While traditional music festivals provide fertile ground for musical entertainment, we are taking our event a step further. Our aim is to ground the attendees of Departure Fest NW to a larger narrative of our community, so that all who attend can feel and see the robust energy that still exists when we come together to create something special.
We want to expand and grow, not just because of the response from our work from last August, but also because people are looking for musical outlets so that they can connect once again to live music, artisans and one another. Departure Fest NW 2023 is going to be something special.
Photo Credit: Moonlit Photography
Photo Credit: Shannon Conyers
Meet Kalan Wolfe and Keely Crow-Ka. You may recognize Keely from the Port Townsend Ferry or Kalan from American Idol 2019. You may have heard our band The Shift perform at events such as The Brinnon Shrimp Fest, The Quilcene Fair, The Sequim Lavender Festival, or the Okanogan family Barter Faire. Departure Festival strives to encompass the spirit of these festivals and pairing that with world class touring acts, storytelling, fantastic food and craft vendors, as well as weekend camping to create an event which leaves our souls feeling satisfied and our hearts replenished.
We are "departing" some of the old music festival trends and embarking on a much more community oriented approach. We are doing this by infusing native storytelling with world class music, local artisans and local businesses to create something new and enriching.