Whether July makes you think of hot dogs and fireworks, air-conditioned movie theaters, outdoor concerts and performances, or ice-cold beverages, you'll find tons of things to do this month that will allow you to soak up that coveted Seattle sunshine now that summer is in full effect. As we do every month, we've compiled the biggest events you need to know about in every genre, from Capitol Hill Block Party to Day In Day Out and from Seafair 4th of July to the Seattle Art Fair.

COMEDY

Irene Tu
"Hello. I'm a girl." LA-based stand-up and Vulture “Comedian You Should and Will Know” Irene Tu will visit Seattle on the heels of a viral Comedy Central YouTube video, offering the Pacific Northwest her “quick wit, relaxed stage presence, and hilariously off-the-wall observations” (Paste Magazine). LINDSAY COSTELLO
Laughs Comedy Club, University District (July 12–13)

In a 6-3 decision on Friday, the US Supreme Court ruled that a law in Grants Pass, Oregon did not qualify as cruel and unusual punishment. The law imposed steep fines and threatened jail time for people sleeping in public, even when there’s not enough shelter to go around. 

Advocates have been sounding the alarm on this case, arguing that upholding the law would embolden cities to criminalize rather than care for their unhoused residents. 

Welcome to Tuesday. Today's supposed to be mostly sunny with a high of 69 degrees. [Eds note: Nice.]

Mayor Bruce Harrell pushes forward with SCORE jail talks: Multiple people have told me that the Harrell administration has begun holding meetings with the Seattle Municipal Court (SMC), the King County Department of Public Defense, and other stakeholders to contract with South Correctional Entity (SCORE) in Des Moines for more jail beds. As Publicola has reported, about six people have died at SCORE in the last year. Harrell appears to no longer be just toying with the idea, as I reported earlier this year.

Footage of a fight that led to Seattle area chef's death: KIRO 7 released video footage of the moments leading up to the stabbing of Corey Bellett at the Capitol Hill Light Rail station earlier this year. The video appears to show Bellett in an active fight with the man who prosecutors allege stabbed Bellett. 

July is starting off strong—there's plenty of can't-miss events this week, from Missy Elliott - OUT OF THIS WORLD - THE EXPERIENCE to Seafair 4th of July and worth-the-drive concerts like ODESZA - The Finale and TARBOO, a Pacific Northwest music festival making its debut at the brand-new venue Quilcene Lantern. For more ideas, check out our Fourth of July calendar.

TUESDAY

FOOD & DRINK

Valhalla Dinner Series Featuring Dru Bru
Kick off July with a breezy backyard barbecue-inspired six-course dinner with beer pairings provided by the Snoqualmie Pass brewery Dru Bru. The menu includes fresh, summery pairings like huevos diablos and lemon-lime lager, grilled watermelon gazpacho and wild berry cider, ahi tuna poke and hazy session IPA, slow-cooked brisket and Maibock, and raspberry apple pie and Sticke Alt. Plus, chat with the Dru Bru team and Skål executive chef Jonathan Bidgood. JULIANNE BELL
(Skål Beer Hall, Ballard)

SCOTUS Makes the US President a King: A 6-3 decision split along party lines found Donald Trump is entitled to absolute immunity for all "official acts" as president. He won't be immune for unofficial acts. In the opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, "The President is not above the law. But under our system of separated powers, the President may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers, and he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for his official acts. That immunity applies equally to all occupants of the Oval Office." Really seems like the president is above the law in your interpretation here, John. Didn't we agree on no more kings? I thought the whole point was no more kings here?

So, what now? Trump's Jan 6 trial will most likely be delayed, and a second Trump presidency feels far more ominous, what with SCOTUS giving presidents carte blanche to do whatever atrocities they feel like and having no ramifications. Trump, meanwhile, posted on Truth Social: “BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!” As The Nation's Elie Mystal said, "Biden has the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever..." 

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NEW OPENINGS AND RETURNS

Channel Marker Cider
This small-batch cidery, which got its start in a Greenwood garage in 2016, debuted its first taproom in Ballard today. The all-ages space features distinctive flavors such as lavender bergamot and habanero lime.
Ballard

Progressives are pulling their support for state Sen. Emily Randall, who is running for Congress in the 6th District, after she signaled a strong commitment to Israel in her first public stance on the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Some allege Randall took such a position to prevent the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) from spending big bucks on her opponent, outgoing Washington State Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz. As Franz leads the fundraising race by about $300,000, the powerful and well-resourced PAC’s donation could bury Randall if she were to come off as too sympathetic to Palestine. This dynamic put Randall, who is running to the left of Franz, in a tricky political position, but her critics say she fell right into the trap that monied interests set. 

