Downtown Raleigh’s annual Hopscotch Music Festival, now two weeks away from its Sept. 5—7 run, has announced a full slate of day parties to accompany its evening showcases, along with a few changes to the original festival schedule.

Late adds to the lineup include D.C. Virginia DJ duo Gents & Jawns, New Hampshire metal band Vattnet Viskar, Toronto electronic duo Moon King, heavy Brooklyn groups Hunters and Sannhet, Triangle singer-songwriters Brett Harris and Skylar Gudasz, and New York performance artist Mykki Blanco (aka Michael Quattlebaum, a former Indies Arts Awards winner as a Raleigh teen).

Dropping out are XXYYXX, Loincloth, Riton, Foot Village and Ex Cops. Raleigh hardcore band Double Negative called it quits this summer, forgoing its scheduled Hopscotch slot. And, as reported last month, headliner Big Boi was replaced on Friday’s City Plaza schedule by A-Trak and Holy Ghost!, but will play a makeup date at Memorial Auditorium on Sept. 21.

The day party schedule includes five officially sanctioned Hopscotch shows along with more than two dozen events in a variety of mostly downtown venues sponsored by various businesses. Admission to all day parties is free.

With several nighttime highlight acts on the day-party slate (including Eros and the Eschaton, Doug Paisley, Torres) plus at least a couple of high-profile acts that are only playing day-parties (Thurston Moore/John Moloney Caught on Tape Duo, Chris Stamey, Spider Bags), a case could be made that this year’s day-party options actually outshine that of the formal festival.

Highlights include:

• Thursday, 1—10 p.m., at Sadlack’s Heroes and Schoolkids Records: Third annual Hopscotch Kickoff party with eight acts (including Magnolia Collective and Lynn Blakey & Ecki Heins) indoors at the two neighboring venues from 1—5 p.m., plus seven more (including June Star and Hank Sinatra) on the Sadlack’s Patio from 5—10 p.m.

• Thursday, noon—5 p.m., at The Pour House: The Art of Cool Project party with George Tisdale Band, The Hot at Nights and Brand New Life.

• Friday, noon—5 p.m., at CAM: Hopscotch official party with Valient Thorr, Colossus, Pontiak, Toon & the Real Laww and DJ Nixxed.

• Friday, noon—5 p.m., at Deep South The Bar: Schoolkids/Radio 96.1 party with River City Ransom, Hank Sinatra, Kenny Roby, Brett Harris and Onward, Soldiers.

• Friday, noon—5:15 p.m., at Kings: Three Lobed/WXDU party with Thurston Moore/John Moloney Caught on Tape Duo, Desert Heat, Glenn Jones, Magik Markers, Tom Carter and the Jenks Miller Band.

• Saturday, noon—5 p.m., at Lincoln Theatre: Hopscotch official party with Chris Stamey & the Fellow Travelers Orchestra, Lonnie Walker, Debonzo Brothers and Organos (plus DJ music on an outside stage).

• Saturday, noon—5 p.m., at Raleigh Times Bar (on the street outside): Hopscotch official party with Mandolin Orange, Doug Paisley, Lowland Hum and Cousins.

• Saturday, 12:30—5:30 p.m., at Busy Bee: Phuzz Phest Shredstorm with Spider Bags, Torres, Drag Sounds, Other Colors and Dark Prophet Tongueless Monk.

• Friday—Saturday, noon—5 p.m., at Rebus Works: SHOPscotch market with four acts each day including I Was Totally Destroying It and Wesley Wolfe (Friday) and Countdown Quartet and Goner (Saturday).

• Sunday, noon, at Slim’s: Fourth annaul Hopscotch Hangover with Jack the Radio, The Vibekillers, Some Army, Old Quarter and Cousins.

Check out the full list of day events here.

(Disclosure: INDY Week music editor Grayson Currin is co-director of Hopscotch.)