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Get Out & Listen: Outdoor Music Festivals Around the Sound
by Diane Dash

Despite what the judges on American Idol may claim, Seattle is an inherently musical town. We can boast not only of talented musical artists, but of a diverse range of performers and performances. Upcoming local concert series offer everything from fiddle contests to chamber music…and some that even include free hotdogs and lemonade. Here’s a rundown of what’s coming in June and beyond.

SEATTLE

Seattle Peace Concerts
Now in its 27th year, the annual Summer Park Concert Series is Seattle’s largest and longest running free park music festival, and is billed as having “No political agenda, or other ‘ulterior motive’ other than to remind each other that we are all made of the same stardust, directly connected to each other and everything else in the universe.” The concerts rotate between Seattle parks and performers range from rock ‘n’ roll to blues to world beat to bluegrass and reggae funk. Concerts are on Sundays from noon to 6 pm. Nonperishable food bank items are requested for donation to Northwest Harvest. The tentative lineup for this summer includes:

June 3: Lower Woodland Park Shelter #1
“Native Earthling” Cheaper Than Therapy, Stephan Smartt and Don Glenn
June 17: Gas Works Park
Shades of Purple, Cherry Cherry and Jeanlizabeth Brizee
July 15: Don Armeni Park in West Seattle
Tim Turner Band, Laurie Miller & Kilo and Blue55
July 29: Gas Works Park
The Shmoes, Aeolian Mofius, and straight from Norway’s Orbo & The Longshots
Aug. 26: Volunteer Park
The Red Hotz
Be sure visit www.seapeace.org to confirm time, check for additional concerts or to link to band Web sites.

Seattle Chamber Music Society Festivals
Run by the notable Toby Saks--a Juilliard graduate who’s studied, performed and won chamber music competitions around the globe—the Lakeside and Overlake School Festivals will offer 17 main series concerts during the months of July and August.

In addition to the main series concerts, two special concerts are offered. A Family Concert featuring the music of Dvorak will be held July 17 at Lakeside and Aug. 7 at Overlake. The 45-minute performances are geared for kids 6-12 years old. Free hotdogs and lemonade precede each event. In addition, the Emerging Artist special concert features six area violinists aged 13-16. It will be held at Lakeside on July 12.

Tickets are available for purchase individually or as a series. The audio portion of the performances can also be enjoyed free-of-charge from the lawn outside the concert halls. Bring your own blankets and chairs to experience “Music Under the Stars.” For more info visit www.seattlechambermusic.org.

Bumbershoot®
The granddaddy of Seattle’s music festivals, Bumbershoot has been a part of the local lexicon for almost 40 years. The annual Labor Day weekend fete is known primarily for its “killer live music,” but also offers dance performances, comedians, theater, literary arts, food and merchandise vendors, the 1 Reel Film Festival, and Vau de Vire Society—acrobats, aerial artists, fire breathers, and contortionists who perform from a 30-foot tall tower on the fountain lawn. Spread over Seattle Center’s 74 acres, Bumbershoot’s 150,000 visitors makes it North America’s largest urban arts festival.

This year’s festival, which runs Sept. 1-3, includes performances by The Shins, Wu-Tang Clan, Panic! At The Disco, Crowded House, Norma Jean, The Holmes Brothers, and Roky Erickson & The Explosives. Look for the full schedule later this summer at www.bumbershoot.com.

ZooTunes
Officially called the “2007 WAMU ZooTunes presented by Carter Subaru,” this Seattle tradition is a low-key way to hear great music and support our city zoo. Bring blankets and low-backed patio chairs. Kids welcome, but not required. Tickets can be purchased at Metropolitan Markets with a limited number available at the zoo during regular zoo hours.

