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MONDAY 8/25
Charlie Jane Anders presents ‘Lessons in Magic and Disaster’
(BOOKS) If you’ve read the news at all in the past few weeks, I guarantee that sitting in on a chat with Charlie Jane Anders will do your soul some good. Anders’s fantasy/sci-fi writing doesn’t feel like an exercise in escapism. It feels like potential. She talks about sci-fi as “dreaming”—an act of imagining our future so we have a chance to create it. She’s coming to Seattle to talk about her newest book, Lessons in Magic and Disaster, a novel about witchcraft, academia, queer joy, and the magic of the mundane. If you don’t want to take it from me, take it from Janelle Monaé, who said that “Anders writes the kind of stories that break your heart and expand your mind simultaneously… I am a proud fan.” (Third Place Books Lake Forest Park, 7 pm, all ages, free) HANNAH MURPHY WINTER
TUESDAY 8/26
(MUSIC) I first fell in love with fuzzy punk band Hunx and His Punx when I stumbled upon a CD of their 2011 debut album as a college radio DJ. Founded by visual artist and musician Seth Bogart and Shannon & the Clams frontwoman Shannon Shaw, the group is back from a long hiatus, and just released their first album in twelve years, Walk Out On This World, last Friday. They’re kicking off a North American tour in Seattle; catch them live in Beacon Hill with support from local punk group wimps, and grab a slice of Stevie’s Famous pizza while you’re at it. (Clock-Out Lounge, 8:30 pm, 21+) SHANNON LUBETICH
WEDNESDAY 8/27
Anila Quayyum Agha: Geometry of Light

(VISUAL ART) Playing with shadows and light, Pakistani-American artist Anila Quayyum Agha uses South Asian art practices to convey the darkest and brightest parts of her life, including the gender discrimination she faced during her childhood in Pakistan. The installations are at once delicate and industrial, consisting of suspended, laser-cut steel cubes that project intricate patterns on everything around them, making the viewer a part of the art. For me, Agha’s work evokes deeply cozy childhood memories of paper lanterns, shadow puppets, and paper snowflakes. (Seattle Asian Art Museum, Wed–Sun 10 am–5 pm, through April 19, 2026) AUDREY VANN
THURSDAY 8/28

(THEATER) Jurassic Parking Lot, produced by the Habit, the same folks who put on A Very Die Hard Christmas every year, has everything you’d want from a ’90s-obsessed Jurassic Park musical spoof—Seinfeld references, oversized cell phones, sexy singing and dancing raptors, and just the right amount of horny Jeff Goldblum. (Spoiler: Prepare yourself for a Chris Pratt jumpscare, too—ahhhh!) Several shows are sold out, for good reason, but Seattle Public Theater offers $25 rush tickets for every sold-out show. Just show up an hour before showtime to get your name on the rush list, hang out in the beer garden until showtime, and they’ll squeeze in as many folks as possible based on no-shows (and there are always no-shows). It’s worth the effort. Besides, if you don’t get in, Bongos is just a 10-minute stroll along the lake, and you can drown your sorrows in tostones and chocoflan. (Seattle Public Theater, through Sept 14, times vary, recommended for ages 14 and up) MEGAN SELING
FRIDAY 8/229

(GAMES) Unsurprisingly, PAX (originally the “Penny Arcade Expo”) was started right here in our neck of the woods back in 2004. Now with multiple annual meet-ups across the globe, Seattle is home to PAX West every Labor Day weekend. This massive video game convention and celebration of all things gaming and geek boasts panels with special guests (this year’s lineup includes Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone, comedian Ify Nwadiwe, and actor Anna Prosser), new game demonstrations, hands-on activities, and an exhibit hall with booths spanning every fandom. Tickets can be on the pricey side, but there are always lots of fun (and cheaper) affiliated parties going on around town. (Seattle Convention Center, Aug 29–Sept 1, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
SATURDAY 8/30
(FESTIVAL) As a Seattle native, I grew up attending Bumbershoot before I knew what the word itself meant (it’s a synonym for umbrella, if you still aren’t in the know). That’s why I am so glad to see that the long-running music and arts fest is back for good after taking a hiatus from 2019-2023. Given the festival’s history, it’s only fitting that this year’s lineup is selling major nostalgia with a headlining set from Weezer—whom I saw at the festival back in 2010—performing their debut self-titled album (commonly known as the Blue Album). Other highlights include Janelle Monáe (who should be the headliner, in my opinion), Car Seat Headrest, Bright Eyes, Sylvan Esso, and Aurora. Personally, I am most excited to see the jazz-rap trio Digable Planets perform their seminal 1994 album, Blowout Comb. Check out our Bumbershoot guide for more highlights and tips, and see what else we recommend in our Bumbershoot Pick of the Day series. (Seattle Center, Aug 30–Aug 31, all ages) AUDREY VANN
SUNDAY 8/31
(COMEDY) Not many people can say that they have worked with Björk and performed a stand-up routine about threesomes on The Tonight Show, but for Juilliard-trained comedian Isabel Hagen, it’s just another day in the life. I was lucky enough to see her at Laughs Comedy Club a few years ago and was immediately charmed by her sincerity and humorous yet honest reflections on relationships. And it might be Hagen’s visual and vocal similarities to Greta Gerwig, but I found her to be immediately engaging and likable. If you’re a stand-up comedy skeptic, I think you will find her set to be refreshingly self-aware. (Here-After, 6 pm & 8 pm, 21+) AUDREY VANN
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