If Keegan Harshman existed to do one thing, it was to do a lot with little.
With a team of volunteers, Harshman produces and sustains the grassroots all-ages music and arts festival Little BIG Fest. It’s a three day affair on Whidbey Island, Washington, that he works on 11 months out of the year. In August, he will not only helm the event, but also play in bands performing at the festival.
Previous incarnations featured artists like Outer Orbit, High Pulp and Andy Coe, alongside yoga classes, kid friendly activities and an array of food vendors. Harshman plays bass in his own group Doctor Savage and with others like the T.Rust Band and Nathaniel Talbot.
“My vision is to bring awareness to all the amazing musicians and artists, getting fresh stuff here,” Harshman said. The festival works to attract high caliber performing artists with guaranteed payouts, and helps provide networking opportunities and community partnerships.
The nonprofit Whidbey Island Music Portal, which Harshman is affiliated with, helped produce the 2023 edition of the festival. In January, Little BIG Fest officially became its own nonprofit, funded by sponsors and individual donors.
Celebrating the island's music scene
Harshman—who grew up on Whidbey—moved back in 2016 to raise his son. The bassist studied music and audio engineering in California, while working as a touring musician. Harshman noticed Whidbey lacked cohesive musical opportunities and accessibility. Commuting to Seattle for gigs was not cutting it either.
“I just decided, why not try to make something happen here," Harshman said. "That both creates sort of the vibe and scene that I’m hoping to be a part of and also share it with the community, and also create opportunities for our local musicians and regional musicians to play together and to connect and to network."
That inner dialogue sparked an initial series of concerts in 2017 at his shop Blue Sound Music. Harshman built a small stage, purchased a PA and booked local acts to play for tips on Sundays in summer. Before the shows started, Blue Sound Music served as a place for the music essentials: strings and cables. Afterwards, the shop transitioned into a space for community members, tourists and local artists to connect and participate in the music scene on Whidbey Island.
Billed as “Sunday Fundays” the concerts featured local legends like singer-songwriter Janie Cribbs and drummer Mickey Grimm. Cribbs is also an advocate for a strong island music industry and local events like Little BIG Fest.
“It’s important for us to bring our community together and to attract visitors to support our local economy and arts scene,” Cribbs wrote in an email.
The Whidbey blues musician heard about Little BIG Fest while performing at Whidbey Island Winery in 2018. Twelve bands played at property owned by a friend of Harshman before the event moved to the local fairgrounds in 2023. The first festival used the same PA Harshman bought in 2017.
“We heard live music wafting over the tree tops and knew there was some BIG magic happening on Whidbey! A year or so later bassist and founder of LBF—Keegan Harshman—joined the T. Rust Band and we got to watch the nascent idea grow into what it is today,” Cribbs told KNKX over email.
And it has grown, but Harshman is intentional about that growth, and inclusivity.
“My whole philosophy is to grow as you go and don’t bite off more than I can chew,” Harshman said.
Little BIG Fest has welcomed global music traditions too. Harshman partnered with the Rubatano Center, also based in Langley. Rubtano shares traditional and contemporary marimba music from Zimbabwe. Founder Dana Moffett hosts Zimbabwean artists each year to share their expertise with students and the community.
“By fostering an environment that respects and embraces differences, we aim to enrich the festival experience for everyone, making Little BIG Fest a true reflection of the vibrant, diverse community we serve,” Keegan wrote on the Little BIG Fest website ahead of the 2024 gathering.
These events are a big undertaking for an island community that's home to just over 80,000 people. While he may do a lot with a little, Harshman credited a team of helpers for making this a true grassroots festival.
"Little Big Fest is an amalgamation of many individuals and would not be possible without the countless hours, hard work and dedication from my co-producer, Priscilla Lowry and our A-Team of artisans and volunteers," Harshman said in an email.
Preparing for this year's festival
Harshman’s big goal for the winter is booking headliners. “I fit everything around that because they’re going to take up the majority of the music budget,” Harshman shared, without giving any hints. “I’ve got my ideas, not gonna say who.”
Little BIG Fest 2024 will arrive at a pivotal time for the Puget Sound music scene. Last November, Seattle Theatre Group announced THING festival would not return to Port Townsend in 2024. This may create room for another destination festival in the Puget Sound region. But that may not be the niche Little BIG Fest is seeking.
Harshman remains focused on how the festival can serve Whidbey Island’s musicians and scene. Little BIG Fest will continue to feature programming from the Greater Whidbey Island community.
“That was one time a year, at least, I could offer local musicians a guarantee that they deserve,” Harshman said.
In the meantime, look for live music at restaurants, wineries and other venues up and down Whidbey Island. You might be getting a preview of the Little BIG Fest lineup.
Little BIG Fest 2024 will take place Aug. 16-18 at the Whidbey Island Fairgrounds in Langley. Learn more at littlebigfest.org. Ticket specials run until May 5.