Happy Pride Weekend, Seattle! Sashay your way toward events from the Seattle Pride Parade to Trans Pride Seattle and from the Seattle Dyke March & Rally to the Fremont Dungeness Festival. For more ideas, check out our guide to the top events of the week and our full Pride guide.

FRIDAY

COMEDY

Old AF with Mia Iseman
Are you cool? No?!?! Me neither. Okay, so neither of us is cool, and the endless march of time suggests we're all slogging slowly toward our eventual demise. What could be funnier than that? One possibility is this fully improvised comedy show, in which local comics cling desperately to cultural relevance by learning trends, slang, and goss from the audience. Hopefully the terminally online will show up to explain things; the rest of us can just nod along. LINDSAY COSTELLO
(Here-After at the Crocodile, Belltown, $15)

A majority of Seattleites want to be taxed more for a better transportation system. 

That’s saying a lot in a city with an incredibly high cost of living. Poll after poll shows voters will not only approve another transportation levy but are willing to pay more to address the biggest transportation issues facing Seattle. A poll conducted by Change Research found that twice as many respondents preferred a larger, $1.9 billion levy that invested in more sidewalks, safety, and transit projects over a smaller, $1.7 billion option. According to the City’s own polling by EMC research, the only argument against renewing the levy that caused a significant drop in support (at a whopping 23%) was that it did not go far enough in investing in walking, biking, transit, and the climate.

An affordability crisis: Why aren't the people going to shows? Why aren't they going to restaurants? Because the rent, the housing, and the cost of goods are too damn high. Meanwhile, income levels—which can't keep pace with rising living costs—are too damn low. In Seattle, half of renters are paying 30% of their monthly income on rents, and 15% of those renters are spending more than half of their take-home pay to keep the roof over their head. Buying a house is nothing but a pipe dream, even for the wealthy among us, as housing costs continue to skyrocket; "the median single-family home in the Seattle area costs nearly seven times the median household income last year," the Seattle Times reports. And, in case you were considering high-tailing it out of state, this is a reality that's true countrywide. 

Police accountability? In this country? A jury found Auburn Police Officer Jeffrey Nelson guilty of murder and assault for shooting and killing an unarmed 26-year-old named Jesse Sarey outside a grocery store. Nelson is the first Washington officer "convicted of state charges for an on-duty death" since 1938. It is incredibly hard—almost, it seems, intentionally hard—to hold police officers accountable for their actions. Initiative 940, which Washington voters passed in 2018, "changed the legal standard used to measure whether police use of deadly force was legal," according to the Seattle Times, by literally removing specific language that made "charging an officer almost impossible." Nelson could face life in prison for the murder charge and up to 25 years for the first-degree assault charge. 

With just hours notice, Council Appointee Tanya Woo rejected our invitation to The Stranger Election Control Board (SECB) endorsement meeting with her opponents for the citywide Position 8 council seat. She declined to give a reason for canceling the meeting she agreed to back on June 10, leaving us to assume she fears media scrutiny. 

Her cowardice reflects a larger trend with the new Seattle City Council. They routinely ignore media requests, spread falsehoods about dissenting colleagues, belittle the communities they betray, and, in extreme cases, call for the arrest of people who dare disagree with them too loudly. 

We here at The Stranger are proud and thrilled and generally just chuffed to announce that we have teamed up with the freaky geniuses over at Head in the Clouds Trivia to present Seattle's Only News Quiz!!!

This weekly test of your Stranger news knowledge will land in your inbox and on Slog every Saturday morning. We're launching the first one this Saturday morning at 9 am to serve anyone still up from Friday night's Pride festivities, or anyone looking to tease their brain into consciousness after a nice, long, restful orgy. Prepare thyself by setting a little reminder on your phone or by signing up for our Slog AM newsletter here. 

Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals will stop in Auburn to play Anderson’s 2016 breakout album, Malibu, in its entirety. André 3000 presents his debut solo album, New Blue Sun, live in concert this fall. Controversial rapper Sexyy Red will try to get Seattle on board with her “Sexyy Red 4 President” campaign. Plus, in case you missed last week's early warning; tickets for pop it girl Sabrina Carpenter's tour are also going on sale. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

ON SALE FRIDAY, JUNE 28

MUSIC

Amigo The Devil with Blitzen Trapper
The Showbox (Mon Nov 25)

Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals
White River Amphitheatre (Thurs Sept 19)

André 3000: New Blue Sun Live In Concert
Paramount Theatre (Wed Oct 9)