Savor Summer with Music and Markets
Savor Summer with Music and Markets
Across Snohomish County, farmers markets and music festivals offer vibrant community experiences that celebrate local flavor and creativity. From fresh produce and handmade goods to live performances in walkable downtowns, these events foster connection between residents, artists, and small businesses.
Savor the summer in Snohomish County
By Richard Porter
Summer in the Pacific Northwest isn’t just a season—it’s a sensory adventure.
Breathe in the fresh sea air filled with amplified music. Lose the 9-to-5 mindset in the milling crowds and feel the pulsing beat that defines summer in the PNW.
But wait! There’s so much more to experience: ice-cold IPAs, world-class food trucks, savory tacos, fresh produce, open-air shopping, oven-hot pizza, and fragrant bouquets of flowers
Consider this your guide to all the music and markets that you don’t want to miss out on.
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Music Festivals & Indie Record Stores
Everett is a different type of city, a unique place where PNW grunge meets maritime culture. When the locals do music, they listen in from boats and crowd onto piers as the waterfront fills with a tidal wave of music.
Rock the Boat and Music at the Marina (an annual festival and weekly concert series, respectively) allow you to “sea” big name artists on the shores of Puget Sound and the Everett Marina. The lineup is eclectic; you never know if you’ll catch a rap artist, an experimental jazz fusion trio, or a tribute act that takes you back to the days of hairspray and Walkman cassettes. Make a day of it by visiting any of the delightful restaurants and bars along the Everett Waterfront.
Fisherman’s Village Music Festival draws music fans into downtown Everett for a unique blend of indie rock, hip hop food trucks, and a night market selling quality goods. Mark your calendar.
If you’re going for a more acoustic vibe, there’s no need to fret (pun intended). The Darrington Bluegrass Festival has a decades-long legacy as a convening spot for top-tier pickers, pluckers, and strummers. Fun fact: the local bluegrass tradition was brought to Darrington by the so-called “tar heel” migrant lumberjacks from North Carolina in the logging days of yore.
The outdoor music experience rolls on, resounding through the foothills and shorelines of the Cascade Mountains. Both Lake Stevens and Monroe host an annual Music in the Park series. A quick internet search will pull up the current event dates. The Edmonds Arts Commission hosts Summer Concerts in the Parks (July-August) where you can catch an eclectic mix of musical artists at City Park, Hazel Miller Plaza, and Hickman Park.
Arlington is alive on Saturdays mid-May through mid-September, in the heart of downtown at Legion Park. Enjoy local musicians with Tunes at Noon and try new flavors at a variety of food trucks. Just steps away is the old time hardware stores, diners, and fun shops. Each Saturday at 6pm there is a free concert in the park.
Don’t miss the summer music series at Tulalip Ampitheater! A favorite summer tradition. National acts performing all summer long in a true Amphitheatre setting. Not a bad seat in the house!
Ludacris, Trever Noah, Kool and the Gang, Shaggy with the original Wailers featuring All Andrson and special guest Alex Duncan, Chris Young, George Lopez Tulalip Amphitheatre | Tulalip Resort Casino
For those about to rock, visit Apollo Exos (1717 Hewitt Avenue, Everett). This music venue doubles as a record store. Or maybe it’s the other way around.
In any case, feel free to peruse vinyl while sipping on your beverage of choice, including the shop’s exclusive house lager brewed by Structures Brewing of Bellingham.
Speaking of independent record stores, also be sure to discover what’s spinning at Stargazer Records in downtown Snohomish (127 Avenue). This family-owned shop stocks the classics – think Rolling Stones, Beatles – perfect for stocking your catalog with the essentials.
And, finally, there are many vinyl treasures to be unearthed in the many crates and shelves that fill Bargain CDs Records and Tapes in Everett (2100 25th St). This old stucco corner building with the flashing marquee is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. It’s an institution! The name says it all, folks – come get your physical media in a super-chill environment.
Farmers Markets
Snohomish County flexes its farming roots when it comes to farmers markets; we have over a dozen. That means you can access fresh, organic produce any day of the week. No matter your schedule you should be able to find one that works for you.
We salute the tasty, juicy, crunchy work of local farmers, some of whom sell their produce a mere mile from where it’s grown. That’s fresh.
The farmers market experience is a multisensory event. For example, the Snohomish Farmers Market takes place on a giant civic lawn in front of a Carnegie Library. Musicians fill the air with song, tables are laden with prismatic produce, and the smell of fresh-baked bread pulls you into buying a rustic loaf to go.
Do good for our local food systems by visiting a Snohomish County farmers market. You can find a comprehensive list of farmers markets on the Snohomish County Tourism website (www.seattlenorthcountry.com).
Summer Markets
The Schack Art Center brings painting, sewing, beadwork, glass, and more to the streets of Everett during its annual Artists’ Garage Sale (May 31). Local artists sell their wares for discounted prices, which is perfect for buyers trying to start a collection or score the perfect bohemian accessory.
Fresh Paint (August 16-17) and Sorticulture (June 6-8) are summertime institutions in Everett. Fresh Paint is an open-air market where you can buy original artwork directly from the artists. With no “middleman” to account for, artists get paid directly and you can score original art for a reduced price. It’s a win-win. Sorticulture brings all varieties of gardening vendors, nurseries, and artists into downtown Everett, making the city a great place to get everything you need to optimize your seasonal landscaping or gardening game.
Edmonds Arts Festival (June 13-15) is exactly what it sounds like. Which is perfect, because Edmonds in the summer means craft breweries, seaside strolls, and more adorable boutique eateries than you can fit into your day trip (better book an extra night). Art plus food will always be a winning combo in our book.
Finally, if you don’t know MOAGS you’re missing out (pronounced phonetically: “mo-AHGS”). This acronym stands for the Mother of All Garage Sales. And, boy, is that an understatement.
Every first Saturday of August the sidewalks of the affluent Northwest Neighborhood fill with bargain hunters galore as neighborhood residents offer deals on antique furniture, glassware from yesteryear, and, well, really anything that can be sold will be sold. You just have to experience it to understand. Get ready to haggle.
Shop the Arlington Farmers Market every Saturday from mid-May to mid-September at Legion Park. Find local produce, homemade gifts, featuring children entrepreneurs. Each week offers something special from a pet parade to Christmas in July.
Looking for more things to do this summer? Visit www.seattlenorthcountry.com or follow @seattlenorthcountry on social media.