June 17: Indigo Girls
June 20: Herbie Hancock Trio
June 27: Brandi Carlile
July 18: Patty Griffin
July 25 & 26: Pink Martini
July 29: Great Big Sea
Aug. 1: Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Aug. 8: Robert Earl Keen/Todd Snider
Aug. 15: Old Crow Medicine Show and The Be Good Tanyas

EASTSIDE

The Summer Concert Series at Chateau Ste. Michelle
Located on the winery’s 87-acre estate in Woodinville, Chateau Ste. Michelle’s concert series started as a bluegrass festival in 1984. This year it’s hosting big name ‘70s funk bands, jazz stars and major R&B artists. A small number of reserved seats (including chairs) are located directly in front of the stage, but general admission seating on the amphitheater lawn allows only blankets and/or low beach chairs. Performances are held rain or shine. Net proceeds from the annual concert series help fund the winery’s charitable contributions program. Map, directions and additional info at www.chateau-ste-michelle.com.

June 2: Harry Connick Jr.
June 23: Bruce Hornsby and Ricky Skaggs
June 24: Madeleine Peyroux with special guest James Hunter
July 1: Chris Isaak
July 7: Moody Blues
July 19: Doobie Brothers
July 20 & 21: Lyle Lovett and his Large Band & k.d. lang
July 22: Earth, Wind & Fire
Aug. 3: Temptations and The Four Tops
Aug. 11 & 12: Diana Krall
Aug. 23: Keb’Mo’ and Robert Cray
Aug. 25 & 26: Chicago

Concerts at Marymoor
Probably the most versatile park in King County, Marymoor is 640 acres of sports fields, trails, the largest off-leash dog area in the state, and has a velodrome, climbing rock, and “The Northwest Open Air Venue,” which is enclosed by huge grass mounds that form a natural amphitheater.

The Marymoor concert site seats 5,000, with 600 reserved seats and space for everyone else on the lawn. Padded chairs are provided for reserved seating, which is located directly in front of the stage. General admission seating is festival-style and permits blankets and low-backed beach chairs. Located in Redmond on West Lake Sammamish Parkway, there’s plenty of free on-site parking for ticketed patrons. Concerts are held rain or shine. The 2007 lineup combines new and old, with a little comedy thrown in. www.concertsatmarymoor.com.

June 22: O.A.R.
July 7: Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas
July 11: The Tragically Hip
July 14: Comedian Brian Regan
July 27 & 28: The Fray
Aug. 9: G. Love & Special Sauce; Slightly Stoopid; and Ozomatli
Aug. 10: UB40
Aug. 11: Mountain Music Festival with Los Lonely Boys; Toad the Wet Sprocket; Marc Broussard; and Low Stars
Aug. 18: Carbon Leaf

DAY TRIPS

Olympic Music Festival
Voted “Best Classical Music Festival” by Seattle Weekly readers, this concert series occurs every weekend from late June to early September. A turn-of-the-century Olympic Peninsula barn serves as concert hall to the melodic sounds of Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Mozart.

Festival grounds offer a plethora of picnic tables for your dining pleasure. And just so you know you’re in the country, resident donkeys are part of the entertainment and help clean up leftovers. Although a short day trip from Seattle, ferry traffic can be heavy so plan accordingly. Don’t forget to leave your pets at home, lest they frighten the donkeys. Parking is free. Map, directions and additional info area available at www.olympicmusicfestival.org.

Centrum
Located at Fort Worden State Park in picturesque and eclectic Port Townsend, Centrum attracts “audiences seeking extraordinary cultural enrichment.” Concerts occur year- round, but this summer’s offerings include a South African slide guitar & steel drum festival (June 24-July 1); the Seattle Men’s Chorus (June 10); the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes (July 1-8); Jazz Port Townsend (July 22-29); the Port Townsend Country Blues Festival (July 29-Aug. 5); and the Port Townsend Chamber Music Festival (Aug. 5-12).

One-hundred-year-old Fort Worden was built as a military fort, but has been a state park since 1971 (one of its most notable uses was as a location for the movie “An Officer and a Gentleman”). The park sits on a high bluff overlooking Puget Sound and features over two miles of saltwater shoreline. Map, directions and more info are available at www.centrum.org.

Diane Dash is a Seattle-based freelance writer and frequent contributor to Seattle Woman.

©2007 Caliope Publishing Company