Bumbershoot
From Free net encyclopedia
Bumbershoot is a colloquial word for umbrella, probably coined in the 19th century as a portmanteau of umbrella and parachute.
Bumbershoot is also the name of one of America's largest local arts festivals. It takes place every Labor Day weekend in Seattle, Washington at the 74-acre (299,000 m²) Seattle Center, which was built for the 1962 World's Fair. Seattle Center includes indoor theaters, outdoor stages, McCaw Hall, and Memorial Stadium.
Thousands of artists, including musicians, poets, painters, dancers, comedians, clowns, disc jockeys, and more, perform at Bumbershoot in a four-day long adventure of music and art. Originally run by the City of Seattle, the festival adopted its name in 1973, when it attracted 200,000 visitors. For its first two years, it was known as Festival '71 [125,000 visitors] and Festival '72 [175,000 visitors].
Admission was free until 1980, when One Reel took over production duties from the city. The city stopped financing the festival in 1995.