The Ballard Music & SeafoodFest has just announced its lineup for this year’s festival, with Built to Spill headlining the three-day event.
The festival, happening July 10–12, is introducing an updated name and branding while continuing a 52-year tradition as one of the largest and longest-running celebrations of seafood, craft beer, live music, and community.
Organizers say the name change reflects the festival’s evolution into a multi-day music event, while maintaining its focus on seafood and community gathering. The festival remains free and open to the public.
Music will begin Friday evening with headliner NITE WAVE. Saturday’s headliner, Built To Spill, is scheduled to perform July 11 at 8:30 p.m. Sunday’s lineup will feature a range of local artists, with Wild Rumours closing out the weekend.
The full lineup presented by KEXP includes Built To Spill, Low Cut Connie, NITE WAVE, The Dusty 45s, Wild Rumours, Coral Grief, Seattle’s Last Waltz, The Maya Experience, Joyla Red, BeatleConcert, Phinney Ridge Steel Band, #All4Doras, and School of Rock.
Here’s the schedule:
Friday, July 10
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. – Nite Wave
7:15 – 7:45 p.m. – #All4Doras
6:00 – 7:15 p.m. – DJ
Saturday, July 11
8:30 – 10:00 p.m. – Built to Spill
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Low Cut Connie
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. – The Dusty 45s
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Coral Grief
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. – The Maya Experience
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. – Joyla Red
Sunday, July 12
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – Wild Rumours
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. – Seattle’s Last Waltz
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Beatleconcert
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. – School of Rock
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Phinney Ridge Steel Band
10:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Zumba w/Ballard Health Club
According to the Ballard Alliance, the festival draws more than 75,000 attendees each year. It began in 1974 as a neighborhood salmon barbecue and fundraiser and has since expanded into a three-day event featuring music, seafood, craft beverages, and all-ages activities. Proceeds continue to support neighborhood improvement projects and programs administered by the organization.
Organizers are also seeking volunteers for this year’s event, noting that hundreds of community volunteers help make the festival possible. They’re still looking for help with the beer garden, set-up, salmon bbq, info booth, kids deck, kids cove, barricade-minders, and tear-down.
Photo: Ballard Alliance