(Click on the date to jump to the schedule below)
4:00 pm - The Reptile Man
5:45 pm - Cheap Scenery
7:30 pm - The JD Hobson Band
9:30 pm - Publish the Quest
11:45 am - Olatunji Legacy Afro-Jazz Ensemble
1:45 pm - Memphis Radio Kings
4:15 pm - Stevie & the Blue Flames
6:00 pm - RESPOSADA
6:00 pm - Street Dance w/ Portage Fill (on Hwy South of Bank rd)
8:00 pm - Hell's Belles
10:00 pm - Little Creatures
12:00 pm - One More Mile
2:00 pm - Great American Trainwreck
4:00 pm - Loose Change
Friday, July 18th
FRIDAY 7/17 - 4:00 PM
Zoologist, educator, and author, Scott Petersen, presents 12 live reptiles in a 40-minute show that teaches the importance of all animals in nature.
Scott has been featured nationally on Disney's Bill Nye the Science Guy and on PBS' Biz Kids. He has appeared on Northwest Afternoon, Evening Magazine, and NPR Radio. Many corporations such as Microsoft, Boeing and Nintendo have used Scott to educate and entertain.
Reptile Man
FRIDAY 7/17 - 5:45 PM
Revisit the early days of punk rock with music that originated in legendary clubs like New York City's CBGBs, London's Roxy Club, and L.A.’s The Masque. CHEAP SCENERY plays old-school punk from seminal groups like The Clash, Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Gang of Four, Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers, X, The Cure, Dead Boys, Wire, The Jam, and Rezillos—along with a couple originals tunes that were inspired by those bands. CHEAP SCENERY is Rick Vanselow-guitar/vocals, Andre Sapp-bass/vocals, Melissa Feveyearvocals, Jeff Minzel-guitar, and Jesse Whitford-drums
Cheap Scenery
FRIDAY 7/17 7:30 PM
The JD Hobson Band delivers Blues and Americana steeped in rich outlaw country tradition, yet infused with a modern, driving edge. Fronted by JD Hobson and backed by a stellar lineup featuring Ron Weinstein on Hammond B3 organ, Dan Infecto on stand-up bass, and Doug Port on drums, it’s music with enough ghostly intimacy to move your soul, and enough rock-and-roll groove to move your feet. Critics describe their sound as a captivating mix—evoking Bob Dylan and The Band, the driving blues-rock of The Black Keys, and the gritty roadhouse vibe of Howlin' Wolf.
JD Hobson
FRIDAY 7/17 - 9:30PM
Jacob Bain & The Publish Quest, incorporates a plethora of Afro-beat elements and folk/rock/alternative leanings. Publish the Quest is bold horns with a cracking snare, melodic guitar, and bass going heavy on the funk. If you like Afrobeat and organic hip-hop, you’ll find Publish the Quest to massage all the right places.
This world beat political diatribe brings in everyone from Femi Kuti, Nneka, Oliver Mtukudzi, and Vieux Farka Toure to Matt Chamberlain, Eyvind Kang and Radioactive for a super mosh of salsa, hip hop, reggae, Arfopop and everything else but Guy Lombardo. High octane stuff that has appropriately sprung from the old hippie enclave of Vashon Island outside of Seattle.
Publish The Quest
Saturday, July 19th
SATURDAY 7/18 - 11:45 AM
The exciting Olatunji Legacy Afro-Jazz Ensemble is led by Grammy-Award percussionists Gordy Ryan & Sanga Of The Valley, with fellow Olatunji alumnae Ricardo Guidy, in an exciting 11-piece dance ensemble! Joined by fretless bassist Bruce Phares, keyboardist Chris O’Brien, pedal steel guitarist Dan Tyack, guitarist Steve Amsden, saxophonist Van Crozier, trumpeter Richard Person, Shekere/vocalist Zoe Ryan, & vocalists Victoria Amsden & Melanie Salonen, the group centers around highly-danceable African Djembe drum rhythms and songs, inspired by world-famous percussionist Babatunde Olatunji, with whom Gordy, Sanga, and Ricardo worked and recorded with.
Olatunji Legacy
Afro-Jazz Ensemble
SATURDAY 7/18 - 1:45 PM
DJoin the Memphis Radio Kings as they return to the Vashon Island Strawberry Festival, bringing their signature blend of heartfelt indie rock to one of Vashon’s most beloved music events. Since 2019, “Vashon Icon” Tony Mann has contributed his songwriting and performing talents to the group.
With over 25 years of performing across the Seattle area and beyond, Memphis Radio Kings have built a legacy of powerful live shows, seven independent album releases, and notable appearances at events like Bumbershoot and SXSW. Last year marked the release of their much-anticipated EP Even if You Don’t on their own Hot Stack label, and a full-length album tocome later in 2026.
Known for passionate, high-energy performances filled withhumor and soul, the band draws inspiration from ‘70s rock, classic country, and a bluesy, roots-driven swagger.
Memphis Radio Kings
SATURDAY 7/19 - 3:00 PM
Stevie and the Blue Flames has been passionately dedicated to the blues genre for over 40 years, drawing inspiration from legends such as Isaac Scott, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Elmore James, while also infusing our own unique style into every performance. We pride ourselves on delivering powerful, emotive shows that connect deeply with audiences, leaving a lasting impression that resonates long after the final note.
