When Nick Lehr proposed the idea of a two-band, two-day DjangoFest to Stacie Burgua in 2000, she thought he might be crazy.

Gypsy jazz was still far from a mainstream genre in the United States, and a two-day festival could be costly if ticket sales were low. After a few months of contemplation, Burgua acquiesced and DjangoFest Northwest was born, attracting numerous “Djangophiles” from across the United States, Europe and Canada to the waterside town of Langley.

Since its inception, DjangoFest has become one of the most renowned Django Reinhardt, gypsy jazz festivals in the world, joining the ranks of such events as Festival Django Reinhardt in Samois-sur-Seine, France, where the revered musician once lived. This year’s event is expected to attract over 1,000 guests, according to Burgua.

Marc Esterly, executive director of the Langley Chamber of Commerce, said the festival gives a boost to Langley’s economy as attendees take advantage of local restaurants and lodging. The Chamber of Commerce will also re-open the Dog House Tavern to serve beer and offer patrons a chance to socialize and reminisce Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The 14th annual festival features 14 international acts as well as locals such as Pearl Django, and will be held Wednesday through Sunday, Sept. 17-21 at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts. Along with performances, the festival will also include workshops, special presentations and impromptu “Djams.” An opening celebration at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17, featuring Hot Club of Troy is free.

Featured artists are Ivan Peña Quintet, 3 Cent Stamp, Leah Zeger Quartet, Quinn Bachand, Greg Ruby’s Rhythm Runners, Trio Dinicu, Richard Smith, Joscho Stephan, Pearl Django, Robin Nolan Trio, Gonzalo Bergara Quartet, Rhythm Future Quartet, Tcha Limberger Trio, Stochelo and Mozes Rosenberg with Florin Niculescu and Simon Planting.

“Gypsy Jazz is toe-tapping, dance-in-your-seat music and our DjangoFest Northwest patrons are a happy lot,” said Burgua in an email to The Record. “New and seasoned musicians find the genre challenging, but accessible. Novice players and rabid fans from across the country, Canada and Europe make the annual sojourn to Langley to participate in this five-day event and rub elbows with world-famous musicians.”

Dwight Deason is one such fan who has been traveling from Des Moines, Iowa to Whidbey to attend DjangoFest Northwest for over a decade.

“DjangoFest Northwest is kind of the original mecca for gypsy jazz in the United States,” said Deason. “It’s a great getaway and you see some of the best musicians in the world. The main reason I keep coming back is the music and the people I have met over the years that I am able to call friends.”

An admirer of Django Reinhardt since the 1970s, Deason’s interest in gypsy jazz increased in the late 1990s when he joined an online chat group where he connected with fellow fans. Through the online grapevine he heard of DjangoFest Northwest, one of the first gypsy jazz festivals in the U.S.

“I just got caught up in that even though I live out in Iowa,” he said. “It is very unique. Listening to Django is eye-opening, just the excitement of the music and the wonderful, innovative and different type of guitar sounds that you don’t hear out of commercial music or radio.”

Although Django Reinhardt’s music and the tradition of gypsy jazz were strong in Europe, DjangoFest Northwest was one of the only destinations within the United States at which fans could hear music from groups such as the Rosenberg Trio. The “incredible beauty of the island” and hospitality of locals made the event even more attractive, said Deason, who has also attended festivals in Massachusetts, Wisconsin and France.

“The atmosphere is so friendly,” said Deason, adding that both fans and world-renowned musicians are approachable. “That may not happen at a rock festival or something like that. It’s just different.”

Bill and Kathy Small are on the road to Langley from their home in Hutchinson, Kansas, to attend their seventh DjangoFest Northwest.

“We had been fans of Django for quite some time. When we discovered DjangoFest Northwest online, there was no doubt that we would attend,” wrote Kathy Small in an email to The Record.

Like Deason, the Smalls have become friends with several fellow attendees and noted that the festival is as much about the people as it is the music.

From the first year, she said, the couple relished the energy of Djams and performances, along with the variety of performers from across the globe.

“It is like no other music on the face of the earth,” said Small. “[gypsy jazz’] energy is unlike that of any other type of music.”

Pearl Django guitarist and Langley resident Troy Chapman concurred that the energy of the genre and festival are captivating for audiences and musicians alike.

“DjangoFest Northwest is one of the greatest gypsy jazz festivals in the world,” he said. “The fact that it’s actually developed and held on South Whidbey just gives the residents of Whidbey and the greater Seattle area access to a series of concerts by some of the greatest musicians in the world, literally.”

For Chapman and others, DjangoFest is a round-the-clock musical extravaganza. Due to its small-town location, Chapman said, the festival is able to run “pretty much 24 hours a day.”

“It’s constant music for a week,” he said. “It allows the people who enjoy playing this music the opportunity to come and play to their heart’s content.”

“The amount of fun packed into five days is phenomenal. It’s worth the annual ‘Djangover,’ resulting from days without sleep,” said Burgua. “I meet musicians from around the world and have become friends with many of the returning patrons. It’s like a family reunion every year.”

For more information including a full performance schedule, visit wicaonline.org/

djangofest-northwest#.