Kirkland Summerfest is a neighborhood summer event. It has everything from kids events, beer…read moregarden and live band stage, booths for sales and information, booths for food and drinks. The Kirkland Summerfest is one of the prettiest festivals, aesthetically speaking. Incorporating the use of beach, park, Heritage Hall, and the streets, there is a lot to appreciate the natural beauty in this area. It's moderate in size. Over the years, they have changed how many streets they close for this event. This year (2019) is more modest in size. The good thing is that they are open from Friday to Sunday so you can choose the convenient time for you to attend. Be sure to study the map so you're not missing out! Parking is street only, or library or city hall.

I participated in the Kirkland Summerfest in conjunction with the Sip Kirkland wine tasting event…read more I had a really great time here and even though there were a lot of people at the event it wasn't overly crowded unlike other food / festival events that are overwhelmingly busy and the lines are really long. The weather was perfect and this year it was located at the downtown Kirkland Marina Park and it is an absolutely beautiful park especially to eat and drink and enjoy the scenery for a social event like this.

This is a local carnival held every year with some rides, lots of vendor booths, food trucks/tents,…read moreparades, and love music/events. it's exactly what you'd expect from a local carnival, and they have some nice big open park space for everything so it's all close together. As you can expect, carnival vendors are of mixed quality goods/foods, but it's nice to get a chance to check new things out. The event is also extremely packed, so you'll be pretty much back to back with people most of the time. It's worth checking out at least once though.

Fun in the sun! There's also a park & ride nearby! Lots of booths with different types of food to…read morechoose from! A great place to be outside and enjoy the sunshine today! It's going on until 9pm 07/15/23

It's Not Just For Stoners' Anymore :)…read more SITREP Nowadays, if it's mi mamasita's birthday, it's time for HEMPFEST! I always get a kick spending a week or so with my mom back in Seattle! THE SETUP I always have fun here with the music and DJ'ing, with the food, with the people, and with the energy. THE PARKING Okay. Let's deal with the bad stuff first. PARKING SUCKS. And if that's not bad enough, the fact that it's in a rather remote location on the sound at both the Elliot Bay and Myrtle Edwards parks makes it's a CONSIDERABLE HIKE to get to in the first place. THE AMENITIES & HYGIENE STANDARDS Okay. Not terrible, but consider the crowd this attracts: Hippies. Alternative Rockers. Punks. Gypsies. Free Spirits. Free Spirited Alternative Punk Hippies That Don't Bath. You get the idea. And since this is outdoors, in August, and it's hot, and people are moving around, and DANCING, AND SWEATING, you can get some pretty pungeant aromas. FUN Still, there is so much to see, so much to do, so much to eat, so much music to listen to, so many vendors to check out. And it's IN Seattle. I usually have to travel hundreds of miles away to be in a big group of smelly people with smelly paraphenalia. However, with Hempfest there is the extreme convenience of all THAT.... coming to YOU! MUSIC Grab a schedule, check out the bandstands, and enjoy the music. Also check out the tents because that is where some of the best DJs hang out. I really enjoyed my first time I ever went to Hempfest precisely because of the DJs. This is where I saw some really talented individuals introduce to the whole concept of "POWER MIXING" - using no more than a 30-second / 1 min segment of a song before moving on to the next track, but in a seamless stream of musical-construction that built beautiful musical pieces. These guys did it really well too. DON'T WORRY, MARYJANE! Though public perception may be otherwise, there is significant relegation of smoking at these events, and if you find it, it will be mainly on the perimeter and/or on the waterfront itself on the rocks. SECOND FUNNIEST MOMENT I couldn't stop my mom in time from buying and eating a brownie from the fairy princess gal. She was impossible to deal with the rest of the afternoon with her goofiness. This was the first time I took her. She's learned her lesson and been a good girl the 2-3 other times we've been together. THE FUNNIEST MOMENT This was just too sublime. A group of skater dudes were mosing through the asphalt path, between gaggles of giggling girls and some families with their screaming kids. Getting *bumped around* accidentally is going to happen. A small packet of *something* dislodged itself from a pocket of one of the guys. Perched on the side of the grassy rise were 4 police on horses overlooking the path, the groups of people, and the crew of skater dudes. I happened to be close enough to see it was a baggy of joints. I'm sure these 4 Horsemen of the Seattle Apocalypse noted that too. EVERYONE froze when the joints hit the ground. Then the mounted policeman who appeared to be the most senior of the group nonplussed just said to the skater dude, "You dropped something, son." After a pregnant pause, the dude picked up his baggy, waved and the police, and said, "Thank you!" THE LOWDOWN I LOVE THIS FESTIVAL! [Survey Question - "Good for Kids?" Uh. I'm saying "YES".]

