Page 79 - Off the Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 1 of 2)

75

Bumbershoot FESTIVALS

vs Lollapalooza

AND PARTIES
The crush of Lollapalooza’s 166,000 sweaty rock fans, coupled with the smell of teen spirit, could well be your thing;
otherwise, consider Bumbershoot for a far wider range of audience and artistry

autumn weather begins to descend on Puget Sound.
NEED TO KNOW
The Bumbershoot experience is unparalleled, partly
LOCATION Bumbershoot due to the memorable setting of the Seattle Center
takes place in the Seattle Center $ "/"%"
in Seattle, Washington, USA 4&"55-& (the once-futuristic grounds built for the 1962
WHEN During the Labor World’s Fair). This impeccably landscaped site,
/FX :PSL
Day weekend, which is in late 4BO 'SBODJTDP 6 4 " located close to downtown, is anchored by the
August or early September 8BTIJOHUPO % $
Space Needle, the city’s most recognized landmark.
VISITORS PER YEAR -PT "OHFMFT
More than 150,000 More than 20 deluxe indoor and outdoor concert
DAYTIME venues, originally built for everything from children’s
TEMPERATURE .&9*$0 theater to the Seattle Opera, host performances
61°F (19°C) during the festival
of music, dance, film, and spoken word. It’s a
remarkable spectrum of creative expression. ABOVE The strangely shaped façade of the Experience Music Project
Seattle lives on the edge, and not only because of Audiences of all ages and backgrounds come
its Pacific Rim location in northwestern Washington to the events to bask in the kaleidoscopic range of site that was designed with crowd-control in mind.
State. The city’s youthful population continually performers. First-name acts in every denomination You can always find areas where foot traffic subsides.
shakes things up, whether it’s technology and of rock, jazz, and folk join a carousel of local bands The Seattle Center also tempts the concert-
coffee drinks or arts and entertainment. The latter just back from their first tours. Even outfits with more weary to explore other pursuits without leaving the
reaches its apex every year at Bumbershoot, an promise than experience can have their time under grounds. You can visit the Experience Music Project
enormous three-day festival with a colorful history the lights if they pass the application process. (EMP), the high-tech rock music museum designed
dating back nearly 40 years, and with performances Of course the festival gets crowded, but unlike by Frank Gehry; ride the monorail that runs through
that leave Lollapalooza in the dust. Lollapalooza, where nearly the entire concert the EMP between downtown and the Space Needle;
The festivities are held during the Labor Day population heads for the main stage, Bumbershoot or ride up the Space Needle’s external elevators to
holiday, as summer’s heat abates and the region’s has many venues scattered over a 74-acre (30-ha) see the to-die-for view of city, mountains, and sea.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
FORGET LOLLAPALOOZA?
Getting There and Around Where to Stay
Travel from Seattle-Tacoma Many travelers consider an
THE BUILD-UP Perry Farrell, lead singer of the rock band
International Airport requires a expensive room downtown in
Jane’s Addiction, launched Lollapalooza in 1991 to celebrate
taxi ride into town, which takes a major hotel with views of the
his band’s last tour and to carry the flag of alternative rock
around 25 minutes. The only water and mountains. Conserve
music. The festival hailed a new rebellion against mainstream means of public transportation resources and go boutique with
music and galvanized the burgeoning under-30 subculture. It in the city are buses and the the Ace Hotel (www.acehotel.
toured the USA until 1997, had a revival in 2003 and, since monorail that runs conveniently com/seattle) in Belltown,
2005, has taken place every year in Chicago’s Grant Park. between downtown’s main halfway between Pike Place
shopping district and the Space Market and the Seattle Center.
THE LETDOWN Now that Lollapalooza no longer tours, Needle, which is ground zero for Budget per Day for Two
ABOVE Crowds of festival-goers trying to get close to
fans have only one shot to attend, which means denser, more the main stage at Lollapalooza Bumbershoot. US$290 including transport,
desperate crowds – the mosh pit will turn heads. Be prepared Where to Eat accommodations, and food.
for the often-scorching summer heat – temperatures during the festival have been known to soar to 104°F (40°C). You can find Seattle’s fresh seafood Festival tickets cost US$60 per
Remember that Chicago is an expensive city, so finding affordable accommodations will be tough. and Pan-Asian cuisine virtually person for a three-day pass
anywhere. Or try Cyclops, a local purchased in advance, or US$25
bohemian favorite (www. per person for daily admission.
GOING ANYWAY? Get an early start and consult the festival map of Grant Park assiduously – not only for stage
cyclopsseattle.com), or the food Website
information, but also for details on public transportation and suitable areas for down time and refreshments. Chicago
vendors sprinkled liberally www.bumbershoot.com
is one of America’s gastronomic hotspots, so leave enough time to explore the city and its diverse food culture. throughout the festival space.

US074-075_fes_bumbershoot.indd 75 10/3/09 16:18:08
074-075_fes_bumbershoot.indd 75
16/4/09 09:49:23