Bumbershoot , United States of America

North America’s largest urban arts festival, Bumbershoot takes place in the heart of the city at 20 indoor and outdoor venues within a 74 acre park in Seattle Washington on Labor Day weekend. Started in the year 1971, this festivals was then known as the Seattle Arts Festival.

Bumbershoot is a festival that celebrates diversity, offering concert goers something new and exciting each year. Bumbershoot has drawn artists representing the best in music, film, comedy, spoken word, dance, theatre, performance, and visual arts to the celebrations.

An annual international music and arts festival, the name Bumbershoot comes from an informal name for an umbrella, representing the festivals coverage of a myriad of art forms. During the festival of Bumbershoot, acts and artists from all over the world make up the three day program to participate in this mega event.

The main highlight if this event were light shows (which incorporated lasers, still something of a novelty at that time), computer graphics, enormous inflatable soft sculptures by the Land Truth Company, and an electronic jam session. It further includes events like dance, theater, folk music, arts and crafts, art cars, body painting and amateur motorcycle races.