Local band and musicians featured
OLYMPIA – July 13, 2016 – The Friends of South Whidbey State Park (FOSWSP)will host the first-ever Forest Music Festival this summer at the park near Freeland on Whidbey Island.
The festival is from 11 a.m. to early evening, Saturday, July 23, at South Whidbey State Park, 4128 Smugglers Cove Rd., Freeland. (Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/AjbWUX7gLxq) The festival takes place in the park’s amphitheater.
The festival will feature a variety of musical styles performed by top local Whidbey Island groups. Following the performances, beginning at 5 p.m., there will be an informal old-fashioned sing-a-long and jam session. The performance schedule is:
11 to 11:45 a.m. – Island Strings
A group of local strings instructors, performing a variety of styles with their students.
Noon to 1 p.m. – Shifty Sailors
A highly popular vocal group that energetically and playfully sings shanties and other songs of the sea. The group performs regularly at festivals in the Puget Sound area and has performed at several international tours.
1:15 to 2:15 p.m. – Whidbey Jazz Society
A six-piece vintage jazz band that plays well-known standards in both combo and Dixieland styles. The band performs regularly at restaurants in Oak Harbor and sponsors the annual Island Junior High and High School Jazz Band Concert.
2:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Levi and James
Local favorites vocally harmonizing their own original songs, along with guitar and cello.
3:45 to 4:45 p.m. – Cranberry Bog Bluegrass Band
A popular group that plays and sings bluegrass music with guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin and string bass.
5 p.m. – Informal guitar jam session and sing-a-long
With Richard Hughes' guitar jam group.
Jim Freeman, South Whidbey’s “conductor of fun,” will keep the event lively and entertaining. In addition to the music, Washington State Parks staff and volunteers from the Friends of South Whidbey State Park will have some presentations.
Admission is free. Lunch will be available for a nominal price. Parking is limited, so carpooling is highly encouraged. A Discover Pass is necessary for day-use vehicle access to the park.
For more information about the Forest Music Festival, contact John Leaser, Friends of South Whidbey State Park, jdleaser@gmail.com, (360) 222-3991.
Funding for the festival is made available in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Washington State Parks Foundation. The Friends of South Whidbey State Park will accept donations at this event to help in their work to support the park. The all-volunteer group provides necessary services to the park and puts on interpretive programs free to the public. For more information about the Friends of South Whidbey, visit: http://www.foswsp.org//
About South Whidbey State Park
South Whidbey State Park is a 347-acre park with 4,500 feet of saltwater shoreline on Admiralty Inlet. The amphitheater is uniquely situated in an old-growth forest overlooking the inlet. The park has numerous hiking trails and several picnic areas and opportunities for recreational shellfish harvesting. For more information about the park, visit: http://parks.state.wa.us/585/South-Whidbey
About Washington State Parks
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages more than 100 state parks and properties totaling approximately 120,000 acres. The Commission provides a variety of recreation opportunities for citizens and provides stewardship protection for a diverse array of natural, cultural and historic resources. State Parks’ statewide programs include long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation.
Follow Washington State Parks:
Share your favorite state park adventure on the State Parks’ blog site at www.AdventureAwaits.com.
Support state parks by purchasing your annual Discover Pass today, and enjoy a whole year of outdoor fun on Washington’s beautiful state-managed recreation lands. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Toni Droscher (360) 902-8604
John Leaser, FOSWSP, (360) 222-3991
Wash. Telecommunications Relay Service: (800) 833-6388-30-