HONK! Festival West is an independent 501(c)(3) arts organization that produces an annual free, three-day, community-supported music festival in public spaces of the Seattle area. This immersive festival is driven by the energetic performances of street bands from around the world. HONK! is part of a global renaissance of street band culture, with Seattle’s festival occurring since 2008.

Imagine the energy of a second-line procession from New Orleans brought to a neighborhood near you in the Seattle area. In 2024, HONK! goes down in Georgetown on May 31st, Columbia City on June 1st, and another TBD location on June 2nd. A worldwide festival, it started near Boston in 2006 when a group of renegade street bands got their groove on. Two years later, the event spread to Seattle. Now, it happens all over, including in our neighboring cities of Tacoma and Portland.

Bands at HONK! Fest West travel from all over the country to temporarily transform streets in various neighborhoods with a free showcase of various musical styles. The bands represent traditions ranging from New Orleans second line brass bands, punk rock marching bands, European Klezmer, Balkan and Romani music, Samba, Maracatu, as well as the passion and spirit of Mardi Gras and Carnival!

In addition to brass bands, find percussion groups, punk rock marching bands, and even Seattle-based cultural performances all jamming away. Previous banks that have played include Neon Brass Party, 8-Bit Brass Band, and Filthy FemCorps—Seattle’s all-women, nonbinary, and trans street band! Expect color and costumes from the performers and an all-ages crowd psyched for summer. Plus, the harmony of the horn section.