Celebrate a decade of the Sunset Tavern

Geeky Swedes Ballard

Tonight kicks off the weekend-long anniversary celebration of The Sunset Tavern. The bar located at 5433 Ballard Ave NW is turning 10! For their decade-iversary they’ve got live bands, guest DJ’s and some surprises lined up. According to their Facebook page, “The Benevolent Fez and Mask Society will host a nightly charity raffle for the Ryther Child Center and food drive for the Ballard Food Bank.”

Here’s the anniversary lineup:

  • Thursday 9pm: Jason Dodson (of The Maldives), Drew Victor, Tomo Nakayama (of Grand Hallway), Kaylee Cole and DJ Kevin Large – $10 ticket / $8 with a non-perishable food donation upon entrance. Tickets can be purchased here.
  • Friday 9pm: The Cops, The Catheters, The Tripwires, The Basements and DJ Danger Nun – $12 ticket / $10 with a non-perishable food donation upon entrance. Tickets can be purchased here.
  • Saturday 9pm: Red Fang, Kinski, Virgin Islands, Eugene Wendell and The Demon Rind and DJ Tim Hayes – $12 ticket / $10 with a non-perishable food donation upon entrance. Tickets can be purchased here.
  • Sunday 4pm: Sunday Bloody Sunset presents a 10-year anniversary show with Atomic Bride, Hearseburner, Omega Moo – $5.

    • Geeky Swedes

    The founders of My Ballard

    10 thoughts to “Celebrate a decade of the Sunset Tavern”

    1. Wasn’t the Sunset Tavern there, or very near there, more like 15 years ago? I remember looking for an older coworker who was supposed to be at the Sunset, but we’d gone to the Sunset BOWL bar, not this place. When we got to work on Monday, all the older people just laughed at us. Anyway, I’d always thought it had been around much longer than ten years.

    3. princess, you are correct. the sunset tavern has been around longer than 10 years. this anniversary must be to celebrate 10 years under current ownership.

    4. Ah, thanks Gobigblue! Kind of sad that the owners feel that way, like a teenager who thinks they invented reproduction.

    5. I specifically checked out this thread hoping for the usual geriatric sounding whines about those dang kids who won’t stay off your lawn (or out of your boozers). You guys don’t disappoint!

      The Sunset was, hands down, the worst of the worst of the old Ballard bars. Actually, the Copper Gate may have been worse with it’s speed-dealing bartenders and murderous clientele. The ‘Don’t Drink an Drive” sign around 24th and 65th is for a guy killed by someone who just had left the Copper Gate early in the morning. If I remember correctly after the accident the driver was super concerned about the damage the motorcycle (and rider) he had just creamed did to his car.

      Go Old Ballard!

    6. Fan,

      I don’t see anything in our posts that qualifies as “geriatric sounding whines”.

      I was merely pointing out that the Sunset has been in business for more than 10 years.

      Not really sure how much more objective I could have been in that statement?

    7. “Ah, thanks Gobigblue! Kind of sad that the owners feel that way, like a teenager who thinks they invented reproduction.”

      yeah it’s real sad that the owners who took a dumpy dive bar and turned it into one of the best live music venues in seattle wish to celebrate ten years of good times, not to mention a decade of being in business which as any small business owner knows is no small feat. you should change your name to princessasshole.

    8. so the current owner is celebrating 10 years of supporting local artists and also employing people in the our community.I have no idea why anybody would leave negative comments for such hardworking good people that appreciate the arts and brings so much to ballard.
      I pray for the day that my business is mentioned on the myballard chopping block

      And to princessshilshole… how many people do you employ in our community ?
      I wish a thousand rabid ferrets with terrets apon your ovaries

      you should change your name to princess poo !

    9. @A Fan, if I remember correctly that accident happened in the middle of the afternoon. The drunk was the owner of the garage that was where NOMA is now, he was my buddy’s mechanic and my friend was pissed that he f’d up because a good mechanic is hard to come by.

      The Sunset has been there forever, maybe 10 years under current owners.

    10. Max is a nice guy and his club, while not the shit hole some seem to be pining for, is far from a new Ballard boutique. The place has soul and a good vibe, supports local and less-known bands, and is home base for an extended community of locals. And so the 10 year anniversary celebration of it becoming a non-dump is a problem why?

      oh look. the sun’s shining. Ima go file a complaint.

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