Providing an excellent last-of-summer getaway over Labour Day weekend, Seattle hosted Bumbershoot 2016, the city’s annual three-day cultural festival.
Held on the grounds of Seattle Center, Bumbershoot has presented a grand combination of arts since 1971, including music, film, theatre, comedy, artworks, poster art, animation and dance.
For a student such as myself, visiting the festival was the perfect last summer hurrah before the start of my final year at Handsworth secondary.
Fortunately there were no rainy showers on the Saturday and Sunday when I attended. Bumbershoot satirizes Seattle’s well-known dreary weather by naming the festival after a synonym for the umbrella, and decorating the paved main walkway with brightly coloured umbrellas hanging in patterns between the trees.
Beyond the umbrella décor also dominated the impressive International Fountain carved out in the middle of the grounds, where massive inflated letters spelled out “Bumbershoot” while the iconic Space Needle soared over all. Throughout the breath-taking scene were dotted small kiosks, vending everything from henna tattoos to African art to Bumbershoot’s famous strawberry shortcake.
One of the best performances at the festival was Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Macklemore, who is quite the extrovert, interacted very personally with the crowd, using charming anecdotes of growing up in Seattle, and impactful messages concerning the equality of others and political matters.
Burgers from the revered local Dick’s restaurant chain were thrown into the audience, all in all creating one of the most entertaining shows, through music, dance, and stories. Macklemore’s hard work put into rehearsal and passion for his music career was quite evident throughout the performance.
Porter Robinson, a headlining DJ, gave an entirely different experience, with fun, bass-heavy electronic music. Behind him towered a massive screen, showing anime-style videos to go along with the music, as well as arena lasers and indoor fireworks. Robinson’s devotion to the craft was clear, as he danced along with the massive crowd.
Not all the music played at Bumbershoot was youth-oriented. There was a laser spectacle dedicated to The Beatles music, as well as a performance by ‘80s sensation Billy Idol who, “despite his age,” commanded the stage and fashioned quite a show, with wild dance moves and the help of his guitarist playing very complicated riffs.
As for acting and comedy, the Improvised Shakespeare Company was outstanding – five guys ad libbing and inventing with the help of the audience, while speaking completely in Shakespeare’s Elizabethan English, and playing with rhyme, song, and dance.
Overall, Bumbershoot proved to be a hit because of its talented and eclectic musical guests, hilarious comics, and beautiful artwork and ambience. It’s worth the trip across the border.
– Alayna Gibbs is a Grade 12 Handsworth secondary student who enjoys music composition, singing, dance and playing jazz band trumpet.
