Music, cycling, hiking and more – it’s all here at King County Parks – Your Big Backyard

Late June, early July activities and events lineup offers something for everybody

Summer – and summer-like weather – are finally here. With numerous outdoor activities planned for the next few weeks, there’s no better time than right now to get outside and enjoy King County Parks – Your Big Backyard.

Catch your favorite acts at Marymoor Park’s widely acclaimed outdoor concert venue, including comedian Brian Regan’s stand-up routine this Friday, June 27, and the new pop sounds of KISS FM’s “Big Freakin’ Deal” on June 28.

Check out the high-speed excitement of bicycle track racing at Marymoor’s Group Health Velodrome, or test your legs and lungs with a 10-mile run on July 12 as part of the Cougar Mountain Trail Running Series. For a slower-paced visit, stop by Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park on a day when a race isn’t scheduled and enjoy hiking along some of this sprawling park’s 36 miles of trails.

Here are some of the events and activities at King County Parks facilities in the next few weeks:

Marymoor Park

Ongoing through Sept. 7
Marymoor Recycling Crew
Volunteer to promote recycling and composting and help keep the Concerts at Marymoor venue clean and green. In exchange for their work to safeguard the environment, Recycling Crew volunteers receive free entry and parking to the shows at which they volunteer. A minimum commitment of three concerts is preferred, and shift hours vary depending on show times. Training will be provided on site. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, and service learning credit is available. Details are available by contacting Marymoor Park, at 206-205-3661, or marymoorpark@kingcounty.gov.  Include your name, contact information, telephone number, and how you heard about volunteering, and identify the shows for which you are interested in volunteering.

Ongoing through Sept. 7
The Concerts at Marymoor
Information at http://www.concertsatmarymoor.com/ (External Link)

June 27 – 8 p.m.
Tickets are $30.50 to $38.50; $5 parking fee

Brian Regan in Concert
Comedian Brian Regan has achieved a wide fan base from his many appearances on top shows such as Late Night with David Letterman and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Regan is considered a “clean” comic whose performances are suitable for a wide range of audiences.

June 28 – 4 p.m.
Tickets are $37.50 to $106; $5 parking fee

106.1 KISS FM Big Freakin’ Deal, featuring OneRepublic, Danity Kane, Jesse McCartney and Sara Bareilles
This line-up features a number of up-and-coming bands, including OneRepublic, which struck gold with the single “Apologize” – one of two songs to surpass the mark of 3 million legal downloads. The pop-rock band’s debut album, “Dreaming Out Loud,” has sold more than 650,000 copies nationally. R&B pop group Danity Kane was formed through MTV’s “Making the Band” reality TV series, while Jesse McCartney started his career as a member of the boy band Dream Street, but struck true fame with his debut solo album release, “Beautiful Soul,” which has sold more than 5 million copies. Pop singer and pianist Sara Bareilles has been riding high on the strength of her hit, “Love Song,” which has reached Billboard Magazine’s top-five singles chart.

July 5 – 6 p.m.
Tickets are $31.50 and $100; $5 parking fee

One Hawaii, featuring Keali’I Reichel, Na Leo, Ernie Cruz and Augie T. Kaukahi
This show highlights the tremendous musical talents of Hawaii and the Pacific region, featuring the talents of Keali’I Reichel, Na Leo, Ernie Cruz and Augie T. Kaukahi, among others. OneHawaii promises to be an entertaining evening of traditional and contemporary Island music. The show is organized by OneHawaii Music, which proudly claims its desire to be “the most artist-friendly record label ever created.”

July 9 – 5:30 p.m.
Tickets are $32.50 and $49.50; $5 parking fee

Live, with Blues Traveler and Collective Soul
Three of the most popular and innovative bands of the 1990s will take to the Marymoor stage on this one night. Live burst onto the alternative music scene with their 1994 release, Throwing Copper, which has gone on to sell more than eight million copies worldwide, and propelled the band to a top billing status at Woodstock ’94. The band’s intense performances continue to draw thousands of fans. Blues Traveler leapt to the top of the charts with their fourth studio album, simply titled “Four,” and featuring such hits as “Runaround” and “Hook.” The band has released nine studio albums, three live records and one compilation record. Collective Soul also enjoyed chart-topping success in the 1990s, with the huge singles, “Breathe,” “Gel” and “The World I Know.”  Their most-recent studio album, 2007’s “Afterwards,” reached the Top 25 on the Billboard charts.

