Get Ready for Up West Fest: January 17-19, 2025
Blake Lewis & The Staxx Brothers introduce Up West Fest featuring two nights of unique local music, art, and fashion across two iconic Seattle venues.
Night One: The Royal Room in Columbia City welcomes Blake Lewis and The Staxx Brothers on Friday, January 17th, with host Marco Collins. Blake Lewis will be joined by special guests Joe Doria and Danny Godinez. The evening also features a BUSKARAMA showcase of Pike Place Market licensed buskers, and an all-star session of B-Shorty's Jet Deck Super Jam.
Night Two: Ballard's historic Tractor Tavern welcomes Blake Lewis (w/ special guests) and The Staxx Brothers on Saturday, January 18, with host Morgan Henley. Featuring special sets by Steel Beans, Torry Hollimon (T-Spade) joined by Midpak and Hannah Rames, and BlueJay presenting a selection of Sick Donkey Records greatest hits. Lasers by the incomparable Donovan Lighting.
Both nights feature art by Chima-Linga Studio and fashion by Banana Style.
JUST ADDED: TECHNICAL WORKSHOP WITH BLAKE LEWIS (ALL AGES) - JAN 19
We're partnering with Blake and Seattle Drum School of Music in Georgetown to present a unique interactive learning experience for students of all ages! On Sunday, January 19, The LAB at Seattle Drum School of Music in Georgetown (1010 S. Bailey Street) will host a special session for youth and all interested to see firsthand how Blake uses tools and techniques to create one-of-a-kind songs and performances. Join us to get inspired to take your musical journey to the next level and get a chance to learn from a master of his craft!
Up West Fest is the latest project by local Rainier Valley 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Veterans of The Arts. The purpose of this mid-winter soiree is to develop a platform to help community-based festivals, including Northwest Folk Life, to continue to succeed.
What's Up West?
What's Up West?
What's Up West?
Up West Fest is an annual mid-winter festival with a very special purpose: Coming together as a community to launch artists to the next level.
Up West Fest kicks off its inaugural event in January 2025 and offers a festival sneak peek with multi-day, multi-venue event showcasing local music, art, and fashion, with unique opportunities to interact with artists about to blast off!
Our vendors, volunteers, sponsors, and friends join forces with the little festivals that have all the quality but struggle with the quantity to help them reach their full potential.
We encourage our friends to start festivals, and we have always helped them turn a profit, despite of a lack of capital and corporate sponsors. We are helping small festivals we love launch their line ups and early bird tickets with zero risk.
Mission
What's Up West?
What's Up West?
It's no secret the best coffee shops are the smallest businesses. At Pike Place Market where we launched our festival BUSKARAMA, Starbucks store #1 has a very hard time making a cup of coffee as fine as the literal hole in the wall, Ghost Alley Espresso. But one company makes millions a day and the other might make a couple grand.
We are here to protect the Ghost Alleys of the festival world at all costs.
Our team has helped Summer Meltdown, Brodie Nation, and Conscious Culture Fest take flight, and we have also worked behind the scenes at Sasquatch, Bass Canyon, Labor Dave, and so many major events.
