EVERETT — New twists and prominent headliners could make this weekend’s sixth annual Fisherman’s Village Music Festival its biggest and best yet.
Organizers expect 6,000 people to attend the three-day festival, which kicks off at 6 p.m. Thursday and hosts headlining indie rockers Wolf Parade at 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
This year the festival has relocated its big shows from central downtown to the Everett Station District at the corner of 33rd and Cedar streets, east of the transit station. It also consolidated into two outdoor stages and a third stage inside the Scuttlebutt Taproom & Brewery.
Thursday night’s lineup presents in downtown at three cozy sites: Black Lab Gallery, the Schack Art Center and at Narrative coffeehouse.
“We decided to move the location because we’re growing and are looking for a safe space to grow,” festival producer Ryan Crowther said by email.
He said heading to the Everett Station District will have less impact on traffic and residents. Because it is just a block from the transit station, more people can come by train.
Another change is an inaugural Night Market on Friday and Saturday at the festival’s central hub. In partnership with Everett Makers Market, it features free music, a variety of local vendors and a beer garden.
Hosting Wolf Parade and Burien rapper Travis Thompson, which Crowther called two of the “buzziest” headlining acts in festival history, and everything else combined, all points toward possible record-breaking numbers.
“Using the regional tourism calculation and our target attendee goal of 6,000 people over the weekend, we believe this event will directly bring nearly $600,000 to Everett,” Crowther said.
Julio Cortes, a city spokesman, could not confirm a dollar figure. But he agreed the festival will bring money to the city.
He said last year he brought his in-laws from Bellevue to the Fisherman’s Village festival. They also shopped, ate and went to a comedy show.
“They said they didn’t know Everett had such a cool downtown,” Cortes said. “We get the benefit of having something cool for both our residents and visitors to experience.”
This year’s music lineup includes 53 acts playing a wide variety of styles. More than 20 are local artists — the highest number in festival history.
Members of Wolf Parade, a Canadian indie-rock band popular in the mid-2000s, just reunited after a seven-year hiatus. The band released its fourth album, “Cry Cry Cry” on Sub Pop Records in 2017.
Travis Thompson made headlines earlier this year when he signed a contract with Epic Records, joining a roster that includes Travis Scott and 21 Savage, among other notable acts.
“Our lineup as a whole is a delicate balance of well established national talent and active local artists,” Crowther said.
Crowther, sponsor of the Everett Music Initiative, said the festival will spotlight Everett’s expanding role in the regional music landscape. A number of bubbling
Everett groups, including Oliver Elf Army, Tellers, I Will Keep Your Ghost and The Porters, are in the festival’s lineup, as well as Seattle’s Pickwick and Parisalexa.
“Between the Black Lab Gallery, Tony V’s and other spaces in town, bands are playing several nights every week. Fisherman’s Village Music Festival is a showcase of a lot of those artists that play regularly and take part in the growing scene,” Crowther said. “We feel lucky to be a part of it and witness it all first hand.”
Cortes, 33, used to come to Everett from his previous home in Lake Stevens to listen to live music. He said several City Hall staff members play in local bands.
“Snohomish County has a ton of talent,” he said. “Everett is going through a wave of change that’s bringing excitement. Not only in music, but in the art realm as well. It’s just starting now to make some noise.”
Admission for the Fisherman’s Village Music Festival costs $15 for Thursday night, $35 for Friday night or $40 for Saturday. You can pick up a three-day pass for $79. Wristbands can be purchased online at www.thefishermansvillage.com/tickets
A small but lively audience listens to one of the many bands playing inside the Historic Everett Theatre during the inaugural 2014 Fisherman’s Village Music Festival in Everett. The 2019 event, centered around the corner of 33rd and Cedar streets, will include bands on stage inside Scuttlebutt Taproom in the Everet Station District.
