Summer festivals showcase the best of the Pacific Northwest

When it comes to things like reserving a campsite or booking a flight, it’s certainly in the bird’s best interest to at least set an alarm, as the saying goes. The same can be said for summer festival-goers in the Pacific Northwest — whether you’re looking to frolic in fields of lavender or jam with a few of your favorite bands, it never hurts to get a head start on your plans for the months when the gray more or less goes away.

Tickets to the region’s biggest music festivals are typically some of the hottest items when the heat turns up. Over Fourth of July weekend, thousands set up lawn chairs along the banks of the Willamette River for Portland’s Waterfront Blues Festival, cheering on local talents and national superstars, while saving a few oohs and ahhs for the fireworks show at dusk. Later in the month just outside the city, Pickathon is set to return to Pendarvis Farm for its 25th year. Nestled in lush woodland, this immersive experience blends visual art and sound among “a series of interconnected, magical villages…each with its own unique personality and vibe.” Farther north, this year’s Bumbershoot (Aug. 31-Sept. 1) will see headlining acts like Pavement, Cypress Hill, and Courtney Barnett take the stage in the shadow of the Space Needle. With a Deluxe Weekend Pass, you can enjoy perks like parking, re-entry, exclusive raised viewing platforms, and private bars and restrooms. 

Others may have more of an appetite for food festivals that celebrate the Pacific Northwest's culinary creativity and vibrant bounty. One particular ingredient that epitomizes the joys of summer will be served up at restaurants across the Portland metro during Strawberry Shortcake Week (June 10-June 16). With each take on the classic dessert that you devour you will also support the future James Beard Public Market and Oregon Taste program. At the end of June, Puyallup hosts The Taste NW — “Washington’s Ultimate Summer Get-Together” — featuring more than 150 food and craft vendors, live music and cooking displays, as well as carnival attractions, axe throwing, plus $5 beer and cider tastings.

For the “rosé all day” crowd, Kirkland Uncorked (July 18-20) pairs local food carts and wineries with views of Lake Washington to delightful effect. Afterward, grab drinks and dinner nearby at Anthony's HomePort Kirkland — watching the sun sink below the horizon from the elevated bar is quite the spectacle. And to take worrying about transportation out of the equation, book a room at The Heathman Hotel, located a few blocks away in the charming downtown.

Appreciation for the arts also brings people together in the PNW, and throughout the summer, buffs of The Bard and all things theater flock to Ashland for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. See the comedic “Fat Ham,” a Southern-fried take on “Hamlet,” “Julius Caesar” performed by upstart crow collective, an all-female and nonbinary cast, and more. Modern and contemporary art is the draw at the Seattle Art Fair (July 17-20), but the transcendent sculptures, paintings, and interactive pieces will force you to drop any labels at the door. If finding something to add magic to your own space is top of mind, Portland’s Art In The Pearl Fine Arts & Crafts Festival (Aug. 30-Sept. 1) has 100+ artists showing and selling their wares.

It would be a shame to let the curtains close on summer without experiencing some of the region’s best cinematography on the silver screen. Port Townsend Film Festival (Thursday, Sept. 18-Sunday, Sept. 21) puts on quite a show on the Olympic Peninsula, drawing smaller crowds than you might encounter at showcases in larger cities, preserving more intimate interactions like panels and workshops with industry professionals. Leave plenty of time between showings to ogle the town’s Victorian architecture, too.