July 10 – 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $49.50 and $79.50; $5 parking fee

Boston and Styx
Two of the most popular American rock bands of the 1970s and beyond, Boston and Styx ruled album-oriented rock radio for years. Boston’s self-titled debut has sold more than 17 million albums worldwide since its release in 1976, a record for a first album that stands to this day. The band has endured numerous lineup changes, plus the death of lead singer Brad Delp in 2007. Styx has been cranking out progressive pop-rock hits since 1971, including eight Billboard Top 10 singles and 16 top 40 singles, including “Come Sail Away,” “Lady” and “Babe.”

July 12-13 – 12 noon
Tickets are $35 for a one-day pass and $60 two-day pass; $5 parking fee

Sub Pop 20th Anniversary Festival – featuring Green River, Flight of the Conchords, Iron & Wine and Wolf Parade
Sub Pop was the seminal label of the Seattle grunge scene in the 1980s and ‘90s, counting Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney among their early stars. Featuring no fewer than 22 bands over two days, the Sub Pop 20th Anniversary Festival promises to be one of the musical events of the summer. Among the bands assembled for this epic show are Mudhoney, Green River (featuring Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam fame), the hilarious New Zealand duo Flight of the Conchords, Iron & Wine, Seaweed, Kinski and more. Information on all of these bands is available at http://www.concertsatmarymoor.com/. (External Link)

Wednesdays, beginning July 16 through Aug 27 – Movies start at dusk
Suggested donation $5/person, $15/family

Movies@Marymoor presents “Anchorman” (PG-13)
Back for a fourth season, King County’s popular “Movies @ Marymoor” outdoor cinema series kicks off July 16 with the hilarious Will Ferrell starring in “Anchorman.” Look for more hits later this summer, including “Juno” on July 23 and “Monsoon Wedding” July 30. Movies will begin at dusk, and seating opens at 7 pm. All movies are shown on a 30-foot by 50-foot inflatable screen, with high-quality sound, which is supplied by Epic Events.

Ongoing through Sept. 12
Admission is free

Monday, Wednesday and Friday night racing at the Marymoor Velodrome
Enjoy an exciting bicycle race at the Velodrome, presented by Group Health. With all three nights of racing are under way for the season. Spectator admission is free. Racing starts at 7 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. For more information, visit http://velodrome.org/cms/ (External Link). And be sure to check out the Velodrome Grand Prix, July 25-26. Visit http://www.fsagrandprix.com/ (External Link) for details.

Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park

July 12 – 9 a.m.
 
Cougar Mountain Running Series
The Cougar Mountain Running Series continues with this third race of the season – a 10-mile run that starts and finishes at the Sky Country trailhead. Registration is $25 per race ($30 for day-of-race registration). Packet pick-up and race day registration is 7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m.; the race starts at 9 a.m. Awards and prize drawings are set for 11:30 a.m. See http://www.seattlerunningcompany.com/Events/Cougar/cougarmtn1.html (External Link) for all the details.

Cottage Lake Park

Thursdays, July 3-Aug. 7 – 7 p.m.
Music in the Park 2008
Sponsored by the Upper Bear Creek Community Council, this concert series will be in the beautiful Cottage Lake Park, at Northeast Woodinville-Duvall Road and 188th Northeast, Woodinville. More information is available at http://www.upperbearcreek.com/ (External Link).

Enumclaw Expo Center (formerly King County Fairgrounds)

July 18-20 – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday
Admission and parking are free

King County 4-H/FFA Agricultural Fair
The King County Fair, the oldest county fair west of the Mississippi, continues its 145-year tradition with tons of traditional fair fun and a new emphasis on sustainable living. Livestock displays, activities for the kids and dozens of vendors are all part of this year’s fair, which features free parking and free admission. It’s all happening at the Enumclaw Expo Center, formerly the King County Fairgrounds. Get all the details by calling 206-296-8888, or by visiting http://www.metrokc.gov/parks/fair/.

King County Parks - Your Big Backyard - offers more than 25,000 acres of parks and natural lands, including such regional treasures as Marymoor Park and Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, 175 miles of regional trails, plus pools and a world-class aquatic center. By cultivating strong relationships with non-profit, corporate and community partners, King County Parks enhances park amenities while reducing costs. Learn more at http://www.kingcounty.gov/parks/.

Related Information

King County Parks – Your Big Backyard