Some of our favorite things at present: the fact that it’s finally the month for KEXP and Seattle Center’s Concerts at the Mural series, the opening of the brand-new, uber-hip Alaska Lounge at SeaTac (be sure to try their Lounge Life IPA, made specifically for airport guests by Fremont Brewing) and the reality that there’s no such thing as too much ice cream when it comes to summertime treats (hello, Frankie & Jo’s, we’re looking at you!) . Here are some other gems to get on your calendar:

•  At the 18th annual Seattle Tattoo Expo on August 16 through 18, get immersed in local tattoo culture while ogling the beautiful artwork of 200-plus artists — or by getting inked yourself. Hosted by Seattle’s popular shop Hidden Hand Tattoo, the Expo offers access to leading artists from nearby and around the globe.
• This week Boochcraft, dubbed “The Happiest Buzz in Earth,” arrived in the PNW market, and we couldn’t be happier. The hard kombucha (currently available here in five tasty flavors), which allegedly falls into the ‘better for you’ alcohol category, is brewed in San Diego and can be found locally at spots like MiiR, Growler Guys, Big Mario’s, Watershed, El Borracho, The Lodge, Skal Beer Hall, City Foods and so on. Though the deliciously refreshing drink is high in alcohol (7% ABV, comparable to a typical IPA), it boasts raw / organic / gluten-free / vegan properties that give it all the gut-healthy benefits of its low-alcohol counterparts. We’ll cheers to that!

• On Friday, August 16, Sunset Supper returns to  Pike Place Market, uniting 100-plus of the region’s best restaurants, wineries, breweries and distilleries “for a good cause and a great party.” Tuck into all-you-can-eat/drink samples from some of the city’s hottest starts, including Ben Paris, Aerlume, The Hart & The Hunter, Matt’s in the Market, Le Pichet and Conversations at The Thompson Hotel, to name a few. The best news? All proceeds from the event helps raise money for the Pike Place Market Foundation, which supports several different social service organizations tucked into the heart of the market (including housing, a health clinic, food bank, preschool and senior center). Tickets start at $175 and include unlimited food and drink.

• Also on Friday the 16th, a Summer Block Party takes over the new SODO Wine Works—a collective of 10 premium wineries in the heart of SoDo, featuring wines from all over Washington state. Come for the music, the community, food trucks and plenty of wine tasting, too, of course.

• It’s been two years since Redhook Brewlab opened the doors of its innovation brewery and pub in the iconic Pike Motorworks building on Capitol Hill. To celebrate,  the brewery is throwing an all-day party on Saturday, August 17.
• 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary Woodstock Music Festival, and MoPOP honors this pivotal moment in rock history on August 18, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. During Pop+ Woodstock, enjoy a day of free access to Sky Church, a free screening of MoPOP Matinee’s Hendrix at Woodstock (with RSVP), celebratory activities, Woodstock collection materials, special film screenings and more. 

• West Seattle Beer & Music Festival, sponsored by Beer Star, takes place on August 23rd and 24th at the Alki Masonic Center. More than 20 breweries from the Northwest and beyond will be pouring 40+ beers, and the musical lineup features an eclectic mix of funk and soul acts. (DJ Indica Jones will be at the helm of a nightly after-party, too.) New this year, a .5k Run4Food (yes, you read that distance correctly) benefits the West Seattle Food Ban and  takes place on August 24th. (Tickets for the costumed/ comically brief run can be purchased for $40 and include admission to the Saturday fest, tasting tokens and a glass; $10 of each ticket goes to the West Seattle Food Bank.)

• If you happen to find yourself over in Mazama August 30 or September 1, you’re in for a real treat, as Mountainfilm on Tour will be swooping through town. Watch an inspiring collection of culturally-rich and adventured-packed documentary films from the 2019 festival that took place in magical Telluride, Colorado.

• A couple concerts on our fall radar: super-talented, Oregon-bred, sister-trio Joseph taking the spotlight at the Showbox on Friday, September 13, Swede with soul Daniel Norgren at Neptune Theatre on October 4, Judah & the Lion at the Paramount Theatre on October 23 and The Ballroom Thieves with Caamp at the Showbox on October 24. (We discovered the mesmerizing music of Caamp at this year’s Pickathon, and we’re so excited to hear them live again ASAP.)

*On a  very somber note, we were devastated to learn that two workers tragically lost their lives during the breakdown of Pickathon last week. A GoFundMe campaign has been started in their memory, with all funds going to the families of Brad and Brandon. Please visit the link and pitch in, if you feel so inclined. (Thank you very much.)