By GENE STOUT

Sometimes it pays to think big.

Organizers of the 2011 Heineken City Arts Fest opening today, Oct. 20, and continuing through Saturday, Oct. 22, have assembled more than 150 local and national artists for a fall bash at more than 20 local nightclubs, theaters and other venues.

The second annual festival boasts a lineup featuring such acts as Ryan Adams, Robyn, Built to Spill, Crystal Castles, Shelby Lynne, Ozomatli, Blackalicious, Freestyle Fellowship, The Hold Steady, The Long Winters and Shabazz Palaces, just to name a few.

The festival hub is FRED Wildlife Refuge, a multi-purpose venue on Capitol Hill where “Culture Club” activities include visual art exhibits, music, literary and humanities programs and performance art.

The ambitious festival is produced by City Arts Magazine, a multimedia company that distributes a free monthly magazine on music, arts and urban lifestyle in the Puget Sound area. The festival got off to a strong start last year, selling 23,000 tickets. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better.

All-access wristbands, as well as staggered performance schedules, allow festivalgoers to see multiple bands and headliners in the same night. View the entire schedule of performances and purchase wristbands (as well as individual tickets) by following this link.

By the way, Shabazz Palaces performed at the 2010 Capitol Hill Block Party. View a photo gallery here.