WaSMAR9312_01.xml Guide to the Bumbershoot Festival Commission Subject Files 1980-1994 Bumbershoot Festival Commission Subject Files Seattle Municipal Archives 2023
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle 98124-4728 archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-08-04. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. Seattle Municipal Archives Bumbershoot Festival Commission Subject Files Bumbershoot Festival Commission 9312-01 6.8 cubic feet 1980-1994 Records of a commission overseeing the annual Bumbershoot music and arts festival at Seattle Center. English .

The Commission was created in 1985 to oversee the annual Bumbershoot Festival. The festival began in 1971 and was named Bumbershoot in 1973. It was administered by different City departments over the years, including Seattle Arts Commission and the Seattle Center. Following three straight years of financial losses, a restructuring plan was adopted in 1994 that consolidated the management of the festival with production. The BFC, as constituted since 1985, was abolished. One Reel Vaudeville Productions, the producer of the festival over the previous 14 years, and the BFC members formed a new nonprofit entity that, beginning in 1995, was responsible for the management, cash flow, and financial risk of the festival.

Correspondence, reports, budget materials, audits, contracts, and business plans related to the Bumbershoot Festival and the activities of the Bumbershoot Festival Commission. Includes Commission minutes, appointments of members, reorganization studies, and records related to One Reel Vaudeville Show, the contractor that operates Bumbershoot. The Commission office was closed at the end of 1994 and management of the festival was turned over to a private organization.

Records are open to the public.

[Item and date], Bumbershoot Festival Commission Subject Files, Record Series 9312-01 Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Related materials can be found in Record Series 7610-03, 5807-05, and 7405-01. Record Series 9312-02 contains a selection of posters from the festival.

 Bumbershoot Festival Commission Seattle Center (Seattle, Wash.) Seattle (Wash.) Bumbershoot Festival (Seattle, Wash.) Art festivals--Washington (State)--Seattle Bumbershoot Final Report (One Reel Vaudeville Show) 1980 1 1 Bumbershoot Final Reports 1981-1982 1 2 Bumbershoot Legislative Action Request and Ordinance 1981 1 3 Bumbershoot Advisory Committee Minutes 1981-1982 1 4 Bumbershoot Advisory Committee Legal Materials, Incorporation Bylaws 1981 1 5 Budget, Revenue Projections, Impacts 1982 1 6 Concession Revenue 1982 1 7 Corporate Sponsorships 1982 1 8 Public Relations and Press Releases, Programs and Brochures 1980-1982 1 9 Bumbershoot Advisory Committee Minutes 1983 1 10 Bumbershoot Final Report 1983 1 11 Legal Materials, Bylaws 1983 1 12 Budget and Revenue Projections 1983 1 13 Pacific Science Center Correspondence 1983 1 14 Auditor's Report 1983-1984 1 15 Seattle Center Business and Use Report 1984 1 16 Seattle Center Preliminary Long Range Concept Plan Guidelines for Future Development 1984 1 17 Bumbershoot Proposal for Producer, One Reel Vaudeville Show 1984-1985 1 18 Bumbershoot Advisory Committee Minutes 1984 1 19 Bumbershoot Final Report 1984 1 20 Bumbershoot Contract, Timing of Signing 1984 1 21 Corporate Sponsorship 1983-1984 1 22 Responses to Editorial Coverage 1982-1984 1 23 Proposal and Selection Process 1983-1985 2 1 Media One, 1985 Bumbershoot Proposal 1984 2 2 Audits 1983-1985 2 3 Contract Reviews 1984-1985 2 4 Bumbershoot Advisory Committee Minutes and Status