Seattle Hempfest is the world's largest annual cannabis festival, drawing in hundreds of thousands…read moreeach and every year. The 3 day festival occurs during the second to last weekend of every August across Olympic Sculpture Park, Myrtle Edwards Park, and Centennial Park...Spread along the Seattle Waterfront....The event was founded in 1991, self described as a "humble gathering of stoners," by 500 Mary Jane enthusiasts congregating to advocate for the decriminalization of marijuana. It was truly a civil struggle to establish such reform and cannabis culture throughout it's 27 year lifetime.... as 60 people were cited for illegal marijuana use in 1997 while attending. The following year, about 20 were arrested for the same offense. Since then, local authorities have gradually looked the other way... which is what prompted peak attendance in 2008 to grow to over 310,000 people....2008 was the first Hempfest I personally attended, and I've been to every one since. Until about 2014, the festival was more of a celebration exercising local liberal NW behaviors to freely consume weed. It focused on the theme of social justice activists working to bring cannabis knowledge to the world at large ....Unfortunately over the last couple of years following recreational legalization, Seattle Hempfest has become a business avenue focusing exclusively on making as much profit as possible. It's apparent that money has become the focal point, superseding it's original purpose to expand knowledge and to educate...Vendor booths range from $1,000-2,000....staff members heckle attendees for 10 dollar donations at the entrances, while scolding with derision if you choose not to 'donate.' They also used to be pet friendly, but have decided to harass any and all attendees with even service animal verification. Yet they couldn't care less about people bringing babies and small children around other event goers smoking. Security also now yells and harass people who smoke blunts or joints, yet are okay with people smoking from recently purchased pipes and bongs from vendor booths....I wonder why that is.....Overall, I feel that Hempfest has taken a turn for the worst- falling into the hands of greedy businessmen while regressing back to strict social confinements and politics.........Consequently, the turnout has diminished noticeably....This year's attendance was abysmal to say the least.... "Sponsorship is the best way to maximize your vending and information display presence. Show you are a strong Hempfest-supporting brand to all our audiences, from the masses at the festival to our year-round online community and the larger markets Hempfest licensed events reach. Pricing ranges from $1,500 to $30,000 for full packages. This includes premium vending placements, information displays in a range of print and online media, and additional exposure opportunities that are only available exclusively to our sponsors. This includes banners on our stages and/or logos on all our collateral materials." On a positive note....peep this vid..!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJcHjj2awT0

This year's Ballard Music and Seafoodfest on a Saturday had Built to Spill as the headliner, along…read morewith Low Cut Connie. Both groups attracted the most people to the main stage of this multi-block event taking up NW Market St and 22nd Ave NW, among other streets. I made the mistake of getting here around 2:30pm way past the event start time, then spending half an hour to find parking near the Ballard First Lutheran Church and then walking about 15 minutes to reach the main stage on Market St around 3:15pm. When you do get here, there's a lot of noise and crowds going on. This was also during Seattle's World Cup crowds, so many bars around the block were broadcasting the games with people gathering to watch and cheer. Many vendors also line up the streets as well, most of what you would see if you go to similar events like Bite of Seattle or even the Georgetown Carnival. This particular fest had a big salmon BBQ booth from Trident Seafoods which requires tokens you can purchase from the information booth. I saw the longest lines for there in particular. Besides that, I didn't see much seafood for this year. I ended up not doing the salmon BBQ, and the vendors were mostly what I've seen before in other events, so I mostly relied on the surrounding Ballard businesses for dinner and my matcha fix. I will say Built to Spill was actually really good despite indie rock not being my type of music, and my friends made my experience here better. This is an all-right event for me in particular, but I might still come back next year for the music acts.

