What the heck - let's have a music festival
Press release from 2002 tells the story of Anacortes' first heck fest
Shipwreck weekend What-the-Heck Fest in Anacortes, WA
Shipwreck Day is Anacortes, Washington's annual main street swap meet scheduled for Saturday, July 20th, 2002. Anacortes music label, Knw-yr-own, is celebrating Shipwreck Day weekend by staging a local music event dubbed What-the-Heck Fest.
If you have an appetite for garage sale booty, Swedish pancake breakfasts, independent music in a variety of styles, all amidst the scenic splendor of the San Juan archipelago, then mark your calendar and reserve a spot at the table for music, food, and all sorts of fun.
Anacortes bands Voodoo Spoon, Pounding Serfs, The Microphones, Button Happy, Gift Machine, Bi-Polar Bears, D+, and the Brothers Blau will be joined by friends Dub Narcotic Sound System, Lois, The Blow, Polar Bears, Laura Veirs, Nate Ashley, Sandman, Mirah and many more.
What-the-Heck Fest begins Friday, July 19th with an 2pm afternoon acoustic show at the Skate Park, followed at 6pm by an all-ages concert at the ACCA (old St. Mary’s church basement at 7th & N Ave.), and a joint cover night at three downtown taverns with live local music beginning at 9pm: Brown Lantern, Rockfish Grill and the Watertown Pub. $3 gets those over 21 into all three venues.
Bright and early on Saturday morning, eight blocks of tables will feature authentic junk from Anacortes homes, businesses, and non-profit organizations, including a Knw-yr-own table of new and used cds and records. At noon on Saturday, a free concert at Causland Park will feature local music and other fun activities. At 6pm a dinner, catered by Café Adrift, will take place at another all-ages concert at the ACCA, 1202 7th Street in Anacortes. Reservations for the dinner can be made online at www.knw-yr-own.com, and will include options for vegetarians and vegans. Another joint cover night will commence at the aforementioned taverns, with live local music beginning at 9pm. See performance schedule below (this is subject to change, which will be posted at www.knw-yr-own.com).
Shipwreck weekend What-the-Heck Fest in Anacortes, WA
Friday, July 19th, 2002 All Ages Skate Park show, afternoon sometime.
Ben Root Memorial Skate Park in Anacortes, R Avenue at 23rd Street
Little Wings, The Microphones, Brian Malloy…
Friday, July 19th, 2002 All Ages Concert, 6pm, 1202 7th St.
Lois, The Microphones, Pounding Serfs, The Blow, D+ , Karl Blau, Gift Machine, Mirah, Burl
Friday, July 19th, 2002: Brown Lantern, 9 pm, 412 Commercial Ave
Voodoo Spoon
Friday, July 19th, 2002: Rockfish Grill, 9 pm, 320 Commercial Ave
Nate Ashley
Friday, July 19th, 2002: Watertown Pub, 9 pm, 314 Commercial Ave
Little Wings, Fanny Alger
Saturday, July 20th, 2002: Shipwreck Booth on Commercial Ave.
Music and junk from 8 am until 3 pm. Songs will be sung and played by a steady stream of Knw-yr-own artists and friends.
Saturday, July 20th, 2002: Causland Park free concert and outdoor fun, Noon to 4pm, at the gazebo near 8th Street and N Avenue.
Short sets by knw-yr-own artists and friends from noon to 4ish. Liar Bird, Drizzle, and many more
Saturday, July 20th, 2002: All Ages Concert, 6pm, 1202 7th St.
This is a dinner, catered by Café Adrift, and featuring music from 6pm on with Mecca Normal, Dub Narcotic Sound System, The Microphones, Polar Bears, Little Wings, Nikki McClure, Voodoo Spoon, Dennis Driscoll, and Button Happy. Admission price ($25) includes the new Knw-yr-own compilation compact disc: Shipwreck Day
Saturday, July 20th, 2002: Brown Lantern, 9 pm, 412 Commercial Ave
Brothers Blau, Sandman
Saturday, July 20th, 2002: Rockfish Grill, 9 pm, 320 Commercial Ave
Laura Veirs and band
Saturday, July 20th, 2002: Watertown Pub, 9 pm, 314 Commercial Ave
Gift Machine, Bi-Polar Bears, Charming Snakes
Visit www.knw-yr-own.com for more information and reservations.
What the Heck Fest was an annual summer music festival that took place at various venues around Anacortes, always coinciding with Shipwreck Day, the City's annual garage sale and street fair in the middle of July. Music was the main focus, but movies, literature, and art were also in the mix. Heck fest, created and operated by Knw-yr-own Records, ran initially for ten years, from 2002 to 2011, beginning as a 2-day event at the American Croatian Club of Anacortes, including a deliciously catered group dinner, and free shows at Causland Park. The festival expanded to as many as four days over Shipwreck weekend, with larger shows at the Port of Anacortes Transit Shed and the Anacortes City Hall basement, and other shows at the Department of Safety, The Business, and Ben Root Skate Park. Three bars, The Brown Lantern, the Rockfish Grill and the Watertown Pub promoted joint-cover nights coordinated with heck fest. Bret Lunsford, Dave Matthies, Phil Elverum and Genevieve Castree were core organizers of the festival, with many more volunteers helping out. What the Heck fest was succeeded by Elverum and Castree’s Unknown Music Series, then The Business Presents. The Anacortes Music Project (AMP) has continued the tradition of a free Saturday music show at Causland Park during what became known as Shipwreck Fest. A scaled-down What the Heck returned in 2019, and again in 2024, for a one-evening dinner show concert at the American Croatian Club of Anacortes.