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It’s that time again. Time to put away your skis and pull out your Chacos. Time to say adieu to the season of snow and welcome the warm air of a Colorado summer. Time to throw your iPod in your backpack and get out in the summer sun to listen to some real live tunes. And luckily for you, there are plenty of tunes to groove to and plenty of festivals to be found, especially if you are one of the many Coloradans who embrace the pickin’ and partying of the folk and bluegrass scenes. Though Colorado isn’t the birthplace of these rootsy styles, we certainly know how to celebrate the twangy sounds of the banjos, mandolins and guitars. And to help you choose the festival that will tickle your fancy in 2008, we’ve compiled a list of the hottest folk and bluegrass celebrations around. So pack your tent and sunscreen and get to groovin’. Before you know it, the summer sun will be setting, so don’t miss your chance to get down before it’s over.
 Bluegrass on the River
May 30-June 1
Greenway and Nature Center
5200 Nature Center Rd.
Pueblo, Colo.
Didn’t know that Pueblo had more than the state’s mental hospital or an abundance of free government publications? Well, it does. At least for the three days of the annual Bluegrass on the River festival. Bluegrass on the River is a great way to kick off your summer of folk. Hosted at Pueblo’s Nature Center, you’ll be able to listen to tunes in between taking a dip in the rushing Arkansas, sauntering around the numerous nature trails or simply taking in the beautiful cottonwood trees. The grounds are also home to a fantastic raptor center, a great opportunity to scope out birds of prey during set breaks.
Oh, and we forgot to mention: this festival is one of the cheapest of the year. A three-day pass will only set you back $30, but daily and camping passes are also available. For more information, call 719-549-2414, or visit www.gncp.org.
Scheduled to perform:
Pete Wernick & FLEXIGRASS
Hickory Project
Sons & Brothers
Bluegrass Patriots
Fireweed
Palmer Divide
High Plains Tradition
Hot Club of Santa Fe
Second Wind
High Atmosphere
The Ackermans
Hartmann Family Band
Matt Flynner Trio
The Stanleytones
Quickdraw Homegrown Music
Rocky Road Gals
Countyline Ramblers
Blue Canyon Boys
Fulton County Bluegrass
Silver Mountain Fiddlers
Silverton Jamboree Festival
June 12-15
Silverton, Colo.
Last year saw the inaugural celebration known as the Silverton Jamboree Festival. The Jamboree replaced the folksier Jubilee festival, and leave it to jam-banders to kick things up a couple notches. The event was a great success, so it’s back again with an even bigger lineup. Seriously. In just one year, headliners have gone from small-circuit bluegrass bands to the celebrity likes of The Motet, MOFRO, Robert Bradley and Reverend Horton Heat. At that rate, this might be the state’s next biggest festival. Our suggestion? Get in on it while the tickets are cheap and the vibe fresh.
In addition to the three days of tunes, an eclectic array of bellydancing, juggling, drum circles and family events will keep you occupied. Add all of that to the affordable camping and beautiful scenery, and you’ve got yourself a grand ole jammin’ time. For tickets and information, call 1-800-752-4494, or visit www.silvertonjamboree.com.
Scheduled to perform:
The Motet
JJ Grey & MOFRO
Reverend Horton Heat
Robert Bradley
Papa Grows Funk
Gigi Love
Smooth Money Gesture
The Last to Know
Revision
Oakhurst
Halden Wofford and the Hi Beams
Bruce Hayes
North Fork Valley Bluegrass & Roots Music Festival
June 12-15
Hotchkiss, Colo.
The North Fork Valley Bluegrass & Roots Music Festival is the state’s ultimate down-home festival. You won’t find overcrowded facilities or tripped-out neo-hippies here. The vibe is about as smooth as the Gunnison River that surrounds the festival site. Family-friendly, this three-day twang fest is full of relaxed honky tonk and bluegrass acts from across the country. For more information, visit. www.northforkbluegrass.com.
Thursday, June 12
The Metamoocil Mountain Boys
Chele’s Kitchen
The Hickory Project
Friday, June 13
Rock n Rye
Mighty Squirrel
Diana Jones
The Hickory Project
David Starr & Friends
Saturday, June 14
Mighty Squirrel
Kane, Welch & Kaplin
Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain
The Kruger Brothers
Diana Jones
Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams
The Hickory Project
Sunday, June 15
Bobby Mason
Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain
Diana Jones
The Kruger Brothers
Mighty Squirrel
Kane, Welch & Kaplin
Telluride Bluegrass Festival
June 19-22
Telluride, Colo.
The Telluride Bluegrass Festival is one of Colorado’s most treausured events. Residents have watched it grow from a tiny circle of pickers to one of the hottest and well-attended festivals in the country. It’s the kind of festival that musicians love to play — beautiful scenery, great people, amazing beer and a family feel. We’re not exactly sure what goes on behind stage, but we think that even the artists fight for a spot in the line-up.
This year is a special one for Telluride. Not only does it mark the festival’s 35th consecutive year, but it coincides with the Summer Solstice. That may not seem like a big deal to everyone, but it bears significance in a couple of ways. Dancers can twirl around under the sun even longer on that longest day of the year. NightGrass jammers will be accompanied by a full moon. And everyone can celebrate the fact that summer, officially, has arrived. There is no better way to kick off the season.