Reports 1985 2 5 Press Clippings 1985 2 6 One Reel Vaudeville Show Contract 1985 2 7 Bumbershoot Ordinance 1985 2 8 Bumbershoot Management Controversy 1985 2 9 Bumbershoot Management Controversy 1985 2 10 Audit 1985 2 11 Correspondence, Miscellaneous 1985 2 12 Taxes 1986 2 13 Audit 1986 2 14 Status Reports 1986 2 15 Status Report, July 31, 1986 1986 2 16 One Reel Vaudeville Show Contract 1986 2 17 Bumbershoot Final Report 1986 3 1 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Minutes 1986-1988 3 2 Seattle Center, 1986 Bumbershoot Festival, Background 1984-1986 3 3 Bumbershoot Festival Commission Audit of Center Charges to Bumbershoot 1983,84,85 1986 3 4 Executive Committee 1986 3 5 Human Rights Department Forms, One Reel 1986 3 6 Final Reports 1986 1986-1987 3 7 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Minutes 1986 3 8 Agendas 1986 3 9 Programming Committee 1986 3 10 Internal Letters 1986 3 11 Finance Committee 1986 3 12 Promotion Committee 1985-1986 3 13 1986 Festival: Miscellaneous Business Correspondence 1986 3 14 Bumbershoot Festival Commission Ordinance 1985 3 15 Bumbershoot : Complaints 1986 3 16 Commission Nominees 1985-1988 3 17 Seattle Center Foundation 1986 3 18 October 28, 1986 Meeting 1986 3 19 Seattle Center: Rental 1986 3 20 Intiman Lease: Drafts 1986 3 21 1985 - 1986 Annual Bumbershoot Festival - Producer, Request for Proposal, Seattle Center undated 3 22 Bumbershoot 1989 Contract undated 4 1 Festival Events 1981-1988 4 2 Public Disclosure, Public Meetings Act 1972-1988 4 3 Northwest Folklife Festival Agreement, Bite of Seattle 1986-1989 4 4 Revision of Ordinance 112577, Bumbershoot Festival Commission: Appointments 1988 4 5 Bumbershoot Advisory Committee, Bumbershoot Festival Commission: Establishment 1985 4 6 Bumbershoot / One Reel Contract 1987 4 7 Bumbershoot Public Survey 1987 4 8 Budget 1988 4 9 Bumbershoot Booths: Repair and Storage, Bumbershoot Poster 1987-1988 4 10 Office of Management and Budget, 1987 Budget Submittal 1986-1987 4 11 Status Reports 1987 4 12 One Reel / Human Rights Department Forms 1986-1987 4 13 One Reel: Press Releases, Applications 1987 4 14 Bumbershoot , One Reel Correspondence 1987 4 15 Budget / Contract: Draft, Revisions 1987 5 1 Goodwill Games 1987-1988 5 2 International Events Group, Impact of the Proposed Goodwill Games Performing Arts Festival on the Bumbershoot Festival undated 5 3 Commissioner Appointments 1987 5 4 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, 1988 Agendas 1987-1988 5 5 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, September 15, 1987 1987 5 6 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, October 20, 1987 1987 5 7 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, August 18, 1987 1987 5 8 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, July 21, 1987 1987 5 9 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, June 15, 1987 1987 5 10 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, May 19, 1987 1987 5 11 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, April 21, 1987 1987 5 12 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, February 17, 1987 1987 5 13 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, January 20, 1987 1987 5 14 Law Department Correspondence 1986-1987 5 15 Bumbershoot Festival Commission Intradepartmental Correspondence 1987 5 16 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Correspondence 1987 5 17 Parks and Public Grounds Committee: Seattle Center Goals and Policies 1987 5 18 Bumbershoot Festival 1987 Event Service Order # 855807 1987 5 19 Admission Tax Information (One) 1982-1987 5 