{"id":973925,"date":"2019-12-06T12:41:23","date_gmt":"2019-12-06T19:41:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/?p=922649"},"modified":"2019-12-06T12:41:23","modified_gmt":"2019-12-06T19:41:23","slug":"the-10-best-colorado-mountain-town-music-festivals-of-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu\/music-news\/the-10-best-colorado-mountain-town-music-festivals-of-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"The 10 Best Colorado Mountain Town Music Festivals of 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Known best for its bounty of<\/span> tucked-away mountain towns<\/span><\/a> and world famous ski resorts, Colorado has in recent years become a global destination for music lovers of all types too. The state\u2019s well-programed calendar of diverse music festivals highlights Colorado\u2019s renowned,<\/span> four-seasonal beauty<\/span><\/a>, the charm of Rocky Mountain life, and the rich<\/span> cultural offerings<\/span><\/a> of the west. To help <\/span>prepare<\/span><\/a> for the busy season ahead, here are the 10 <\/span>festivals<\/span><\/a> that promise a caliber of <\/span>music and grandeur<\/span><\/a> found only in the Centennial State.  <\/span><\/p>\n

1. Mountain High Music Festival, January 16-18, Crested Butte<\/b><\/p>\n

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Credit: Matthew Berglund<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Give those knee ligaments a quick, high-season break off skis for three nights of country shimmer in <\/span>Crested Butte<\/span><\/a>. Tucked in a valley between areas of dense national forest land, the festival hosts artists like CMA-winner and <\/span>crossover star<\/span><\/a> Lee Ann Womack, the resonant Craig Morgan\u2014who recently won the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, the highest honor the Army dons on citizens\u2014and the young hit machine Luke Combs. Afterward, check out the vibrantly-colored, <\/span>Victorian charm<\/span><\/a> of the town\u2019s main drag, Elk Avenue. (If you like what you see, be sure to return in July to find out why Crested Butte is called the <\/span>wildflower capital of Colorado<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n

2.WinterWonderGrass, February 21-23, Steamboat Springs<\/b><\/p>\n

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Credit: Molly McCormick<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Though bluegrass took hold in the hills of Appalachia, this mountain state has taken a liking to the American roots genre and shows it off with this fete in <\/span>Steamboat Springs<\/span><\/a>. Nashville\u2019s Molly Tuttle is an up-and-comer in the genre\u2014her 2019 debut record <\/span>When You\u2019re Ready<\/span><\/i> shows off a deft picking style and quick wit\u2014while Greensky Bluegrass from Michigan hits the stuff hard and heavy. The can\u2019t-miss attraction is Margo Price, whose voice has a twang of Loretta Lynn and the soul of the outlaw era. Signed to Jack White\u2019s Third Man Records, she\u2019s played on SNL and was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2019 Grammys. Between sets, don\u2019t forget to take a dip in Steamboat\u2019s titular attraction, whether at the classic <\/span>Old Town Hot Springs<\/span><\/a> or the slightly more rustic <\/span>Strawberry Park Hot Springs<\/span><\/a>. A trip to one of the state\u2019s best dispensaries, <\/span>Rocky Mountain Remedies<\/span><\/a>, may be worth exploring before taking a thermal dip or a show. <\/span><\/p>\n

3.Snoe Down, March 20-22, Frisco<\/b><\/p>\n

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Credit: Paul Citone<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The jam band and Woodstock \u201999 alum Moe. bring their long, wandering riffs to Colorado for the first time for three early spring days in <\/span>Frisco<\/span><\/a> with <\/span>Snoe Down<\/span><\/a>. At 9,000 feet and surrounded by fourteeners, the old <\/span>mining town<\/span><\/a> has plenty of opportunity for half-day <\/span>hikes<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>fishing<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>snowshoeing<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

4.Country Jam, June 11 \u2013 14, Grand Junction<\/b><\/p>\n

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Credit: Courtesy Country Jam<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

This festival, with 2019 headliners like Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, and Little Big Town, serves as a perfect opportunity to enjoy the red rock bliss of western Colorado. <\/span>Country Jam<\/span><\/a> encourages <\/span>camping<\/span><\/a>, so you might as well get dirty in the grand valley\u2019s gorgeous <\/span>arches and canyons<\/span><\/a>, and clean up on a <\/span>rafting trip<\/span><\/a> of the Colorado river. <\/span>Grand Junction<\/span><\/a> is also the state\u2019s unofficial wine country capital, with more than <\/span>20 nearby wineries<\/span><\/a> boasting old-world-style cabs (like <\/span>Two Rivers Winery<\/span><\/a>\u2019s cabernet sauvignon) and floral Rieslings (like the <\/span>award-winning<\/span><\/a> bottle from <\/span>Whitewater Hill Vineyards<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

5.Telluride Bluegrass Festival, June 18-21, Telluride<\/b><\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

An adorning crowd of 10,000 self proclaimed \u201cFestivarians\u201d dance to the music at the 31st Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, in Telluride, Colorado. (Photo by Tim Tadder\/Corbis via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A top ticket of the Colorado festival season, <\/span>TBF<\/span><\/a> returns for its 48th year. Some 12,000 attendees are expected for each day\u2019s twangy session. Though the lineup isn\u2019t out until the new year, recent headliners include Kacey Musgraves, Jim James, Sturgill Simpson, and Norah Jones. June is officially camping season in Colorado, though<\/span> Telluride\u2019s<\/span><\/a> spread of <\/span>boutique hotels<\/span><\/a> may convince festival-goers off the dole to drop a little extra for something special. The <\/span>Mountain Lodge Telluride<\/span><\/a> has that warm alpine appeal and rooms that start around $169, while the mountain village at <\/span>Lumi\u00e8re<\/span> offers exquisite comfort around $500. For something that taps into Colorado\u2019s southwestern roots, consider the <\/span>Ice House Lodge<\/span><\/a> (from $248). Or try the <\/span>New Sheridan Hotel<\/span><\/a> (from $163) which opened in 1891 and was remodeled in 2008, and is smack in the middle of the town\u2019s historic district.<\/span><\/p>\n

6.Sonic Bloom, June 18-21, Rye<\/b><\/p>\n

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Credit: Courtesy Sonic Bloom<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

It\u2019s a busy weekend in mid-June, but if the classic festival in Telluride isn\u2019t doing it for you, head to <\/span>Rye<\/span><\/a> in the foothills of the San Isabel mountains for<\/span> Sonic Bloom<\/span><\/a>, a new-school stop on the electronic music circuit. In addition to 2019 headliners like Slovenian trip-hop legend Gramatik and Australian bass head Opiuo, Sonic Bloom hosts dozens of performance artists and light displays.<\/span><\/p>\n

7.The Ride Festival, July 10-12, Telluride<\/b><\/p>\n

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Credit: Courtesy The Ride Festival<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Back in Telluride<\/span><\/a>, this weekend after the Fourth is <\/span>The Ride Festival<\/span><\/a>, