Boomjam brings art, music and sustainability to Spokane | Arts & Entertainment

Taking place just steps from Gonzaga University’s campus, a new music festival invites people of all ages to snag tickets for this Saturday. 

Labeled as “Boomjam,” the event will be held outdoors in a parking lot on 904 N Columbus St. and will run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The site is a short walk for all those on campus and in the Logan neighborhood. 

Spokane local Tucker Miller, one of the event coordinators, discussed his excitement for Boomjam and encouraged students and all those that appreciate art to attend. Miller is an experienced event coordinator, also being involved with another festival called Cosmic Picnic that took place north of Spokane and in Montana.

Miller said that he wanted to bring the festival culture to the city’s community, and was motivated by his desire to “start growing the creative economy in Spokane.”

“We booked 14 bands from all over the West Coast, including our headliner Ill Peach, and [the artists] write for song writers, including Miley Cyrus and SZA,” Miller said. 

On Boomjam’s website, there is a link to an official Spotify playlist where visitors can experience the festival’s song lineup. 

The line-up features artists who are native to Spokane, and some who are from out-of-town. Some of these artists include Puck, Forty Feet Tall, Johhny Franco and Hayes Noble.

Along with celebrating music and art, sustainability was another aspect to the festival’s mission with Boomjam. 

Miller posed the question, “How do you make a sustainable space for people of all ages to be able to experience music?”

Miller said that sustainability was a priority in creating this space, and that those helping to make Boomjam possible were sourcing items on Facebook Marketplace.

According to Miller, there will be a disco living room and other installations made through recycled and sourced products. Among the most prominent pieces at the event will be a large Boomjam sign made out of pallets and recycled paint.

Miller said that Spokane’s annual Pig Out in the Park event inspired him to create something similar for the city’s art and music community through Boomjam. 

“Growing a festival that takes people, whether they’re music fans or a fan of the Spokane community, or fans of food or whatever, and just like intricate, interesting, authentic experiences is kind of what we’re interested in portraying and growing,” Miller said.

Besides music, there will also be food trucks, art vendors and other surprises, according to Miller. 

One notable detail is that event goers are free to leave and come back, allowing people to explore local restaurants and bars. 

For those concerned about the cost, students can use the code: IAMASTUDENT to get $5 off their ticket purchase.

Carrera Guertin is a staff writer.