Nitewave band headliner which is always fun…read more Lively with food trucks. We went on Friday so none of the artsy stuff and the Salmon Bake were on. Ballard is always fun to visit and this event is always fun to go to.

What a wonderful annual event celebrating an era and ethnicity! Poulsbo is normally a small yet…read moreadorable "Norwegian themed" town that has deep roots in this culture and is doing everything it can to keep the traditions tied to it alive. This VikingFest occurs yearly in May and involves the entire town. The people are kind and the foods are fabulous. We tried 4 different meat pies and can't tell you which we liked best! It was set up perfectly with the carnival and rides set away from the entertainment, craft, and food vendors that were located near the marina, which kept the lines down. We even attended the Lion's fundraiser Pancake Breakfast on Sunday! It was great. Yummy pancakes, eggs, sausage, etc.! All breakfast funds are going towards the Lion's scholarship. (I was a recipient back when I attended college in the Dark Ages, so please help out this group if/when you can!) Highly recommend this festival that runs Friday afternoon through Sunday.

I love Viking Fest! The weekend is a fun time and no matter whatever day you go, you'll likely…read moreenjoy yourself. Not only do you get to explore all the little shops in downtown Poulsbo, there are many little vendors set up along the waterfront. They range from the same old people that show up at every festival in Kitsap to people specializing in things like drinking horns. They have a carnival ride area that runs throughout the weekend. On Saturday during the festival there is a parade that is a lot of fun to watch. The "vikings" may not be the most authentic, but it is a lot of fun. There is a viking village where you can learn from the people that staff it and are set up in tents and wearing traditional clothing. The stage is filled with all sorts of entertainment throughout the weekend.

I really liked it. Wow if there was a wide variety of seasonal beer. Loved the creative Halloween…read morenames :D partying feeling was there. Great vibe. There were also brew employees that explained some of their beer variety. Super fun. Specially when the fireworks and the band came out :) Get your orange costume ready! Liked the way they organized it in different booths. It was also very fun the face painting and the slushies booths!! Very yummy! There was pumpkin spice and rosè besides the regular beer fro.different breweries :D I just wished there would be more food truck options and tables. I am super glad we got food and table early on :)

A Once-Great Beer Fest That Has Lost Its Luster…read more Let me start by saying that the Great Pumpkin Beer Fest has always been, and still is, my favorite beer festival to attend. It's more than just a beer fest; it's a full-blown Halloween party, complete with costumes, fall festivities, and an atmosphere that really kicks off the autumn season. For me, it has always been one of those events that gets you excited for fall and everything that comes with it. That being said, the last two years have been beyond disappointing, and it's frustrating to see an event I've always looked forward to lose so much of what made it special. First, the beer selection has noticeably dwindled. The festival has gone from offering 80-plus beers to 60-plus, and even within that smaller selection, there were quite a few repeats. What was especially disappointing was the fresh-hop selection. In previous years, there were 12 or more fresh-hop options, but this year there were only four. For a festival centered around beer, the variety and selection are a huge part of the experience. Seeing that variety shrink year after year takes away from the excitement of attending. Secondly, and most importantly, the location is a major problem. I'm going to be blunt: the current location in Capitol Hill is horrible for an event of this size. I simply don't understand the decision to move from Seattle Center, with all its open space and room to spread out, to just three confined blocks in Capitol Hill. Once the crowds arrive, there is barely enough room to walk around comfortably. It becomes difficult to tell where lines begin and end, where people are supposed to stand, and how to navigate through the crowd. Instead of being able to relax, explore, enjoy the beers, and take in the atmosphere, you spend too much time trying to maneuver through an overcrowded space. It feels cramped, disorganized, and uncomfortable. On top of that, the move has meant losing so many of the fun side attractions that helped make this festival unique. The arcade, tattoo stations, pumpkin carving, large gourd displays, and photo booth all added to the experience and made it feel like much more than a place to grab a beer. Those activities helped create the Halloween festival atmosphere that made the Great Pumpkin Beer Fest stand out from other beer festivals. That's what makes this so disappointing. The Great Pumpkin Beer Fest used to feel like a complete experience, not just a bunch of beer booths squeezed into a few blocks. The location has taken away much of the space, entertainment, and overall atmosphere that made the event so memorable. I genuinely want to see this festival succeed because it has been a favorite of mine for years. However, if the beer selection continues to shrink and the event remains in such a cramped location, I'm not sure I'll continue attending. That's not something I ever thought I would say about my favorite beer festival, but the experience has lost much of its appeal. I hope the organizers take this feedback seriously and reconsider the location, along with ways to bring back the variety and activities that made this event so special. The Great Pumpkin Beer Fest has the potential to be an incredible fall tradition, but right now, it feels like it's moving in the wrong direction. I would have a hard time recommending it to others in its current state, which is a shame considering how much I used to love this event.

