Port of Skagit to Host Music in the Park @ SWIFT
The Port of Skagit is inviting the community to the first ever Music in the Park @ SWIFT concert event on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
This family-friendly event will be held at the SWIFT Center, the former Northern State Hospital campus, in a picturesque outdoor setting so guests can enjoy the natural beauty and rich history of the property. The event is highlighted by two amazing local musicians Benny Sidelinger and Friends for the Ghost.
It's a goal of the Port of Skagit to create events that bring light and life to the property and invite the community to enjoy the historic campus.
“This first ever music event is an opportunity to welcome the community to this property for an evening of entertainment and reach a new audience of folks who aren’t yet familiar with this amazing place and the potential it holds,” stated District 3 Port Commissioner Mahlon Hull. “We are excited to have the community gather here, further engage with the property, and simply enjoy this tremendous public asset.”
The Port of Skagit took over the former Northern State Hospital campus in 2018 from the State of Washington after a multi-year effort to transfer the property to local public ownership. The Port restored public access to the campus in 2019, and great progress has been made by Skagit Trail Builders to restore and build trails in and around the property that connect to the Northern State Recreation Area (NSRA), which is owned and operated by Skagit County.
The July 26th event will begin at 5:30pm and will take place in a grassy area on the east end of the campus off Thompson Drive. (Guests should use the Fruitdale Road entrance to the SWIFT Center campus, go to Thompson Drive and follow the signs for parking). The event will feature food and drink offerings from True North Bakery as well as a beer garden area featuring beverages from Chuckanut Brewery and Garden Path Fermentation. The Music in the Park @ SWIFT event follows the 4th Annual Remembering Northern State Public History Day hosted with Skagit County Historical Museum earlier that same day.
For more information, visit www.portofskagit.com/music