Stevie & the Blue Flames
SATURDAY 7/18 - 6:00 PM
With frontman Jean-Paul Builes as Creative Director, their TequilaFunk stirs up a rich batch of culture, music, and dance. Their rhythm-driven and dynamic landscapes pull from the Caribbean, West Africa, Queens, and JP’s new home base in Seattle. REPOSADO is a collective dedicated to using the power of music to connect and transcend. Channeling the musical stylings of Fela Kuti, Fania All-Stars, Curtis Mayfield, and James Brown, they create a modern bilingual activation. Bringing heart and inspiring all to get on their feet, this is music to honor the past, present, and future with hope, respect, and celebration.
REPOSADA
SATURDAY 7/18 - 6:00 PM
(Street Dance - south of Bank rd)
Since 1973, the Portage Fill Big Band has been a staple of the Strawberry Festival musical lineup. While they lean heavily on the classics from the Big Band era of the 30's and 40's, the Portage Fill also mixes in plenty of hot jazz tunes from later decades as well. Opening the music stage in Ober Park, the band plays a high energy set from the modern jazz era, while at the Street Dance, count on danceable tunes and standards from the Big Band Era. Vashon Island's original "garage band", the Portage Fill is guaranteed to get a crowd up and dancing!
Photo & Bio from Vashon Events
Portage Fill
SATURDAY 7/18 - 8:00 PM
HELL’S BELLES are first and foremost dedicated AC/DC fanatics. This is what we all have in common. We’re all part of a huge community of devotees to one of the greatest rock-n-roll bands in the world. This is who we all are, and this is what HELL’S BELLES strives to deliver with mechanical precision and passionate fury. Endorsed by Angus Young himself (Blender Magazine, 2003), HELL’S BELLES are the closest one can get without actually moving to Australia and joining AC/DC’s road crew.
HELL’S BELLES - committed, ferocious, meticulous women rock musicians delivering authentic AC/DC to the unbelievably supportive and wicked awesome fans. All day and all night long, all over the world, pitch perfect AC/DC delivered with a highly charged vigor.
Let there be rock!
Hell’s Belles
SATURDAY 7/18 - 10:00 PM
Little Creatures—Central Vashon’s only Talking Heads tribute band—will serve up a heaping plateful of highly danceable Talking Heads songs every time they perform. Are you ready for this?!
Whether you lean toward the CBGB-era Talking Heads of the late 1970s, their “middle years” with Brian Eno and Adrian Belew influencing their sound, or their later work incorporating synthesizers and world beats, there will be something for everyone to enjoy when Little Creatures takes the stage. Radio hits, MTV classics and more-obscure “B-sides” are all on the set list. And, they all have one thing in common: a beat you can dance to!
Little Creatures is the brainchild of island musicians and hardcore Talking Heads fans Stephen Buffington (drums) and Andy James (guitar/vocals). They are joined by Dorsey Davis from the FieldHands (bass/vocals), Rick Vanselow from Fendershine (guitar/vocals), Alex Drissell (keyboard/vocals) and Jon Whalen (percussion).
Little Creatures
Sunday, July 19th
SUNDAY 7/19 - 12:00 PM
One More Mile is a Vashon Island blues band featuring Jason Lollar, Mike Nichols, Dan Tyack, Chris O’Brien, Wesley Peterson, and Chuck Keller. Their sound blends classic blues standards with touches of soul, gospel, and New Orleans funk. Fans of Freddie King, The Meters, John Lee Hooker, Little Walter, and the Spencer Davis Group will feel right at home. The band has become a favorite at Vashon events including Strawberry Festival, Concerts in the Park, and Blues & Brews.
The members bring decades of experience performing everywhere from Carnegie Hall and the Grand Ole Opry to state fairs, prisons, clubs, and festivals across the country. Led by renowned guitarist and Lollar Pickups founder Jason Lollar, One More Mile is a group of seasoned musicians with deep roots in blues, rock, soul, and Americana, delivering authentic, high-energy performances wherever they play.
One More Mile
SUNDAY 7/19 - 2:00 PM
Great American Trainwreck delivers a timeless mix of Americana, roots rock, and country-folk, pairing memorable melodies with songs about love, loss, adventure, and life on the open road. Based in Seattle, the band blends tight musicianship, rich harmonies, and a deep appreciation for American roots music into a sound that feels both classic and contemporary. Whether playing a listening room or a festival stage, Great American Trainwreck brings the spirit of the highway and the heart of the Pacific Northwest to every performance.
Great American Trainwreck
SUNDAY 7/19 - 4:00 PM
Formed in somebody’s garage over 25 years ago and inspired by lead singer Troy Kindred’s passion for the music of the classic “let’s start a band” movie The Commitments, Loose Change is a powerhouse band of talented musicians with lots of heart that love to play classic, danceable tunes.
The 12 piece band features a tight rhythm section punctuated by plenty of horns and backup singers. They will cover mostly R&B, swing, and the occasional disco hit, with a few instrumentals and pop tunes thrown in for fun. At a Loose Change show, you are likely to hear songs like Land of a Thousand Dances, Knock on Wood, Stormy Monday, Mustang Sally, and Chain of Fools. You will most definitely hear the band’s signature closing song, Pink Cadillac, where all the ladies are invited to the stage to join in the ear splitting, horns blaring, everybody is smiling finale.
In a word, Loose Change is one big-ass, lots of brass, fun filled band.