20 Admission Tax information (Twenty) 1982-1987 5 21 Percentage Reimbursement Plan: Seattle Center 1985-1987 5 22 One Reel Human Rights Form 1987-1988 5 23 Bumberdrum 1988 5 24 Report on Agreed Upon Procedures, Touche Ross International 1989 5 25 Bumbershoot, Correspondence With the Public 1988 5 26 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Correspondence etc. 1988-1989 6 1 Bumbershoot Festival commission: Agendas, Minutes 1988 6 2 The History of Bumbershoot, Bumbershoot Advisory Committee undated 6 3 Human Rights Compliance, Statistics 1988 6 4 Bumbershoot Festival 1988 Event Service Order # 856663 undated 6 5 One Reel Production Proposal, Bumbershoot 1987-88 1986 6 6 Poster Purchase 1988 6 7 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, July 19, 1988 1988 6 8 Poster Purchase 1988 6 9 Coordinator Hiring Process 1988 6 10 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, External Memos 1988 6 11 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Internal Memos 1987-1988 6 12 Board of Ethics 1988 6 13 Board of Ethics 1986-1988 6 14 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, June 21, 1988 1988 6 15 One Reel Contract 1988 6 16 Proposal to Produce 1989 - 90 Annual Bumbershoot Festival, Festival Events Incorporated 1988 6 17 Bumbershoot, 1987 Final Report, Festival Commissioners 1987-1988 6 18 Final Report 1987 6 19 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, 1988 - 1989 Budgets 1986-1988 7 1 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, 1988 Budget, Correspondence etc. 1987 7 2 Proposal: Bumbershoot 1989-90, One Reel 1990 7 3 Bumbershoot, 1989 Final Report, One Reel 1990 7 4 Bumbershoot, 1989 Affirmative Action Report 1989 7 5 Bumbershoot Festival Commission: Agendas, Minutes 1989 7 6 Bumbershoot: Request for Proposal, Correspondence, etc. 1986-1988 7 7 Bumbershoot: Commission Selection (One) 1989-1990 7 8 Bumbershoot: Commission Selection (Two) 1989-1990 7 9 Bumbershoot Complaints 1989-1990 7 10 Merchandising 1989 7 11 Status Reports 1989 7 12 Status Reports 1989 8 1 One Reel Contract, Draft 1989 8 2 Status Reports 1989 8 3 Status Reports 1986-1989 8 4 Bumbershoot Festival Commission / Seattle Center Agreements 1986-1989 8 5 1990 Seattle Center Contract Process 1989-1992 8 6 1990 Budget Correspondence with Office of Management and Budget and Mayor's Office 1989-1990 8 7 Bumbershoot Retreat Notes 1990 8 8 Request for Proposal Process 1990 8 9 Bumbershoot Correspondence 1990 8 10 Bumbershoot Financial Documentation 1990 1989-1991 8 11 Commissioner Appointments 1990 1989-1990 9 1 Bumbershoot 1990, Event Service Order #859395 1990 9 2 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Minutes 1990 9 3 Seattle Center Charges for Bumbershoot 1985-1990 9 4 Bumbershoot Contract 1989-1990 9 5 Barbara Thomas: Correspondence with the Bumbershoot Festival Commission and One Reel 1990 9 6 Status Reports 1990 1989-1990 9 7 City Attorney: Conflict of Interest, One Reel 1991 9 8 Bumbershoot Festival Commission: Ordinance Related Correspondence 1991 9 9 Mayor's Office, Correspondence 1990-1991 9 10 Budget Process Information 1991 1989-1991 9 11 Seattle Center Bill Process 1987-1991 9 12 City Council Correspondence 1991 9 13 Audit 1991 1987-1992 9 14 Audit 1991, Comptroller 1992-1993 9 15 Commissioner's Correspondence 1991 9 16 Merchandise Committee 1991 1990-1991 9 17 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Minutes 1991 10 1 Program Committee 1991 10 2 Executive Committee 1991 10 3 Bumbershoot Long Range Plan, Bumbershoot Festival Commission 1991 10 4 Trademark Registration 1988-1991 10 5 Long Range