Super friendly people! Everybody with the best attitude to meet others and have a good time…read more I know these events are very joyful and I always like them! Maybe after going to Santacon it wasn't that big as I was expecting :( We weren't that many this year and we were all over the place. It was until 3pm that we fill one place.

I think this year has been one of the largest groups for BunnyCon and as you know, it will only get…read moremore word of mouth and popularity. There are already people signing up for next years event. BunnyCon is the Bunny Bar Hop that you've seen in previous years hosted by David LeClair. I have attended many of his meet up events in the past and he shows that he has years of event experience by the amount of people he can manage and yield as well as communicate and coordinate with the local bars in the area. Because there was such a great turnout of over 1,500 people for this years event, many bars that were on the listed hop areas were overwhelmed with bunnies. I felt it was a successful event and because it is Seattle; many bars were available to take the overflow of bunnies from neighboring restaurants that were on the list. Entertainment was fun and tastefully presented as well as the control of crowd. Even though Sakura-con was going on, parking was still to be had and there were no messy situations (that I know of). Everyone seemed to be respectful and wanting to just have clean fun. I attended from 3pm to midnight and followed the rules to stay fed, hydrated, and well full of energetic fun. Because this is a large festival, the experience is what you make of it. There are all possible options and venues available to choose from as well the whole geographic area of downtown Seattle at your fingertips. it could be as exciting or as boring as you wanted since it was up to you to go further from or closer to the action of BunnyCon as your legs could take you (in case you needed a break from the crowd). Good times. I am a fan! Thanks for the event and memories through the Seattle rain.

I attempted to see all of this festival but due to road closures and poorly managed parking, the…read moretraffic was a mess and it was hard to get in. They posted signs for no parking for the festival so people could still shop but didn't enforce it. Tried getting into Albertson's to do an errand before going to the festival and the entire parking lot was full. That's never happened before in the 16 years I've gone there. The part of the festival that I did see was cool, which was just the arts and crafts booths. They also had a stage, pet area, bouncy toys, rock climbing wall and more but didn't bother crawling through the crowd to see them. If I had kids with me, I would have.

Good food, but crowded. Lots of dawglies, how exciting, but very little parking. Guess we should…read morehave committed to driving to the high school and taking a shuttle. Need to have a map because I didn't find the car show or pet pavilion. The main stage didn't have enough chairs. So much home improvement stands in the bazaar, but precious little crafts, knitting, and such. This didn't have a small town feel to it. Not bad, but don't think I'll be back. Still the kids were having fun with the basketball competition. That place was packed.

We came this weekend to Victoria specifically because we had lucked into this annual Festival on a…read moreprevious visit and were really impressed. However, this year the published times did not match the venues nor the performers. So we ended up seeing the same performance over and over. And apparently the venue in the Inner Harbour has nothing to do with the Festival and the performances that we saw there were just as good if not better.

A must see, they have 7 stages, shows start at 12pm and finish at 10pm. Street performers and they…read moreare great at what they do.

Luminara is a wonderful free annual festival that occurs on a Saturday in July at St. Ann's…read moreAcademy. This lantern festival attracts between 15,000-20,000 people. The festival features installation art, costumed performers, and lots of lanterns. Kids will love Luminara and so will adults.