SEATTLE — This year, a new two-day music festival will take place at the usual time and place of Bumbershoot, a major fest that typically overtakes Seattle Center over Labor Day Weekend. Bumbershoot organizers postponed this year’s festival, paving the way for Day In Day Out to take place.
“I think in a lot of ways this is a nod to Bumbershoot and what they’ve been able to do,” said Evan Johnson, the event’s program director. "I know that event is coming back. This is by no means a replacement but it’s more like filling a hole for this year, in hopes that in future years, both festivals co-exist going forward.”
The single-stage event is the first live music festival held in the Emerald City since the pandemic began. Johnson says organizers will adhere to any and all COVID-19 protocols that may be in place during Labor Day Weekend.
“It’s important not only to be back doing live outdoor events but also locationally because Seattle’s a city of music,” explained Johnson. “Ironically, there’s not a lot of music festivals actually happening in the city itself.”
National recording artists like CHVRCHES and Daisy are scheduled to perform. Day In Day Out organizers have also booked local artists like Burien’s Travis Thompson and Seattle’s own Parisalexa.
“The local scene is just as important as the headliners that we’re flying in globally,” said Johnson, who is no stranger to live music events. He and the rest of the team at Daydream State are organizing Day In Day Out Fest. The group is also behind similar events like Capitol Hill Block Party.
“That was a big point of emphasis to make sure that we get representation nationally and locally,” he said.
The first 100 people who get their first or second dose at one of Seattle's pop-up vaccination clinics will get a free ticket to the festival. Those clinics begin on July 17 at Hing Hay Park.