Capitol Hill Block Party

The Capitol Hill Block Party is an annual three-day music festival and block party held each July in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. In the past, the festival has included various famous acts including Macklemore, Atmosphere, MGMT, Sonic Youth, Mudhoney, Jack White, The Presidents of the United States of America, Dillon Francis, Blue Scholars, and The Hold Steady. Founded in 1997 by Jen Gapay, the festival was originally a one-day event with just one stage. Gapay continued to produce the party until 2000, when David Meinert and Marcus Charles took over, adding a second stage and then a second day in 2001. In 2010, they added a third day. Attendance at the 2010 party was estimated at 20,000 people. In 2011, programmer and talent buyer of the festival, Jason Lajeunesse, became the owner and continues to own and operate the festival today. Major sponsors include AT&T, Jones Soda, Verizon, the ACLU, and The Stranger.