The sound of music mingled with a cool sea breeze this weekend as thousands strolled and danced along Pioneer Way.

Margaret Livermore, Oak Harbor Music Festival president, estimates that about 17,000 attendees made their way to historic downtown Oak Harbor Friday, Saturday and Sunday to enjoy three days of music, arts, shopping and food.

Last year’s event attracted a crowd of about 15,000.

“It was quite successful,” Livermore said.

Livermore said that the RV camping lot was nearly full, which it hadn’t been the year prior, and word on the street was that few hotels and motels had rooms vacant.

The Beatniks, who played at 9 p.m. Friday, and headlining act Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real, who played at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, drew especially large crowds.

In anticipation of Nelson’s performance, thousands of concert-goers of all ages had packed the street by 9 p.m., tapping their feet and singing along as Paul Simon’s recorded voice crooned through the speakers.

As Nelson and his band took the stage, the energy was palpable as approximately 5,000 attendees cheered ecstatically.

Many, like siblings Nelson Canter and Janet Corvin of Oak Harbor, had grown up listening to Lukas Nelson’s father, Willie Nelson, and were eager to hear how much the singer-songwriter resembled his famous father.

Both Canter and Corvin happily noted that the resemblance was striking.

“He sounds a lot like his dad,” said Corvin. “I’m really enjoying it.”

Corvin attended the festival once before, but this was the first time she and her brother went together.

“I think it’s awesome,” said Canter, who had also gone to shows by Broken Banjo, Namoli Brennet and the Joy Mills Band.

Nelson’s performance was also live-streamed by the Melodic Caring Project to children in hospitals nationwide.

Nelson dedicated each song to a hospitalized child.

“I thought it was wonderful,” said Livermore.

“Lukas did a great job. It was very touching.”

Nearly all aspects of the festival went smoothly despite a few evening showers, according to Livermore. Only one band was forced to cancel their performance, the last one of the festival, due to a van breakdown in Nevada.

Vendors, too, seemed generally pleased with the outcome, according to Livermore.

Barb and Don Pearson, owners of The Tinker’s Daughter, have sold their wares at the festival each year since its beginning.

Traffic was a bit light Saturday, Barb Pearson said, something she thought may be remedied by having a bit more audible music in the vendor area.

Overall, though, Barb Pearson said she appreciated the layout, and liked hearing the music when she had a chance.

“I’m not really familiar with local bands, I just know I like hearing the music,” she said.

Stacey Bemelman said she enjoyed the family-oriented nature of the festival, as well as the jovial atmosphere.

“Everyone is happy here,” she said as her daughter, Alyssa Bemelman, received an airbrush tattoo at Rockin’ Ryno Airbrush Tattoos.

Livermore said that the Oak Harbor Music Festival is also hoping to be able to give out three $1,000 Ed Bridges scholarships and three $1,000 Bruce Lantz scholarships to Whidbey Island high schools.

Last year’s scholarship total was about $4,500.

“I thought it was great,” Livermore said of the festival. “I can’t wait to come back next year.”