It’s time once again for South Whidbey to be Django’d, and there’s a festival kick-off party to get the action going.

Everyone is invited to join Langley Mayor Tim Callison in welcoming gypsy jazz to Langley by offering DjangoFest a larger-than-life symbolic key to the city.

On Wednesday night, the kick-off party at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts brings out local flavors, music and art to get the five-day event going. Those who drop by can expect to find a beer garden run by Double Bluff Brewing, live music by Pearl Django, a variety of food trucks, an espresso cart and the re-opening of the popular Django Café.

The party is also where to pick up the first round of festival swag and one of the new T-shirts by David Price, Langley’s renowned encaustic artist, building designer and curator of artisan creations at the “edit.” gallery on First Street.

In addition to the Wednesday Kick-Off Party at WICA, there’s a Django Dinner this year at the Whidbey Island Fairgrounds and Event Center. Chef Jacque Baldwin will be dishing out hearty helpings of chili, pasta salad and down-home cornbread starting at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Also new this year is a Secret Kitchen Series, with an unkept-secret brunch buffet at the fairgrounds on Sunday morning, Sept. 22, at 10 a.m. Music is involved, and that part is still a secret thus far.

The Fairgrounds Campground is just around the corner from WICA, home to DjangoFest. Campers are well known for creating their own informal “djam” sessions, mini music shows and late-night mingling around roaring fire circles.

The schedule and lineup is on the festival’s website, djangofest.com