Multi-day, single-day and camping passes are still available, but should be ordered as soon as possible — this festival sells out. For tickets or more information, call 1-800-752-4494 or visit www.planetbluegrass.com/telluride.
Thursday, June 19
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
Ani DiFranco
Del McCoury Band
Arlo Guthrie
Uncle Earl
Cadillac Sky
Darrell Scott
Friday, June 20
Leftover Salmon
Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder
Paolo Nutini
Tim O’Brien
Peter Rowan & The Free Mexican Airforce
Emmitt-Nershi Band
Bèla Fleck and Duos with Friends
Spring Creek
Saturday, June 21
The Frames
Sam Bush Band
Brett Dennen
Yonder Mountain String Band
Jerry Douglas Band
Tift Merritt
Steep Canyon Rangers
Sunday, June 22
Telluride House Band featuring Sam, Bèla, Jerry, Edgar & Bryan
The Swell Season: Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova from the film Once
Hot Rize with Red Knuckles & The Trailblazers
John Cowan and Darrell Scott Band
Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile
The Duhks
Solomon Burke
NightGrass
Wednesday, June 18
Yonder Mountain String Band
Thursday, June 19
The McCoury Boys and Friends
Cadillac Sky
John Cowan and Darrell Scott
Friday, June 20
Yonder Mountain String Band
Uncle Earl
Spring Creek Bluegrass Band
Saturday, June 21
Emmitt-Nershi Band
The Duhks
Steep Canyon Rangers
Sunday, June 22
Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile
 Pickin’ on the Plains Bluegrass and Folk Festival
July 18-20
Bourguin’s Campground
Off I-70, between Denver and Kansas City
Colby, Kan.
When Dorothy was dropped off by a tornado into a land of Technicolor and talking strawmen, she historically remarked to her dog, “I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Well, yeah. If she were, the Lollipop Guild might have had better harmonies and Glenda’s wand would have been a mandolin, or at the very least, a flute.
While Colorado may tout big name festivals, nothing beats Kansas for a truly nitty-gritty bluegrass experience. Pickin’ on the Plains is an annual attraction for serious pickers and fans, not to mention gospel singers. So make sure you’ve got your best banjo face on when you hit the road for this one. You won’t be in Colorado, anymore.
For tickets and information, call 1-800-611-8835, or visit www.shorock.com/colby/.
Scheduled to perform:
Goldwing Express
High Atmosphere
Palmer Divide
Sons and Brothers
New Old Timers
Sappa Strings
Larry Boothe
McLemores
Retro Rangers
KGNU Charles Sawtelle Memorial Mountain Jam
July 20
Gold Hill Inn, Boulder
Known by loyal attendees as “The Charles,” the Charles Sawtelle Memorial Mountain Jam is an annual fund-raiser for our favorite local radio station, KGNU. But this isn’t your average silent auction or posh cocktail party; it’s a bluegrass throwdown. Hosted at the quaint Gold Hill Inn, The Charles is always a good time. The musical acts are accompanied by an abundance of local microbrews. There is no stopping The Charles — the event will go on rain or shine. For more information, contact KGNU at 303-449-4885 or visit www.kgnu.org.
Scheduled to perform:
Tony Trischka
The Ross Martin Trio
Spring Creek Bluegrass Band
John William Davis
RockyGrass
July 25-27
Planet Bluegrass
Lyons, Colo.
What’s summer without RockyGrass? This festival is possibly the pinnacle of all summer bluegrass events. And that’s a fact to which people are starting to catch on. Three-day passes for the event are already sold out, but a few lingering day tickets are still available.
This season’s lineup is one of the most versatile yet. It explores bluegrass from a variety of different roots, everything from Celtic to newgrass to fusion and good old-fashioned classics. You can lend your ear to all of these different styles while kickin’ back on the greens of beautiful Planet Bluegrass, where you can escape the July heat by taking a dip in the lazy St. Vrain or sneak off to a pickin’ circle in the open tents. In addition, arts and crafts for kids and instrument contests make for one of the most interactive festivities of the year. So grab your guitar, groom your dreads and get your grass (the blue kind, that is).
For more information, call 1-800-624-2422, or visit www.bluegrass.com/rockygrass.
Friday, July 25
Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas & Edgar Meter
Dan Tyminiski Band
Bèla Fleck & Friends
John Cowan Band
Russ Barenberg & Bryan Sutton
The Steeldrivers
Mike Marshall & Darol Anger
Spring Creek
Saturday, July 26
Natalie MacMaster
Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile
Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Bèla Fleck
Psychograss
Infamous Stringdusters
Bearfoot
Chatham County Line
Sunday, July 27
Sam Bush Bluegrass Band
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Peter Rowan
JD Crowe & The New South
Adrienne Young & Little Sadie
Stairwell Sisters
Gospel Set featuring Jeremy Garrett
Keystone Bluegrass and Brews Festival
Aug. 2-3
River Run
Keystone, Colo.
