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The Mid-Week Beat: Here Comes Festival Season!

Music >

Here in the Pacific Northwest, Memorial Day weekend kicks off our music festival season. The Sasquatch Festival takes place at the Gorge, a huge outdoor ampitheater east of Seattle, and the Northwest Folklife Festival, the largest free music festival of its kind in North America, takes over Seattle Center in the heart of the city.

That said, the Pacific Northwest isn’t the only place where folks want to get outside and enjoy some music. A quick perusal of our site reveals a number of festivals happening all over the country this weekend and I thought I’d give you a brief list of some of the ones that caught my eye in Washington, California and Virginia.

What are you waiting for? Dig out the tent, grab the cooler and get out there and enjoy some live music in the great outdoors.

Port Angeles, Washington

Friday, May 24 to Monday, May 27 I 20th Annual Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts   Four days of music, dance, theater, and comedy fill the days and nights at the 20th annual Juan de Fuca Festival in Port Angeles over Memorial Day Weekend. If you buy your four day pass early you’ll save $10/person over the gate price! Pick them up right over here. Headlining this year are Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, The Slide Brothers, Delhi 2 Dublin, Tony Furtado Band, Houston Jones, Groove For Thought, LoCura, Shook Twins, Kaumakaiwa Kanaka’ole and more! The festival is free for kids 12 and under plus there will be a street fair filled with an eclectic collection of artisans and a food court with tasty treats from cuisines of the world will keep you browsing and munching on a daily basis. When the Main Stage closes, the fun continues with performances/dances around town with festival artists and these after hours shows are INCLUDED in your wristband price. Also this year there will be an OPEN MIC area outside. Come on down with you guitar or trumpet and help create that festival vibe.

Leggett, California

Friday, May 24 to Sunday, May 26 I Hickey Fest Music Festival   Hickey Fest (named for Standish Hickey State Park) is a 3 day independent music festival featuring 30 bands located in Leggett, California, just 3 hours north of the Bay Area. Look forward to a weekend of fun in the sun sharing the company of the West Coast’s best and brightest musicians featuring Sea of Bees, Warm Soda, Quinn DeVeaux, Sun Hop Fat, The Blank Tapes and more!! Admission price includes shared camping at Standish Hickey State Park where the South Fork of the Eel River shimmers against the backdrop of the majestic redwoods. Music will be happening just across the way at The Peg House featuring a shaded out-door stage and patio area, a delicious sandwich shack with lots of tasty micro-brews on tap, and general store for all your last minute camping and grocery needs. Pack your swimsuit, strap on your guitar and get ready for HICKEY FEST!

Martinsville, Virginia

Friday, May 24 to Sunday, May 26 I Rooster Walk 5   The fifth annual Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival happens this weekend at the Blue Mountain Festival Grounds near Martinsville, Virginia. Rooster Walk features a multitude of musical genres as well as arts, crafts and food vendors, plus children’s activities. Bands include: Leftover Salmon, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Yarn(x2), Larry Keel, Jenny Keel & Sammy Shelor, KUNG FU, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds and more. Rooster Walk has been named one of the top 100 outdoor events in the Southeast by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. It has also been highlighted in Southern Living Magazine as a top-ticket for the month of May. Last year, Rooster Walk drew more than 3,000 people and featured 32 bands with genres spanning rock, bluegrass, newgrass, Americana, jambands, jazz, country, reggae/ska, funk and soul.