Planning, Bumbershoot Festival Commission 1990-1991 10 6 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Financial Status 1991 10 7 Bumbershoot 1991- 92 Proposal, One Reel undated 10 8 Request for Proposal Process 1986-1992 10 9 Bumbershoot 1993 - 95 Proposal, One Reel 1992 10 10 Bumbershoot 1991 Preliminary Report 1991 10 11 Status Reports 1991 1990-1991 10 12 Bumbershoot 1991, Final Financial Report 1992 10 13 Contract, One Reel 1991-1992 10 14 Bumbershoot 1991, Event Service Order #10002000 1991 11 1 Commissioner Selection 1991/ 92 1989-1993 11 2 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Programming Committee 1991-1992 11 3 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Finance Committee 1991-1992 11 4 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Merchandising Committee 1992 11 5 Bumbershoot Long Range Plan Update 1992, Bumbershoot Festival Commission 1990-1992 11 6 Literary Series 1992 1991-1992 11 7 Juries 1992 11 8 Video Famous 1992 11 9 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Executive Committee 1992 11 10 Bumbershoot Festival Commission Meetings 1991-1992 11 11 Ewajo Center 1990-1992 11 12 Bumbershoot, Press Kit 1992 11 13 Bumbershoot, Official Program and Schedule 1992 11 14 Bumbershoot, Publicity 1992 11 15 Complaint Letters 1992 11 16 Bumbershoot Festival 1992, Event Service Order #1001010 1992 11 17 Quick Access Card 1992 12 1 Americans with Disabilities Act 1991-1992 12 2 Status Reports 1992 12 3 One Reel, Contract Deliverables 1991-1992 12 4 One Reel Contract, 1992 1989-1992 12 5 Bumbershoot, Final Report, 1992 1993 12 6 Seattle Center Correspondence 1992 12 7 Seattle Center Contract 1992 12 8 Seattle Center Contract 1992, Storage Lease Agreement etc. 1991-1993 12 9 Seattle Children's' Festival 1992 1991-1992 12 10 Personnel Department, Correspondence 1989-1992 12 11 Board of Ethics 1992 12 12 Bumbershoot 1991, Human Rights Report 1992 12 13 Office of Management and Budget, Correspondence 1990-1992 12 14 Audit 1992 1993 12 15 Audit 1992, Comptroller 1992-1993 12 16 Bumbershoot Budget 1992 1991-1993 12 17 Statements of Legislative Intent 1992 12 18 Budget 1993 (One) 1992-1993 13 1 Budget 1993 (Two) 1992-1993 13 2 Bumbershoot 1991 - 1992, Draft Audit reports 1992-1993 13 3 Bumbershoot Producer Contract, One Reel 1993 13 4 The One Reel Vaudeville Show Incorporated, Report on Examination of Financial Statements, Willett Zevenbergen and Bennett 1991-1992 13 5 One Reel, Correspondence 1992-1994 13 6 Bumbershoot Application Requests Through the Bumbershoot Festival Commission Office 1993 13 7 Survey, Correspondence 1993 13 8 Status Reports 1993 13 9 Budget Reports 1993 13 10 Bumbershoot Final Report, 1992 1993 13 11 Bumbershoot, Press Kit 1993 13 12 Bumbershoot Applications 1993 13 13 Bumbershoot Concessions 1980-1992 13 14 Bumbershoot Preliminary Revenue Report 1993 13 15 Bumbershoot Seattle Center Labor Cost Summary 1993 13 16 Bumbershoot Tax Estimate 1993 13 17 Bumbershoot Finance Committee Reports 1993 13 18 Bumbershoot Festival Survey 1993 13 19 Bumbershoot Festival Commission Work Plan 1993 1992-1993 13 20 Bumbershoot Commissioners 1993 14 1 Programming Committee, Correspondence etc. 1993 14 2 Early Warnings 1993 14 3 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Miscellaneous Correspondence, Minutes, etc. 1992-1993 14 4 Restructuring Committee (One) 1992-1993 14 5 Restructuring Committee (Two) 1992-1993 14 6 Restructuring Report Drafts 1993 14 7 Restructuring, Final Report 1993 14 8 Bumbershoot Final Report 1993 14 9 Complaints 1993 14 10 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Reception 