So what could make a free bluegrass festival in the mountains even better? One word: microbrews. For its 12th consecutive year, the Keystone Bluegrass and Brews Festival will combine the tunes of Appalachia with the beer of the Rocky Mountains. For two days you can get saucy and savor the tunes of some of the hottest bluegrass acts on two separate stages.
Admission to this one is free. The cost for a refillable beer tasting glass is a mere $30, or you can get full-sized drafts for $4 in the beer garden. All beer is provided by the finest in local microbreweries, with 25 Colorado hop purveyors represented. While the lineup is yet to be announced, previous acts have included Oakhurst, White Water Ramble, FLEXIGRASS and Marty Jones.
For more information, call 970-496-4386, or visit www.keystoneneighborhood.com/keystone/bluegrass.html.
Folks Festival
August 15-17
Planet Bluegrass
Lyons, Colo.
The end of this summer will have the nation’s eyes focused on Colorado for the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The DNC is sure to bring about a hectic and high-energy momentum, spinning local residents into a crowded mass of uptight media junkies. The week before, therefore, may be our last opportunity to unwind and relax before being thrown into the whirlwind of political affairs. Enter Folks Fest.
The Folks Festival is all about celebrating the mellow tunes of folk culture with some of the best songwriters out there. This year’s lineup brings a diverse crowd from across the globe, from Scottish folkie KT Tunstall to Australian trio The Waifs and Canada’s Great Lake Swimmers. If those acts aren’t enough incentive, Planet Bluegrass is guaranteed to be the best place around for some quality pre-DNC chill-out time.
For tickets and information, call 1-800-624-2422, or visit www.bluegrass.com/folks.
Scheduled to perform:
KT Tunstall
Amos Lee
Nanci Griffith
Greg Brown
Patty Griffin
Jakob Dylan
Missy Higgins
Todd Snider
The Waifs
Tim’OBrien
Josh Ritter
Melissa Ferrick
Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers
Great Lake Swimmers
Susan Werner
Steve Seskin
Luke Doucet
Sarah Sample
NedFest
August 22-24
Jeff Guercio Memorial Baseball Park, Nederland, Colo.
The Nederland Music and Arts Festival, known to locals as NedFest, just keeps growing and growing. Last year this grassroots hootenanny added an extra day to their schedule. This year, those three days will have extended hours: the performances will last until 10 p.m. on the first two nights, and until 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Eclectic people, grassy tunes and the mountain views of Nederland abound at this next-door-neighbor festival. And if that’s not enough to make you hop on the bus, here are a few other things to consider: free water provided by Indian Peaks Springwater, plenty of microbrews (not free, unfortunately), arts and crafts, camping and plenty of opportunity to support local nonprofits.
For tickets and more information, visit .
Scheduled to perform:
David Grisman Quintet
Steve Kimock with Melvin Seals and JGB
Kyle Hollingsworth Band
Vince Herman and Great American Taxi
The Motet
New Monsoon
Split Lip Rayfield
Tony Furtado Band
Larry Keel and Natural Bridge
Swingset with Banjo “Dave Johnson,” Sally van Meter, Dave Watts and John “Blackdog” Ridnell
Elephant Revival
Onda
OTHER ROOTSY GIGS IN COLORADO:
June 6 Paper Bird — With Golden Brown and Abe Abraham. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver, 720-570-4500.
June 14 Great American Taxi. Mishawaka Amphitheatre, 13714 Poudre Canyon Hwy., Bellevue, 970-482-4420.
June 15 Indigo Girls. Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder, 303-442-3282.
June 21 Cory Mon & The Starlight Gospel. Rock N Soul Cafe, 5290 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303-443-5108.
June 24 Mark Knopfler. Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Pkwy., Morrison, 720-865-2494.
June 26 Collin O’Brien. Swallow Hill, 71 E. Yale Ave., Denver, 303-777-1003.
July 5 White Water Ramble. Mishawaka Amphitheatre, 13714 Poudre Canyon Hwy., Bellevue, 970-482-4420.
July 13 Reed Foehl, Rob Drabkin, Kevin Mileski and Gregory Alan Isakov. Nissi’s 2675 N. Park Dr., 303-665-2757.
July 16 Kort McCumber and the McCumberland Gap. Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St., Denver, 303-777-1003.
July 17 New Riders of the Purple Sage. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.
July 19 Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival. Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder, 303-442-3282.
July 21 Rusted Root — With Pete Francis. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.
July 24 Snowmass Summer of Free Music — With Ruthie Foster. Snowmass Village Mall, Mountain and Fanny Hill, 1-800-SNOWMASS.
Aug. 2 Yonder Mountain String Band — With Keller Williams. Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Pkwy., Morrison, 720-865-2494.
Aug. 14 Hobo Nickles. Swallow Hill, 71 E. Yale Ave., Denver, 303-777-1003.
Aug. 16 Asleep at the Wheel. Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, 720-898-7200.
Aug. 18 KT Tunstall. Denver Botanic Gardens, 1055 York St., Denver, 303-865-3500.
Aug. 22 Split Lip Rayfield. Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, 303-322-2308.
Sept. 6 David Wilcox. Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder, 303-442-3282.
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