You'd be hard pressed to find a more quintessentially Bellingham gathering. The annual NW Tune-Up boasts mountain biking competitions and workshops, mural artists working in real time, free outdoor yoga, and waterfront live music. Craft beer gardens filled with hometown favorite breweries—and cideries—really seal the deal. 

Mount Vernon's Scottish cultural fest is billed as a "Scottish three-ring circus," meant to show off traditions and provide sheer summer entertainment. Competitors square off in bagpiping, dancing, and caber tossing, a sport that looks a whole lot like throwing telephone poles. For the less competitive, there's whiskey tasting, sheepdog demonstrations, and harp performances.

Nestled in the rain shadow of the Olympic Peninsula, Sequim's signature festival turns 30 with this year's lavender bloom. A street fair sets up in the middle of town with booths, music, and lots of lavender products for sale; farms let visitors get their boots dirty with tours all summer long. 

For nearly 50 years, the small logging town of Darrington, deep in the Cascades, has hosted a bluegrass festival, and they're not pumping the breaks on tradition any time soon. Great bluegrass and country music is a given; workshops and an open mic window add spontaneity. 

Downtown Vancouver gets a splash of sunshine at its annual Hawaiian arts and culture festival. Live music, a full dance schedule, and countless food vendors help celebrate the spirit of aloha. Cultural workshops at nearby Clark College provide an educational component, and a Hapa Haole hula competition brings out the best dancers.