and "healing workshops."
• Hobuck Beach Resort, 2726 Makah Passage, Neah Bay, www.facebook.com/photosynthesisfestival
JULY 28
Island County Democrats SummerFest
With jazz and blues music from Janie Cribbs and Her Band and a buffet dinner. Proceeds benefit Island County Democrats.
• Grethe Cammermeyer's Home, 4632 Tompkins Rd, Langley, $10-$20, island countydemocrats.wordpress.com
AUGUST 3–4
StrutzFest
The StrutzFest lineup features just about every kind of rock tribute band you could imagine (AC/DC, CCR, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath) as well as bands that play their own songs, including the Davanos, Blue Tattoo, Superfekta, and Strutz. Proceeds benefit Children's Hospital and the Special Olympics.
• Darrington Music Park, 42501 SR 530, Darrington, $60, www.strutzfest.com
AUGUST 3–5
Watershed
The inaugural Northwest country music festival featuring Dierks Bentley, Kix Brooks, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, and many more.
• Gorge Amphitheatre, three-day passes start at $90, WatershedFest.com
Pickathon 2012
Six stages, 80 acres, and musical performances by Neko Case, Dr. Dog, Blitzen Trapper, the Cave Singers, Thee Oh Sees, THEESatisfaction, Y La Bamba, and many more.
• Pendarvis Farm, 16581 SE Hagen Rd, Happy Valley, OR, weekend passes start at $190, pickathon.com
AUGUST 4
Warped Tour
Featuring more than 60 bands including Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard, Streetlight Manifesto, New Found Glory, and Every Time I Die. Kind of looks like 2003 all over again, huh?
• Marymoor Park, 6046 W Lake Sammamish Parkway NE, Redmond, $36.50, vanswarpedtour.com
AUGUST 4–5, 11–12, 18–19
The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire
Musical guests include SilverStrings, MarCher, Heavy Hammer, Hawke the Bedlam Bard, and more.
• The Kelley Farm, 20021 Sumner-Buckley Hwy, Bonney Lake, washingtonfaire.com
AUGUST 9-12
Doe Bay
The fifth annual Doe Bay Fest (held on gorgeous Orcas Island) hadn't announced its 2012 lineup by press time, but previous performers include the Head and the Heart, Damien Jurado, John Vanderslice, Ravenna Woods, and Pickwick. It's not unusual for concerts to happen on the shore of the Puget Sound, in the middle of the forest, or around a campfire.
• Doe Bay Resort & Retreat, 107 Doe Bay Rd, Olga, www.doebayfest.com
Northwest String Summit
Featuring Yonder Mountain String Band, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Greensky Bluegrass, Darol Anger and the Furies, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and more.
• Horning's Hideout, 21277 NW Brunswick Canyon Rd, North Plains, OR, www.stringsummit.com
AUGUST 10–12
Summer Meltdown
Featuring Beats Antique, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, EOTO, Blitzen Trapper, Pickwick, the Moondoggies, Elephant Revival, and many more (with visuals by Slick Lasers and the Root System—trippy).
• Whitehorse Mountain Amphitheater, 42501 SR 530 NE, Darrington, $140 for a weekend pass, $30-$60 for daily passes, www.summermeltdown.com
Annual Stillaguamish Festival of the River
With a fun run, a powwow, lots of Northwest food and craft vendors. Live music includes Junkyard Jane, Alejandro Escovedo, LeRoy Bell & His Only Friends, Brett Eldridge, Marley's Ghost, and many more.
• 20416 Jordan Rd, Arlington, www.stillaguamish.nsn.us/festival
AUGUST 11–12
Everything for Everyone Festival
This is the inaugural Everything for Everyone Festival, which is a "free political and cultural gathering" featuring music, art, speakers, and more. A venue and schedule was not announced at press time—follow their progress at www .everythingforeveryone.org.
AUGUST 16–18
Total Fest XI
For more than a decade now, bands have been invading Montana to take part in Total Fest, an all-ages, volunteer-run DIY festival. This year's lineup (so far) includes Sandrider, No-Fi Soul Rebellion, Dreamdecay, Rock n Roll Adventure Kids, and more. Road trip!
• Various venues, Missoula, MT, www.totalfest.org
AUGUST 17–19
Seattle Hempfest
The musical lineup for this year's Hempfest was not released by press time, but past performers include Kotton Mouth Kings, Manooghi Hi, the Accused, and members of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
• Myrtle Edwards and Centennial Parks, 3130 Alaskan Way W, free, hempfest.org
AUGUST 24–26
Live at Squamish
With performances by the Tragically Hip, Chromeo, Brett Dennen, Mark Farina, the Airborne Toxic Event, City and Colour, the Sheepdogs, Mother Mother, Plants and Animals, and many more.
• Hendrickson Fields & Logger Sports Grounds, 39503 Loggers Lane, Squamish, BC, www.liveatsquamish.com
SEPTEMBER 1–3
Bumbershoot
The 42nd annual Bumbershoot lineup includes a billion bands, writers, comedians, dancers, and more. A few musical highlights include Jane's Addiction, Tony Bennett, M83, Passion Pit, the Promise Ring, and something called a Skrillex.
• Seattle Center, $40-$45 for a single day pass/$110 for a three-day pass, bumbershoot.strangertickets.com
SEPTEMBER 5–9
MusicfestNW
The line-up for this year's Musicfest, which takes over several of Portland's clubs every September, includes Silversun Pickups, Passion Pit, Girl Talk, Dinosaur Jr., the Helio Sequence, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and dozens more. MFNW also added a tech conference to this year's schedule, which features speakers from Draplin Design Co., Flipboard, and Chirpify.
• Various venues, Portland, OR, www.musicfestnw.com
SEPTEMBER 13-16
Rifflandia Festival
The annual Victoria, BC, festival (now in its fifth year) features dozens of music makers, including the Flaming Lips, CAKE, Sloan, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Saul Williams, and Morgan Page, with several more set to be announced later this summer.
• Various venues, Victoria, BC, www.2012.rifflandia.com
SEPTEMBER 26-30
Decibel Festival
As of press time, the lineup for this year's Decibel Festival (Seattle's annual electronic music festival) features Kimbra, Carl Craig, Fennesz, John Talabot, Ariel Pink, Matthew Dear, Nina Kraviz, and many more. Decibel will announce its full lineup July 11. Stay tuned to lineout.thestranger.com for updates.
• Various venues, full festival passes start at $195, www.dbfestival.com
