Community members on the Key Peninsula, the southernmost region of Washington’s Kitsap Peninsula, are organizing a new one-day music festival called the Madrona Music Festival on Saturday, October 26, 2024.
Tickets for the festival are free but required and are limited to the first 500 people on a first-come, first-served basis. Those interested in attending can claim their free tickets by visiting the festival’s website.
Dean Johnson, named “Seattle’s next great singer-songwriter” by the Seattle Times, is the festival’s headliner, and organizers expect the entire lineup to draw a crowd.
“Yonlander is proud to be the media sponsor of this inclusive, community-oriented event filled with music, fun, and food,” said Matt Hildreth, event organizer and Editor of Yonlander. “This is a country folk festival for country folks, and that’s what Yonlander is all about.”
Hosted at the Key Peninsula Civic Center, seven miles off Highway 16, just south of Gig Harbor, this festival promises a day filled with old-time and alternative country music, community spirit, and the best local food trucks on the KP.
The line-up will feature some of the region’s most prominent names in alternative country, old-time, and Americana music, including Dean Jonson, Eli West, and Alessandra Rose.
Dean Johnson
Whether performing at intimate acoustic sessions or rocking out with his band at local venues, Dean Johnson’s fusion of country, folk, rock, and blues elements creates a unique and soul-stirring sound that resonates with listeners from all walks of life.
Watch “Faraway Skies” by Dean Johnson
Eli West
Having made a name for himself as an arranger, songwriter, performer, and composer, Eli West has been shaping a roots music sound focusing on the Northwest. His earlier work includes collaborations with Cahalen Morrison and John Reischman and recordings with Bill Frisell and Dori Freeman. The album “Tapered Point of Stone” highlights West’s collaborative approach.
He is also a talented multi-instrumentalist, playing electric guitar, banjo, pedal steel, acoustic guitar, and tenor guitar on this album alone. His warm vocal style is likely to resonate with a broad audience.
“Tapered Point of Stone” by Eli West
Alessandra Rose
Music fans rarely encounter an artist as captivating as Manette, WA’s Alessandra Rose. On her new LP RODEOMOTHH, the Kitsap Peninsula powerhouse has built a work of expansive, beguiling, psych-tinged anthemic rock and roll. Every song on the album, recorded in Nashville, tells a part of her journey as a mother.
“I was on a mission to finally make the songs that were boiling up inside of me,” she said. “It was one of those artistic moments where it was all literally just coming out of me — what I wanted to sound like, what I wanted the songs to be. I was fully me through that whole process. I didn’t have to make tweaks to sound more ‘Nashville.’ I was trying to bring the waters of Seattle to Nashville and find harmony within that.”
Watch “Panic at Sunrise” by Alessandra Rose
Old-Time Bluegrass Jam and Beginners Square Dance
Festival organizers will include live music from the main stage, an old-time music jam, and a square dance earlier in the day.
Old-time music is the music that working-class people in America played in their homes and at celebrations, dances, and social gatherings before the radio and recorded music. The uniquely American sound comes from a Scotch-Irish fiddle, an Italian mandolin, a Spanish guitar, and an African banjo. This cultural exchange occurred in many places throughout the country but is most often associated with the southern Appalachian region.
Today, local old-time musicians still get together to play old-time music, often called “fiddle tunes.”
Key Peninsula Civic Center is at the heart of the Key Peninsula community
Key Peninsula Civic Center is at the heart of the Key Peninsula community. For over 65 years, community volunteers have lovingly maintained this rural, vintage facility. The Civic Center was originally part of the Vaughn Union High School.
The beautiful fall weather on the Key Peninsula promises festival-goers a cool and crisp experience. The forecast indicates peak fall foliage between October 12 and October 28. The festival organizers provide outdoor and indoor options so attendees can enjoy a rich program regardless of the weather.
Volunteers are still needed.
The Madrona Music Festival is looking for residents passionate about live music and interested in supporting musicians in our community to volunteer and help with event setup, hospitality, artist assistance, or crowd management.
“Volunteering with the Madrona Music Festival is a fantastic way to connect with fellow music lovers and contribute to a meaningful cause,” Hildreth said. “By offering your time and skills, you’ll support a diverse range of artists and help to foster a sense of togetherness within our community.”
According to Hildreth, volunteers will play a vital role in creating an enjoyable experience for attendees and contributing to the vibrant arts scene on the Key Peninsula.
“We hope this is just the beginning of a new chapter of live music on the Key Peninsula, which has a long history of supporting regional performers,” he said. Those interested in volunteering with the festival can sign up by visiting the event’s website.
