Larry Mason’s efforts to see the Oak Harbor Music Festival flourish start each year with a blank canvas.

Through all his tinkering, he likes what he sees so far in assembling a fresh 2015 band lineup made up largely of acts new to the Whidbey Island event.

The band lineup was announced at a launch party last week, though Mason still is working on a possible addition.

“We don’t have the same bands playing every single year,” Mason said. “I really want to try new things.”

Mason’s dedication to land a headliner for the Sept. 4-6 event resulted in securing Los Angeles-based rock band, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, which collaborated with Neil Young on an album that was released earlier this month.

Nelson’s band is touring across the country this summer, including stops with Young to promote the album they worked on together called “The Monsanto Years.”

Nelson, the son of country music legend Willie Nelson, will bring his band to Oak Harbor to perform at 9 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 5.

“We are just stoked,” Mason said.

About 15,000 people came to see the Oak Harbor Music Festival last year, doubling attendance from the previous year.

The event, which takes place on two main stages at opposite ends of Pioneer Way in historic downtown, is in its fourth year.

Penn Cove Shellfish Company and Island Trollers are stage sponsors.

Mason has lined up 29 bands for the three-day event with music ranging from country to rhythm and blues to bluegrass yet is heavy with rock.

Some of the most popular groups and performers from last year are returning, namely The Beatniks, The Fame Riot, The Robbie Walden Band and Dylan Jakobsen.

“Everybody was bugging me to get the Beatniks back,” Mason said.

The rest of the band lineup is largely different than 2014; although some performed in previous years.

Spokane-based rock band Too Slim and the Taildraggers are Oak Harbor- bound along with Rust on the Rails, a relatively new Seattle band that features Cody Beebe and Blake Noble, who performed in different groups in Oak Harbor last year.

The Kalimba Band, an Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band, will get the crowd “up and jumping,” Mason said.

Another band he’s excited about is Jelly Bread, a rock band from Reno, Nev.

“There are a lot of new ones that are really fun,” said Margaret Livermore, president of the Oak Harbor Music Festival.

The rest of the Oak Harbor Music Festival lineup consists of: Tango Alpha Tango, Adrian Xavier, The Mama Rags, Tiller’s Folly, The Dodgy Mountain Men, Namoli Brennet, Nathaniel Talbot, The Joy Mills Band, Broken Banjo, PETE, Clint McCune, Cranberry Bog Bluegrass Band, Janie Cribbs and the T. Rust Band, Ranger and the Re-Arrangers, Dan Duval Trio, A’Town Big Band, Lifeboat 14, Mark Lewis Cool Jazz Trio, Greg Murat and Cool Wind, and Dave McGraw and Mandy Fer.

The festival will run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday, Sept. 4, opening with Tiller’s Folly.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sept. 5, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sept. 6.

Mason played in the band, The Halyards, at last year’s festival. This year, he’ll be performing with Broken Banjo.

Two fundraisers will be held in July at the homes of festival supporters to benefit the music festival.

The first, titled “Into the Woods,” is a two-day concert featuring six bands, July 10-11, that will take place in Coupeville. The suggested donation is $25 per day or $40 for both days. Tents are welcome with advanced notice.

The second event, “Jazz on the Green,” features Terell Stafford. It will take place July 26. The suggested donation for that event is $35 per person.

Those interested in attending either may RSVP by calling Cynthia Mason at 360-544-2343.

The Oak Harbor Music Festival also is still looking for volunteers interesting in helping with the event. Needs include setup and teardown as well as working in the information booths and beer garden.

More information, including a volunteer sign-up form, may be found at www.oakharborfestival.com