PAF 2023

The Pacific Northwest's premiere/sole audio show, the Pacific Audio Fest (PAF), takes place today through Sunday June 25 at the Doubletree by Hilton at SEATAC airport near Seattle. Attendees, who judging by pre-registrants, could double or triple 2022's inaugural PAF attendance, will discover 41 active exhibit rooms, eight exhibitors in "Record Row," seven exhibits (from six companies) in the "Headzone," and at least nine booths (from eight companies) in the "Marketplace" at the other end of a large shared ballroom.

Given that PAF is sponsored by Gary Gill, longtime sponsor of the Capital Audiofest, and his business partner Lou Hinkley, also of Daedalus Audio loudspeakers, the show appears well-organized. All the signage is up a day early, and Marjorie Baumert (above), the energy and heart behind the sorely lamented Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, was helping out at the registration table. To paraphrase and update an old phrase, you can take the woman out of the show, but you can't take the show out of the woman. For which we are all better off.

Hotel registration was another story. With only two people behind the counter, one of whom was catering to priority registrants, several formerly cleanshaven visitors seemed in need of a shave by the time they received their room keys. While waiting in line, I encountered one exhibitor who proclaimed, "Well, we've got all our equipment, but it's all warming up on the floor because our rack hasn't arrived." Yup, it's a show.

Perhaps the hiccups are a reaction to the Summer Solstice. The past two nights have seen the most daylight of the year, which may mean that darkness is struggling to assert itself in one way or another. Regardless, what better entry to more audio show coverage than this photo, taken approximately 10:15 pm on Solstice eve from the "Overlook," three blocks from our house in Port Townsend, WA?

Longtime Stereophile contributor Brian Damkroger, who is returning after a hiatus, will share coverage avec moi. Because some exhibitors travel from show to show, we'll strive to focus on the new, the different, and the not over-covered. Please stay tuned as reports appear over the next week or so.