Bumbershoot: The party of the year is here

Bumbershoot, Seattle's annual end-of-summer music and arts extravaganza, takes over Seattle Center with music, comedy, literary and visual arts at 20 venues on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Main-stage evening headliners include Death Cab for Cutie, Beck, Stone Temple Pilots and many more; check The Seattle Times BumberBlog, blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/festivalblog, or Friday's Seattle Times NWTicket section for information, previews and tips on festival musical highlights by local, national and international artists in a variety of genres. Evening main-stage performances require a free pass available the day of the event, first-come, first-served, so best to head to the festival information booths early if you want to see popular headliners.

So many folks need a good laugh this year, you have to plan ahead for it. Bumbershoot's comedy venues are so popular that for the first time, Comedy Passes will be available daily at 11 a.m. for admission to one of the day's shows. Standby lines starting 15 minutes before each comedy show's start time will admit people without a pass if there's any last-minute space available.

Other festival activities include the 1 Reel Film Festival at McCaw Hall, visual-arts exhibits in the Northwest Rooms, kids' activities and entertainment in the Center House and food, beer gardens and Indie Market craft vendors around the Center grounds.

The details

Time: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Admission closes 10 p.m. daily.

Cost: $40/day, $100/three-day pass; $15/day for ages 6-10, ages 65 and older and people with disabilities, day of event only. Ages 5 and younger free. Tickets available at Seattle Center entrances on Mercer Street between Bagley Wright and Intiman Theatres and on Thomas Street just south of EMP/SFM; cash, Visa or Mastercard only.

Location: Seattle Center, Seattle.

Getting there: From Interstate 5, take the Mercer Street/Seattle Center exit; turn right onto Fairview Avenue, left onto Broad Street, right onto Fifth Avenue, left onto Roy Street; alternate route via Denny Way and First Avenue North. Seattle Center Monorail operates between Westlake Center and Seattle Center every 10 minutes, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. daily; round-trip, $4/adults, $1.50/ages 5-12, $2/ages 65+ or disabled; 206-905-2620 or www.seattlemonorail.com. Seattle Center traffic hotline for traffic and parking info: 206-233-3989. Metro Transit service information: 206-553-3000 or tripplanner.metrokc.gov/.

Parking: Free bicycle parking; bring your bike lock. Seattle Center parking lots, $12/vehicles with one or two occupants, $10/vehicles with three or more occupants; private pay lots, prices vary. Street parking in the area metered Saturday, free Sunday and Monday.

More information: 206-281-7788, information; 206-628-0888, Ticketmaster; 206-684-7200, Seattle Center; or www.bumbershoot.org.