DjangoFest Northwest Celebrates 25 Years
In less than a month, the soulful melodies of Django music will once again fill the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) with the annual DjangoFest Northwest (DFNW) Festival. Now in its 25th year, this iconic five-day Gypsy Jazz event will bring in artists from around the world to Whidbey in celebration of the music made famous by Django Reinhardt in 1930s France. This year’s festival will take place September 17-21 at the WICA campus in Langley. Along with the Festival Headliner Paulus Schäfer Quartet, which will feature Tim Kliphuis, the festival will include numerous concerts and opportunities for attendees to experience the festival lounge, take in performances by second stage musicians under the white WICA tent, and enjoy the specialty DFNW cocktail, a spiced apple Hot Club Old Fashioned.
“We’re thrilled to welcome returning and new Django artists to WICA for this milestone year,” says WICA Executive Artistic Director Deana Duncan. “For more than two decades, DjangoFest Northwest has brought in artists and supporters to Whidbey to enjoy this wonderful island and to experience firsthand the magic of this iconic and inspiring jazz. This year is going to be unforgettable, celebrating 25 years of memories while we continue to make new ones!”
The following is the festival lineup:
September 17
Opening Night Patio Party | Cafe Impromptu
Marceline Keene Trio
The Hot Club of Troy
September 18
Olli Soikkeli & Sam Farthing
Antoine Boyer & Yeore Kim
September 19
Christine Tassan et les Imposteurs
John Jorgenson Quintet with special guests Eric Vanderbilt-Mathews & Jacques Willis
September 20
Tim Kliphuis presents: Django Reinhardt – Hand on Fire
Eric Vanderbilt-Mathews All Stars
Paulus Schäfer Quartet featuring Tim Kliphuis
September 21
Hot Club of Cowtown
Nick Lehr Memorial Djam
Individual tickets are now on sale. To learn more or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.djangofest.com/.