WaitBumbershoot wasnt always on Labor Day Weekend? Thats one of the small surprises to the poster exhibition Umbrella for the Arts: 40 Years of Bumbershoot Artwork. Another, to those who were also young when the fest was founded in 1971: The city originated and ran the thing until One Reel took over in 1980. And the roster of artists whove contributed posters includes Jacob Lawrence, Dawn Cerny, and Claes Oldenberg. Given that Flatstock, Bumbershoots poster show, is always extremely popular with the music-and-comix crowd, it makes sense that graphic arts should remain a strong component of the event. And a bit of Bumber-trivia: If you take the elevator down to the hard-to-find Anne Focke Gallery, its named for the woman who in 1973 gave the fest its official name; before then, it was called Festival 71 and Festival 72. Fortunately the posters were more imaginative. BRIAN MILLER
Mondays-Fridays, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Starts: July 9. Continues through Sept. 7, 2010
