Over the week, the Bumbershoot festival descended upon Seattle, bringing two days of incredible music, comedy, fashion, food, and a line for the Cat Circus that literally never ended.
Sprawling out across the 74 acres of Seattle Center, right underneath the city’s famous Space Needle, Bumbershoot hosted four stages of music, with extra space allocated for fashion events and stand-up comedy shows. There was so much to do and see that I can’t possibly mention it all, but let’s get to breaking down as much as we can…
What obviously worked:
Look, the big-name headliners and featured acts all delivered amazing performances from the fest’s main stage, dubbed the Fountain Stage due to its proximity to Seattle Center’s International Fountain. You would only be disappointed if you DID NOT expect both Weezer and Janelle Monáe to come out swinging.
Opening Night 1, Weezer played a variation of their Voyage to the Blue Planet setlist, which prioritizes songs from their 1994 debut album. Adding in stuff like “Hash Pipe” and “Dope Nose,” the band hammered out hit after hit after hit to a sea of fans, all singing along.
On Night 2, Sylvan Esso captivated the crowd as only they can, and then later Monáe kicked down the fuckin door and came in real hot with a performance so energetic you’d think she’d save it for an area show, proving that she gives 1000 percent no matter where she’s at.
Closing out the entire event was Norwegian art-pop singer Aurora, who closed the Bumbershoot 2025 curtain with an entrancing finale.
Punk in public
I made it a point to catch as many as I could of the heavier bands on the bill, starting with Scowl on Saturday afternoon. The Santa Cruz hardcore band played the fest’s mid-level Mural stage in the middle of a sunny day but gave it the same energy they would give a dark dive bar venue at 10 pm.
Frankie and the Witch Fingers did this too, just absolutely demolishing a set with chaos while the sun was still out.
Hands down, one of the best sets of the weekend came from Seattle’s own Coffin Break, a legacy hardcore punk band who are legends in the Emerald City scene going back to the late 80s. The guys played an explosive set on the Vera stage, which was inside one of the community buildings.
I had a chance to sit and chat with them for a bit and hear some great stories about the early days of the Seattle rock scene, and then later was able to watch them annihilate a maxed-out room full of fans. What really stood out as the band plowed through their set was that the mix of younger people and older folks was almost split. It wasn’t just a nostalgia gig… these dudes and their music — such as songs like “Kill the President” — resonate with a new generation of punk kids.
The Cult of Cain
Before we move fully away from the musical performances, I absolutely have to acknowledge the fashion stage headliner, Cain Culto. As far as I could tell, Cain was the only music artist who played both nights, but his energy was supernaturally consistent through each show.
I was unfamiliar with Cain before the festival, but my wife saw his name on the bill and recognized him from “KFC Santeria,” his TikTok-viral song (“like all the other white women here,” she said, out loud, to Cain lol).
Both nights, the crowd started thin but grew very quickly, like parishioners gathering around for a mass, while Cain and his band delivered a convocation of wildly eclectic, unsanctified dark-pop. These sets were, undeniably, highlights of the weekend for me.
SOS Pro Wrestling, the Comedy Coop, and The Witches’ Temple
Outside of the music, there were tons of incredible events and art spectacles, but it was clear that the Bumbermania ring in the Recess District — run by SOS Pro Wrestling — was a massive draw. Across the two days, PNW-based wrestlers took to the roped stage, treating the crowd to high-impact Shakesperere.
Over at the Comedy Coop, local stand-up comedians held court for hours on end. I’ll say that, for me, the best show I saw there was a Bumbershoot version of the Dee’s Nuts talk show, hosted by comedian Dewa Dorjie, and featuring comedy from Benny Jensen and Dahlia Bell. It was really, really funny, and Dewa is a phenomenal host.
I’d be remiss to not mention the Witches’ Temple as well, a serene spot amid the business of the festival, where you could pause to center and be in community with other like-minded, like-souled individuals.
My wife, Shandi, had her Tarot read here, and it was pretty spot on, frankly; even someone as skeptical as I couldn’t deny the accuracy of what was seen in the cards.
Provisons
To sustain over the weekend, we had to check out the many food options available, cause that’s what you do when you’re visiting a festival in a city you’re visiting for the first time. Big shoutouts to Jack’s BBQ and American Donut Makers. The BBQ mac-and-cheese from Jack’s was an unrivaled entrée, and the organic Tahitian vanilla bean from ADM was the most heavenly food I have ever tasted.
As far as cocktails go, the best one, by a long shot, was the Badlands bar’s Montana Mule made with Rachel’s Ginger Beer and Broadhorn whiskey.
Cirque du Chatte
Last but not least… in fact, last but MOST, we have the Motley Zoo Cat Circus, an experience exclusive to Bumbershoot that is worth the price of admission alone. Inside one of the fest’s GeoDomes. Run by the Motley Zoo Animal Rescue, the “tent” hosts a colony of adoptable foster cats available to play with, as they are wrangled by volunteers who keep a close eye on them.
I had a chance to speak with Motley Zoo’s director Jme Thomas, who explained that fans who stopped by the tent could apply to adopt, but that none of the cats would be going home from Bumbershoot. She noted that the rescue is eager to place animals in good homes, and for that reason, they are rigorous about their application process.
When I tell you that this was the most popular event/experience/attraction at Bumbershoot, that is not an exaggeration. The line to get into the Cat Circus was, on average, around a 45-minute wait, and there were people who did it more than once. It was that amazing. Who wouldn’t want to take a break in their day to play with an adorable kitten? It was literally the best, and I now wish there were cat circuses everywhere.
Overall experience
Look, I’m no festival organizer, so I can’t speak to whether or not there were things that should have been done differently. Speaking as someone who’s been to a lot of festivals throughout my life, however, I’ll say that Bumbershoot felt very well-organized and meticulously structured.
There were never any lines that dissuaded me from experiencing something, and the schedule was arranged so that each musical set began almost always right on time, to the minute, and it was very easy to catch a lot of what I wanted to see. I’m already curious to see how 2026 shapes up, and very eager to find out if I can apply to be a volunteer in the Cat Circus.
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