Olympic Peninsula Brass Winds Festival set this weekend

Published 1:30 am Friday, July 24, 2026

SEQUIM — The Sequim City Band, in partnership with the Association of Concert Bands, will host the inaugural Olympic Peninsula Brass & Winds Festival today and Saturday, marking the first event of its kind on the Olympic Peninsula.

The free public festival will feature community wind ensembles from Washington and Northern California, showcasing musicians from some of the region’s best community bands.

Participating ensembles were selected through an audition process.

Festival performances are open to the public and will take place at two venues: 7 Cedars Hotel & Casino, 270756 U.S. Highway 101, and James Center for the Performing Arts, 506 N. Blake Ave., both in Sequim, with free parking available.

The festival is part of the ACB Pacific Northwest Connects! conference, a regional gathering designed to strengthen and celebrate community bands. About 125 musicians, conductors, band directors and administrators from across the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, as well as Iowa and Texas, are expected to attend.

Jeff Marlow, musical director of the River Valley Community Band and ACB’s president-elect, said the regional events typically feature community bands and one from out of state. It is “the Association’s way of fostering Community bands throughout the country,” he wrote in an email.

”We bring support to the local community band in connections from around the country to help make this event a special day of concerts,” he added. “We are looking forward to a great weekend of music making and fellowship.”

In addition to public performances, participants will take part in a collaborative reading session led by Brad McDavid, a retired University of Washington professor of music and former director of athletic bands. The conference also includes clinics and panel discussions focused on the role, growth and future of community bands.

“This event brings together musicians from across the region to perform, learn and build connections while sharing outstanding music with the Olympic Peninsula community,” organizers stated in a news release. “We’re excited to establish a new tradition that celebrates community music making.”

The Sequim City Band received grants for the event from Sequim’s Tourism Enhancement program, Clallam County’s Lodging Tax Fund, the Port of Port Angeles’ Community Partner Program and the ArtsWA FY27 Art Project.

The Sequim City Band is a volunteer community ensemble dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the Sequim area through engaging and accessible performances. The band presents a variety of concerts throughout the year, celebrating music for audiences of all ages.