Experience the Northwest flavors and entertainment this summer
Compiled By Colin Anderson and Jillian Chandler
Food & Drink
Taste of Tacoma
June 21 - 23, 2019, Tacoma, Washington
Point Defiance Park will host the wildly popular event, now in its 34th season. More than 40 regional restaurants and food truck operators will give your taste buds a trip around the culinary world. Here you can choose your own adventure or pre-purchase ‘Taste It’ tickets, which include tickets for food tastings as well as five beer or wine tasters as well. The two 21+ beer gardens also include wine and craft cocktails from Heritage Distilling. Admission is free. Once inside you’ll find a kids carnival, chef competitions and more than 100 live music acts throughout the weekend. TasteofTacoma.com
CRAVE!
July 11 - 13, 2019, Spokane Valley, Washington
Spokane continues to grow, and so does the food scene. CRAVE! brings together the top regional chefs from Eastern Washington and North Idaho for a three-day culinary experience. There are several “Top Chef” contestants and James Beard winners and nominees who will serve up a variety of samples. There is a different theme for each session; fire and smoke, seafood, and around the world, to name a few. Admission gets you unlimited samples of both food and drink from local brewers, distillers and vintners. The schedule includes cooking demonstrations from expert chefs, and you can vote on your favorite dishes. Tickets for single sessions and all weekend passes are available. CraveNW.com
Seattle International Beer Fest
July 12 - 14, 2019, Seattle, Washington
Not only does this annual beer lovers mecca include the best of the city but also brings in some of the top international brands and some of the most crazy experimental brews you won’t find on any shelf. You won’t get to them all as there will be more than 200 taps pouring. Sours, fruit beers, double IPAs, barley wines and ‘wild’ ales can be found alongside more traditional styles in seven different tents spread out across the festival grounds at the Seattle Center Pavilion. Tastes are 4 ounces each and run anywhere from $1 to $7, with most in the $1 to $2 range. Food is also readily available inside the festival. SeattleBeerFest.com
Taste of Coeur d’Alene/Art on the Green
August 3 - 5, 2019, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
While technically two separate events, the proximity between them makes this an annual pilgrimage for many in the Inland Northwest. Close to 200 artists from all over the region set up booths featuring paintings, photography, metal sculpting and more on the lawns of North Idaho College. Just a beachside walk over to downtown’s City Park will bring revelers to the Taste of Coeur d’Alene, where they will find a wide range of food on-site, served up food-truck style. Local chefs serve up their favorites, and there is a beer garden featuring local brewers. The main strip of downtown is also closed for pedestrians where another 250 or so vendors are set up selling a wide range of crafts, gifts and, oh yes, food. ArtontheGreenCdA.com
Arts & Entertainment
Kirkland Summerfest
July 26 - 28, 2019, Kirkland, Washington
This three-day music and arts festival returns to the picturesque shores of Lake Washington for its eighth year offering the perfect environment for the artists, musicians and fans to enjoy an incredible summer weekend filled with music and art. During Summerfest, attendees will be treated to dozens of live performances, outdoor entertainment venues, delicious food, local beers and wines, street fair with more than 200 vendors, Create Zone, Rotary Duck Dash and KidZone. Though the event is free for those wandering the streets, there are festival passes that get you into the main stage events and KidZone passes available for purchase. This is Kirkland’s signature event of the year with more than 40,000 attendees. Don’t miss out! KirklandSummerFest.com
Summer Meltdown
August 1 - 4, 2019, Darrington, Washington
Summer Meltdown offers a weekend “where the music meets the mountain.” People gather from all over the West to attend this four-day music, camping and adventure festival held at Darrington Bluegrass Park in Darrington, Washington. The annual festival prides itself as offering a “vibrant” community setting that welcomes all ages. From the live performances, dancing and kids zone to relaxing and socializing in the beer garden, this is a festival the whole family will enjoy. This year’s lineup includes Tipper, Umphrey’s McGee, Gramatik, Nahko and Medicine for the People, The Polish Ambassador, CloZee, G Jones, along with three dozen more acts. All general admission tickets include optional tent camping. Discounted weekend passes are available for youth ages 9 to 15, and kids 8 and younger are free. SummerMeltdownFest.com
Festival at Sandpoint
August 1 -11, 2019, Sandpoint, Idaho
Enjoy eight nights of incredible entertainment featuring a variety of genres under the stars and overlooking the water in a breathtaking setting at War Memorial Field in Sandpoint, Idaho. Now in its 37th year, The Festival at Sandpoint has played host to incredible entertainers drawing people from all over the Pacific Northwest to enjoy the 4,000-seat capacity venue. Intimate in its setting, attendees can choose to bring in their own food and drink or enjoy some of the fabulous food and beverages provided on-site. This year’s lineup includes Nathaniel Ratecliff & The Night Sweats, Walk Off The Earth, Jackson Browne, Lake Street Dive, The Avett Brothers, and Kool & The Gang, as well as the Family Concert featuring The Festival Community Orchestra and Studio One Dancers and Grand Finale featuring the Spokane Symphony. FestivalAtSandpoint.com
Watershed Music Festival
August 2 - 4, 2019, George, Washington
This country music festival is one you won't want to miss. Enjoy a weekend of camping and live musical performances by some of the top country artists around. Held at The Gorge Amphitheatre overlooking the Columbia River (just 10 miles northeast of Quincy), this year’s lineup features Miranda Lambert, Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Brothers Osborne, Chris Young, Maren Morris, Midland, Kip Moore and many more. The Gorge Amphitheatre offers some of the most spectacular views in the world from any music venue and seats more than 20,000, including the lawn area. Country fans from all over the Pacific Northwest continue to flock to Watershed—the biggest three-day country and music festival in the Northwest—year after year. WatershedFest.com
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