When Bumbershoot started in 1971 as the Mayor’s Arts Festival, organizers envisioned a grass roots civic celebration of Seattle culture and the city’s resilience.
It was the middle of the Boeing bust, local residents were fleeing the city in search of new jobs and then-Mayor Wes Uhlman wanted to create some reason for optimism. 125,000 people showed up to sample theater and dance, visual and literary artists, and, of course, music of all kinds.