For more than two decades, DjangoFest Northwest (DFNW) has brought the beauty of Django music to Whidbey Island. This year’s festival, which will take place at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) September 18-22, will be no different. Offering five days of incredible music, vibrant energy, and unforgettable performances, this heritage festival will showcase the very best of Django music in the beautiful Village by the Sea.
“It’s such an honor to host these talented Django artists,” says WICA Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan. “Our festival is a beautiful combination of creativity, fun, and artistry that brings together musicians and music lovers from all over the world. In addition to the nightly performances, the festival includes jazz workshops, outdoor ‘Djam’ sessions, and craft cocktails at the local restaurants. Our DFNW lounge is the perfect place to get into the festival spirit with custom merchandise or to connect with the Django artists. Whether it's your first time or your 20th, you're going to love DFNW 2024.”
This is the festival’s 24th year, with many memorable favorites returning to the stage as well as new talent debuting at WICA for the first time.
2024 Festival Lineup:
Wednesday, September 18
Sam Farthing and Friends
The Hot Club of Troy
Thursday, September 19
Clarinet Marmalade
The Idiomatiques
Friday, September 20
Pearl Django
3 Parts Bourbon
Aurore Voilqué Quartet
Saturday, September 21
Robin Nolan - For the Love of George
Angelo Debarre Gypsy Guitar Trio
Sunday, September 22
Trio Dinicu with Tommy Davy
Please check the DjangoFest website often for updates to the lineup, workshops, and festival information. Be sure to purchase tickets soon, they are going fast!
This year, the festival will also feature a Second Stage, giving DjangoFest attendees even more opportunities to interact with the iconic music. Applications are now open for Second Stage, which will take place prior to the matinee and evening performances on WICA’s Zech Hall patio—Thursday through Sunday during the festival. Whether a solo artist or a group, interested musicians should contact Troy Chapman at Troy.chapman@djangofest.com and share any information they feel relevant for their application (demo reel, artist/group bio, etc.). For those selected to participate, this is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other fans of Django music and to engage with the toe-tapping and enthralling music genre that has become an iconic part of life on Whidbey Island. In prior years, Second Stage performers have also been invited back in subsequent years to perform on the WICA mainstage.
To learn more about this year’s festival, visit djangofest.com.