1993 14 11 Budget 1994 Correspondence 1993-1994 14 12 Budget Submittal 1994 14 13 Seattle City Council, Correspondence 1992-1993 14 14 Seattle City Council, Correspondence 1992-1993 14 15 Seattle Center 1993 14 16 Personnel Department, Correspondence 1993 14 17 Seattle Arts Commission, Correspondence 1993 14 18 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Department Presentation to the City Council on the 1994 Budget, Draft 1993 14 19 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Office of Management and Budget, Budget Submission Drafts 1993 14 20 Budget 1994, Working Papers 1993 14 21 Request for Proposal, Producer 1993-1995 15 1 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Office of Management and Budget, 1993 Budget Submission 1991-1993 15 2 Budget 1993, Correspondence 1992-1993 15 3 Budget 1993, Miscellaneous Correspondence and Financial Documentation 1992-1993 15 4 Bumbershoot 1993, Report on Revenue Audit, Willett, Zevenbergen and Bennett 1993 15 5 Report of Bumbershoot 1993, Draft, Office of City Auditor 1993 15 6 Response to Draft Report of B. 1993 1993 15 7 Bumbershoot: Summary of Comptroller's 1991 and 1992 Findings, Office of City Auditor 1993 15 8 Bumbershoot: Market Forces Could Improve City Finances, Office of City Auditor 1993 15 9 Audit Information 1993 15 10 Audit Information 1993 15 11 Press Kit 1991 15 12 Budget 1994 1992-1993 15 13 Press Kit 1994 15 14 Applications 1994 15 15 Audit Update 1994 15 16 Bumbershoot Festival Commission 1993, Examination of Revenue and Expenses, Willett Zevenbergen and Bennett 1993-1994 15 17 Budget 1994, Information 1994 15 18 Bumbershoot 1994, Revenue Audit, Willett, Zevenbergen, and Bennett 1994 15 19 Bumbershoot 1994, Budget Report 1994 15 20 Bumbershoot Pre - Festival Financial Report 1994 15 21 Report on Restructuring, Bumbershoot Festival Commission 1993 16 1 Report on Restructuring, Drafts 1993 16 2 Report on Restructuring, Drafts 1993 16 3 Restructuring Committee 1992-1994 16 4 Statements of Financial Interest 1994 16 5 Bumbershoot Festival Commission 1994 1993-1994 16 6 Meeting with Bumbershoot Festival Commission Co - Chairs 1994 16 7 Work Plan 1994 16 8 Correspondence, Outgoing 1994 16 9 Bumbershoot Loss 1994 16 10 Lund Consulting Contract 1994 16 11 Restructuring, Consultants 1994 16 12 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Comprehensive Business Plan, First Draft 1994 16 13 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Comprehensive Business Plan, Second Draft 1994 16 14 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Comprehensive Business Plan, June 29 Draft 1994 16 15 Business Plan, Correspondence etc. 1994 16 16 Seattle Center Use Agreement 1994 16 17 Bumbershoot 1994, Publicity 1994 16 18 Bumbershoot 1994, Miscellaneous 1994 16 19 One Reel Contract 1994 16 20 Status Reports 1994 17 1 One Reel Contract, Drafts 1994 17 2 One Reel Contract, Correspondence 1994 17 3 Ticketmaster Contract 1994 17 4 Bumbershoot Festival Commission / One Reel Insurance 1993-1995 17 5 Budget 1994, Draft, Super Fest 1993-1994 17 6 Budget Submittal 1994 1993 17 7 Finance Committee 1993-1994 17 8 Discovery Park Storage 1994 17 9 Merchandising Committee 1994 17 10 Bumbershoot Research Executive Summary, Herbert Research Incorporated 1993 17 11 Restructuring 1993-1994 17 12 Budget 1989 17 13 Budget 1990 17 14 Budget 1991 17 15 Budget Submission 1992 17 16 Budget Submission 1993 17 17 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Minutes 1992 17 18 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Minutes 1993 17 19 Bumbershoot Festival Commission, Minutes 1994 17 20