Inaugural Bluegrass Festival Comes to Whidbey Island This Month

The soulful sounds of Bluegrass will fill the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA) January 24 and 25 with the official launch of the inaugural Bluegrass Festival. The festival brings two Oregon-based trios to WICA, the Tony Furtado Acoustic Trio on January 24 and the Stephanie Schneiderman Trio on January 25. Set against the backdrop of a beautiful Pacific Northwest winter, the Bluegrass Festival will transport attendees to a bygone era while offering a new perspective on this quintessential American music.

“We love bringing new artists and programming to WICA,” says Deana Duncan, executive artistic director. “Over the years, our Bluegrass Jams have been a wonderful gathering opportunity for our community. We’ve been able to showcase the talents of our local Bluegrass artists and have created a space that connects and fosters a shared love of music. Now, as we launch our first Bluegrass Festival, I can’t wait to celebrate the talent that will be featured!”

The festival was inspired by the success of WICA’s Bluegrass Jams, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic as a part of WICA’s music education program—bringing local musicians together to meet and share music. Since then, the jams have grown to monthly events, consistently bringing people to WICA who are interested in learning more about Bluegrass. 

The first day of the festival will kick off with the Tony Furtado Acoustic Trio performance at 7:30 p.m. Featuring Tony Furtado, John Reischman, and Luke Price, the trio’s soulful music and multi-instrumental talent will entertain audiences, perfectly embodying the roots of Bluegrass music.

The second day of the festival will feature a performance by the Stephanie Schneiderman Trio at 7:30 p.m. The trio includes award-winning singer-songwriter Stephanie Schneiderman, as well as keyboardist and accordionist Jenny Conlee and bassist Keith Brush. Their performance will offer an exploration of folk, Americana, trip hop, and pop, all while celebrating Bluegrass and its impact on music.

The Rusty Rails String Band, a Whidbey Island-based Bluegrass group, will play in the piano bar an hour before the performances and during the intermission on both festival days. With a repertoire that includes Bluegrass material as well as fiddle tunes, country music, and related songs, the group consists of Whidbey Island locals Michael McInerney (guitar, mandola, and vocals), Bev Heising (fiddle, mandolin, and vocals), David Auer (6 and 12 string guitars, 5 string banjo, and vocals), Bob Aldrich (bass and vocals), and Chip Hayward (sound system, and audio and video recording). 

During the festival, attendees will have the opportunity to take part in Whiskey tasting, which will occur in Zech Hall an hour before the mainstage performance each day.

“It’s going to be a great festival and we can’t wait to share it with our patrons,” says Duncan. “What better way to spend a winter day than with the upbeat tempos, soulful acoustics, and beautiful vocals that make Bluegrass such a beloved music genre.”

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