2010 Doe Bay Music Fest was “all fun and beauty”
Published 11:12 am Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Over 1,000 people gathered at peaceful Doe Bay Resort last weekend for a laid-back music festival featuring ethereal vocals, virtuoso musicians and a mellow, friendly crowd.
“Doe Bay Fest was all fun and beauty,” said Orcas Islander Jennifer Brennock. “It’s like the soundtrack that should always be in the air at Doe Bay was finally playing for real. Sweaty lead singers. Children chasing bubbles. Parents smiling at each other. What’s not to love?”
Now in its third year, the festival presented artists like Hey Marseilles, The Maldives, Drew Grow and The Pastors’ Wives, Grand Hallway, Fruit Bats, Ravenna Woods, THEESatisfaction and the Portland Cello Project, receiving rave reviews from the Seattle Weekly, PI and Subsonic. Musicians performed on a main outdoor stage, while others entranced guests from a cafe stage and a rockin’ dance party went on inside the resort’s yoga studio later in the evenings.
On Sunday, as some headed for interminable ferry terminal waits, others lingered for final jam sessions and a few dives along a slip-‘n-slide set up on the green.
“Thank you for defying all the odds and being part of a crowd in excess of 1,000 people that never acted like a crowd.” wrote Doe Bay Resort owner Joe Brotherton in a thank-you to the attendees. “Even more, people didn’t just tolerate one another, but chose to really embrace and have fun with others, whether they knew them or not. We invited you to our property, just like we would to our home, and you acted like old friends.”
The event was pulled off without corporate sponsorship and banners, allowing the beauty of the 33-acre property to provide a tranquil, pastoral atmosphere.
Jami Mitchell, part of the Doe Bay staff, said, “Doe Bay Fest draws an amazing group of people to Orcas – people interested in good music, good food, and good times. We work hard to keep it really organized and under control so that everybody can safely enjoy themselves with minimal impact on our wonderful neighbors. We have gotten a lot of positive feedback from the Olga/Doe Bay community, and we are really thankful for the support. The most exciting part of Doe Bay Fest is the spontaneous music happenings that pop up throughout the weekend. This year we had a marching band traipsing across the property, morning music at the ocean’s edge, and a surprise performance on the porch in front of the store. It’s great to be able to provide a space for that creativity to flow freely!”
Those interested in attending the festival in 2011 will have to look sharp: tickets for this year’s event sold out within 10 days. For more information, see www.doebayfest.com.
