Pondering the glut of must-go summer gatherings this summer across the state and trying to schedule a calendar and itinerary could require an app, not mention a calculator. From music festivals that include paddleboarding to barbecue competitions and Shakespeare under the stars, there seems to be a destination right for hipsters, families, craft brew fans, sidewalk art geeks and country music lovers. By JOHN LEHNDORFF, via his blog.
To help you choose we have assembled a guide to Colorado’s top festivals, circa summer 2016 (minus the ones that happened in June) . The list is focused mainly on multiple day happenings so we left out a wealth of concerts at such epic venues as Red Rocks and Chautauqua Auditorium.
This feature appears in the June 2016 issue of Sensi Magazine:
Top Image: Sam Bush and David Grisman join the Del McCoury Band at the 2015 Rockygrass for a stellar version of Grisman’s instrumental, “Dawg’s Bull.” (John Lehndorff)
Here are few of our singalong, dance-along, yoga-fied, scratch-n-sniff favorites:
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July 2-4 Cherry Creek North, Denver
Why it’s cool: Cool kids art activities, food booths and live music in the streets of Cherry Creek North
Lineup: 260 juried exhibitors and emerging artists and a huge collaborative mural
Rocky Mountain Old Time Music Festival
July 6-10, Parrish Ranch, Berthoud
Why it’s cool: Historic farm barn hosts square dancing and workshops on being a square dance caller
Lineup: Foghorn Stringband, Red Squirrel Chasers, Bootlickers
High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival
July 7-10, Bluff and Summit Park, Westcliffe
Why it’s cool: Intimate crowd, onsite mountain camping, four days of progressive bluegrass jamming
Lineup: Claire Lynch, David Grier. Keith Little, Helen Highwater Stringband, Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore, Steel Pennies
Rocky Mountain Regional Gay Rodeo
July 8-10, Jefferson County Fairgrounds, Golden
Why it’s cool: The hippest, most fun rodeo event of the summer in Colorado
Lineup: All day rodeo including riding steers with a Grand Entry of competitors at noon each day
Telluride Town Park July 9-10
Why it’s cool: Camping, hiking, fishing, biking, a roaring river and restaurants in a box canyon surrounded by San Juan Mountains peaks
Lineup: Pearl Jam, Cage the Elephant, The Dirty Knobs (with Mike Campbell), The Temperance Movement, Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons, Radio Moscow, Band of Heathens
Crested Butte Wildflower Festival
July 11–17, Crested Butte
Why it’s cool: Picture yourself hiking down one of Colorado’s most eye-popping valleys painted with wildflowers
Lineup: Botany in Half a Day; Stalking the Wild Edible; Folk Remedies
The Divide
July 22-24, Winter Park
dividemusicfestival.com
Why it’s cool: Coachella-inspired festival includes mountain biking tours, trail running, yoga, camping, food trucks
Lineup: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Passion Pit, Kid Cudi, Blondie, Cake, Foxfield Four, Gipsy Moon, Splyt, The Fray
Bass Center 2016
July 29-30, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City
bassnectar.net/2016/02/bass-center-2016
Why it’s cool: Multiple official after-parties offsite and camping villages (The Shire & Narnia); Nitrous oxide prohibited
Lineup: Bassnectar, Flux Pavilion, Wu-Tang Clan, Flying Lotus, Porter Robinson, Lupe Fiasco, Alunageorge, Minnesota, G Jones, Dabin & Thriftworks
RockyGrass Festival
July 29-31, Planet Bluegrass, Lyons
bluegrass.com/rockygrass
Why it’s cool: Eye-candy location, small audience, great food, concert-side creek, Colorado state bluegrass championships, family tent
Lineup: Steep Canyon Rangers, Tim O’Brien, Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton, Abigail Washburn, Mark O’Connor, Rhonda Vncent
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AUGUST
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Vertex
August 5-7, Buena Vista
vertexfestival.com
Why it’s cool: Rafting the Arkansas, VIP Tents, dancing and organic food with 14,000-foot peaks of the Collegiate Range as a backdrop
Lineup: Odesza, Alabama Shakes, Trey Anastasio, Dawes, Fruition, Graham Nash, Houndmouth, The Claypool Lennon Delirium
Telluride Jazz Festival
Aug. 5-7, Telluride
telluridejazz.org
Why it’s cool: It’s in Telluride. Plus: Free Colorado craft liquor tasting on Friday
Lineup: John Cleary, Marcus Miller, Galactic, John Scofield, Jeff Coffin, Rebirth Jazz Band
ARISE Music Festival
Aug 5-7
Sunrise Ranch, Loveland
arisefestival.com/2016
Why it’s cool: Seven stages, yoga, theme camps, art gallery installations, children’s village, speakers, films and camping on 100 acres
Lineup: Ziggy Marley, Jurassic 5, The New Mastersounds, hutureprimitive, Jeff Austin, Travelin’ McCourys, Fortunate Youth, Everyone Orchestra
20th Annual Bluegrass & Beer Festival
Aug. 6-7, Keystone
keystonefestivals.com
Why it’s cool: Craft breweries, live bluegrass in an exceptionally cushy environment for a bluegrass festival
Lineup: Larry Keel, Peter Rowan, Tim O’Brien, Mandolin Orange
Telluride Mushroom Festival
Aug. 18–21, Telluride
telluridemushroomfest.org
Why it’s cool: 36th annual fungi-centered gathering features the famous Mushroom Parade
Lineup: Forays, mushroom identification sessions, demos, dinners, screenings and discussions about culinary, medical and mind-altering aspects of fungi
Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
Aug. 19–21, Lyons
bluegrass.com/folks
Why it’s cool: This is an audience that actually listens to lyrics
Lineup: The Decemberists, Lucinda Williams, Passenger, Darrell Scott, Dougie MacLean, Kathy Mattea, The Lone Bellow, Cheryl Wheeler
Nedfest
Aug. 26-28, Barker Reservoir, Nederland
nedfest.org
Why it’s cool: Jam-centric season ender is blocks from the hand-carved Carousel of Happiness and a few miles from Caribou Ranch Open Space, site of legendary Caribou studio where John Lennon, Elton John recorded. bouldercounty.org/caribouranch).
Lineup: Taj Mahal, Kyle Hollingsworth, Roosevelt Collier, Melvin Seals and JGB, Paper Bird
John Lehndorff has written about music in Colorado for the Boulder Daily Camera, Rocky Mountain News and Bluegrass Unlimited. Read his blog at: johnlehndorff.wordpress.com. Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles at 8:25 a.m. Thursdays on Boulder’s KGNU (88.5 FM, 1390 AM, streaming at kgnu.org).
