July heats up with great concerts and movies, fair, other great activities across King County

Now that summer and summer-like weather have finally arrived, it’s time to get outside and enjoy some of the great recreational opportunities in King County Parks.

With more than 25,000 acres of parks and 175 miles of regional trails, there’s bound to be something of interest for everybody in King County’s nationally acclaimed parks and trails systems.

The “Concerts at Marymoor” series shifts into high gear with a great line-up of shows that includes the much-anticipated Sub-Pop 20th Anniversary Festival, July 12-13. Marymoor Park also hosts the annual “Movies at Marymoor” outdoor movie series, which kicks off July 16 with Will Ferrell’s hit comedy, “Anchorman.”

Another great summertime tradition returns July 18-20 with the 145th annual King County 4-H/FFA Agricultural Fair. This year’s fair features great food and entertainment, plus livestock displays and demonstrations at the Enumclaw Expo Center, formerly the King County Fairgrounds. Parking and admission are free.

Here are a few highlights on some of the many upcoming events and activities in King County Parks – Your Big Backyard:

Marymoor Park

Concerts at Marymoor
With no fewer than six great concerts over the next two weeks, Marymoor Park’s highly regarded outdoor concert venue is the place to see top international acts, including:

July 9 – Live, Collective Soul, Blues Traveler
July 10 – Boston and Styx
July 12 -13 – Sub Pop 20th Anniversary Festival – featuring Green River, Flight of the Conchords, Iron & Wine, Wolf Parade and more
July 19 – Los Lonely Boys and Los Lobos
July 20 – The Chieftains
July 22 – Keller Williams and Yonder Mountain String Band

Concert tickets can be purchased at the Marymoor Office during business hours (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday), call 206-205-3661, or via e-mail at marymoorpark@kingcounty.gov. A fee of $8 per ticket supports maintenance and operations of King County Parks. Tickets can also be purchased through ticketmaster.com.

July 16 and 23
Movies at Marymoor

This popular event returns with another great lineup of movies, beginning July 16 with the Will Ferrell comedy, “Anchorman,” which begins at 9 p.m. Next up is the award-winning “Juno,” July 23 at 8:54 p.m.

Seating opens at 7 p.m., and movies begin at dusk. Admission is free, but a donation of $5 for individuals and $15 for families is suggested. Proceeds support King County Parks. Movies are shown at McNair Field on a 30-foot by 50-foot inflatable screen with high-quality sound, supplied by Epic Events.

The final movie of the year will be selected by moviegoers, who can cast their votes for one of three popular movies. Voting starts July 16 and can be done in-person at each movie night, or online via King County Parks Web site. The movie with the most votes will be announced at the Aug. 20 movie and shown as the series finale on Aug. 27. Details are available at http://www.kingcounty.gov/recreation/parks/inventory/marymoor/movies.aspx.

Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park

July 12
Cougar Mountain Trail Running Series
Cougar Mountain boasts roughly three dozen miles of trails that take you past beautiful waterfalls, big trees and historic artifacts of the region’s rich coal-mining legacy. Join other runners July 12 for a 10-mile run on a portion of Cougar Mountain’s scenic trail system. This is the third race in a four-race series, with the final race, a 13-miler, set for Aug. 9

Packet pick-up and day-of-race registration is from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., and the race starts at 9 a.m. Awards and prize drawings are at 11:30 a.m. Race registration and start are at the Sky Country trailhead, off 166th Way Southeast. More information is available at http://www.seattlerunningcompany.com/Events/Cougar/cougarmtn1.html.

King County Greenhouse and Nursery

July 12
Native tree salvage
Volunteer at the King County greenhouse and nursery by potting and watering vegetation, and help save native trees and shrubs collected from lands that are slated for development. Native trees and shrubs are kept at the greenhouse and nursery until needed for habitat restoration and enhancement projects. Information on this and other volunteer habitat restoration opportunities can be found at http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/stewardship/volunteer.aspx.

Enumclaw Expo Center (formerly the King County Fairgrounds)

July 18 - 20
Parking and entrance are free
King County 4-H/FFA Agricultural Fair  

A summertime tradition that dates back to the mid-19th Century, the fair features livestock displays and demonstrations, plus great food and live entertainment. This year’s theme, “Grow It, Show It, Know It,” reflects the fair’s return to its historic roots as an agricultural showcase. Parking and entry are free. Learn more at http://www.kingcounty.gov/recreation/parks/inventory/fair.aspx.

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