26 PISTA SA NAYON The largest outdoor Filipino-American event in the country, this cultural festival has performances, craft booths, games, and even a basketball tournament. Seward Park Amphitheater, pista.org.
31—Aug. 8 14/48 The "world's quickest theater festival" offers plays written, rehearsed, and performed in two days. On the Boards, ontheboards.org.
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31—Sept. 6 DAS BARBECÜ Scott Warrender's twangy, tuneful Texas transposition of Wagner's Ring. ACT Theatre, acttheatre.org. $37.50 and up.
AUGUST
1 SEATTLE BAYOU FESTIVAL Sure, this festival is renowned for great live music, but the real distinction is the pet parade. Bring your ferret. Magnuson Park, seattlebayoufest.com.
3–25 MOVIES AT THE MURAL Seattle Center is bringing you everything from Kung Fu Panda to Iron Man for your enjoyment on the gently sloping lawn beneath the Space Needle. Ahhh, summer. Seattle Center, seattlecenter.com.
4 POINT DEFIANCE ZOO; TACOMA FREE DAYS In a recession, the first place people cut spending is trips to the zoo. It's a scientific fact. But where does that leave the animals? Lonely, that's where. Point Defiance Zoo has seen enough of its poor animals stricken with depression, so throughout the summer they're offering free admission to anyone who lives in Tacoma. Do it for the animals. Point Defiance Zoo, www.pdza.org.
5 SOUNDERS FC VS. FC BARCELONA Their storied history includes 18 La Liga trophies, a record-setting 24 Copa del Rey championships, and last month's Champions League title. Obviously, that's complete gobbledygook to you. Nonetheless, you'd be well-advised to pick up tickets to the Sounders' second international exhibition match of the summer, against legendary practitioners of "the world's game." Qwest Field, soundersfc.com.
7–9 SEATTLE TATTOO EXPO Check out the city's coolest body art. Northwest Rooms, Seattle Center, seattletattooexpo.com.
8 SOUTH LAKE UNION BLOCK PARTY Seattle's self-proclaimed "hottest neighborhood" wants you to come see how hot they are. Oh yeah, they'll have a beer garden. Westlake Avenue & Denny Way, slublockparty.com.
11–12 SWEETFEST Put yourself in a sugar-induced coma. Marymoor Park, Redmond. $5.
13 WIENER-DOG RALLY No, we're not making this up. Seattle Center, seattlecenter.com.
15 SEAHAWKS VS. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS While Michael Vick gets continually pummeled as the Hester Prynne of NFL quarterbacks, Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers quietly (loudly, actually) has emerged as one of the league's biggest punks. Rivers hasn't committed any crimes that we know of, but every time he opens his mouth a below-the-belt slur of an opponent is bound to come out. Athletes like this are often endearing—Gary Payton comes to mind—but with Rivers, it's all nails on the chalkboard. Rest assured, he'll say something during his showdown with the Seahawks that rubs the likes of Leroy Hill the wrong way, and rest assured Leroy will respond with something more forceful than a taunt. Tickets available late July. Qwest Field, seahawks.com. $42–$360.
15–16 HEMPFEST The largest get-together of potheads celebrating being potheads and their right to be potheads while smoking pot. Myrtle Edwards Park, hempfest.org.
27 EVERGREEN STATE FAIR Draft-horse shows, carnival rides, and the unofficial largest gathering of centenarians. Monroe, Wash., evergreenfair.org.
29 SEATTLE OYSTER: THE ULTIMATE URBAN ADVENTURE RACE This isn't your average run/bike/swim kind of race. Things get a little crazy during the Oyster. There's kayaking, basketball, food contests, and even fish-throwing challenges along the way as well. Fisher Pavilion, Seattle Center, oysterracingseries.com. $55–$75.
SEPTEMBER
5 UW HUSKIES HOME OPENER Simple physics would have us believe that after reaching the nadir of futility that was the 2008 campaign, the purple-and-gold pendulum would immediately begin its natural ascent in the other direction. Alas, dear U-Dub football fan, Les Miles and his LSU Tigers—the Huskies' opening-day opponents—defy petty concepts like science, or so their all-time record against the Pac-10 (12–3) indicates. But what would a college football season be without an upset that defies all conventional wisdom? Imagine it: sunshine, pageantry, the tragedy of the '83 loss avenged, and the stain of the Neuheisel/Willingham eras borne away. Also, there'll be beer. Husky Stadium, gohuskies.com. $35–$70.
5–7 BUMBERSHOOT The official climax of summer. A three-day pass is currently $80, a one-day pass $35. These prices will go up as the event gets closer, so buy now! Seattle Center, bumbershoot.org.
7 ANIMAL GROSSOLOGY Your last weekend for an in-depth look at all the slimy, gooey, vomit-eating, blood-sucking creatures you ever could imagine. Great for curious kids and others. Pacific Science Center, pacsci.org/animalgrossology. $8–$11.
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