Upstream Music Fest + Summit
(Upstream Music Fest + Summit Illustration)

Long before the Pacific Northwest became a tech hub, it was put on the map by its musical talent.

Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and countless other artists through the ages have made Seattle’s music scene vibrant, and the city’s newest music festival is uniting that scene with some of the city’s more recent tech fame and flavor.

Paul Allen speaks at the University of Washington. (GeekWire Photo / Todd Bishop)

The Upstream Music Fest and Summit, is taking over Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood May 11 through 13 with hundreds of performances, collaborations, talks and more from local artist and music industry experts. The festival was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who is well-known for his love of music.

The festival lineup includes acts like experimental producer Flying Lotus and hip-hop duo Shabazz Palaces, plus hundreds of other Pacific Northwest performers. DJs from KEXP, Seattle’s nonprofit radio station, will also be putting on curated shows and hosting performances by local artists at the event.

The Summit portion of the festival is focused on digital innovation in music and features keynote speakers like Seattle rapper Macklemore and producer and actor Quincy Jones. There will also be a startup showcase highlighting local companies that are venturing into the ever expanding world of digital media.

Check out the event website for a full schedule and to see ticket options. The festival will take place Thursday, May 11 through Saturday, May 13, at a slate of venues in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood.

That’s one of the highlights from our GeekWire community calendar, the spot for geek and tech events in the greater Pacific Northwest. See the full calendar here, submit your event here and keep reading for more suggested events over the next few weeks.

Celebrate, Innovate, Make Possible

What: Join PATH, a global health nonprofit, for this free and inspiring celebration of their 40th anniversary! Speakers at the event will include Elaine Welteroth (editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue), Shiza Shahid (cofounder of the Malala Fund), Yara Shahidi (star of Black-ish and activist) among others.

When: May 12, 6 – 7:30 p.m.

Where: McCaw Hall

Get involved: Register to attend for free here.

A Beautiful Planet 3D documentary showing with Astronaut Nicholas Patrick

What: Earth is a beautiful planet — and it’s even more awesome when you’re looking at it from space. Join former NASA astronaut and spacewalker Nicholas Patrick for a Q&A and a special showing of “A Beautiful Planet 3D,” an IMAX documentary shot by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Fun and informative for kids of all ages.

When: May 16, 79 p.m.

Where: Pacific Science Center

Get involved: See all the event details and ticket options here.

Seattle Angel Conference XI

What: The Seattle Angel Conference is a way to introduce new entrepreneurs and angel investors to the world of investing and put their ideas to the test. Watch six startup finalists pitch their idea to angel investors for a grand prize of $150,000.

When: May 17, 12:30 6:30 p.m.

Where: Impact Hub Seattle

Get involved: Tickets and more information available here.

Machine Learning Conference Seattle

What: A one-of-a-kind collection of leading machine learning thinkers and researchers. Hear them talk and chat with some of the world’s smartest people over coffee at this all-day machine learning workshop. Speakers include leading researchers at the University of Washington, Amazon, Google, the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence and more.

When: May 19, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Where: Art Marble 21

Get involved: Find tickets and a full lineup of speakers here.

FullConTech 2017: Civic Collaboration

What: FullCon Tech is an annual conference that brings together public and private partners to work towards common goals. Hosted by the Washington Technology Industry Association, this year’s conference is focused on innovation in civics and collaboration across boundaries

When: May 22, 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Where: City Hall

Get involved: See the full schedule and ticket options here.

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