Overview
Bumbershoot '16
Line Up Poster by Horse Power Design
In 2016, Bumbershoot entered its first full festival season under the leadership of AEG Presents.
Following the previous year’s transition in which AEG assumed the role of lead producer and longtime steward One Reel shifted into a supporting programming role, the festival faced a period of adjustment. While the new arrangement aimed to stabilize the event financially, it also sparked conversation within Seattle’s arts community.
Some local artists and longtime attendees expressed concern that Bumbershoot’s historically deep cultural and regional focus, built over decades through multidisciplinary programming and strong Northwest participation, could be overshadowed by a heavier emphasis on large revenue-generating headliners.
Observers drew comparisons to similar transitions in other cities where large global promoters had taken over legacy festivals, sometimes reshaping them into more conventional music-driven events.
Local representatives from AEG, however, emphasized their commitment to maintaining the festival’s identity. Organizers reassured the public that Bumbershoot’s long-standing mix of music, visual art, performance, comedy, and film would remain part of the event’s structure.
The moment reflected a broader tension facing many long-running cultural festivals: balancing financial sustainability with the traditions and community relationships that originally defined them.
As Bumbershoot moved through its first full year under new leadership, the central question remained clear: how could the festival evolve while still honoring the cultural ecosystem that had shaped it for more than four decades?
Bumbershoot 2016's line up included: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis / Death Cab for Cutie/ KYGO / Tame Impala / G-Eazy / Pretty Lights / Halsey / DJ Snake / Porter Robinson / Zeds Dead / Bryson Tiller / Michael Franti & Spearhead / Run The Jewels / Billy Idol / ZHU / Fetty Wap / Marshmello / Father John Misty / Explosions In The Sky / Third Eye Blind / Logic / Andrew Bird, Tyler, The Creator, Melanie Martinez / Reggie Watts, Margo Price Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals / Chevy Metal / Flatbush ZOMBiES / Maren Morris / Kamasi Washington / Jai Wolf / JoJo Cashmere Cat / The Front Bottoms / Black Joe Lewis / The Motet / The Blind Boys of Alabama St. LuciaHippie Sabotage royBoi / Gryffin / Bob Moses / Zella Day / Atlas Genius / Bishop Briggs / Jagwar Ma / Banners / Jimi Charles Moody / Barns Courtney //The Flavr Blue / Donna Missal / Hinds / Lewis Del Mar / Joywave / Naked Giants / Manatee Commune / Shaprece / Valentine / Fly Moon Royalty / Stag / Low Cut High Tops / So Pitted / Strangers You Know / reasure Fingers / Maiah Manser / Super Square / Pony Time / Snuff Redux / Lisa Prank / DoNormaal / Tracksuit Wedding / COSMOS / Zach Van Lue
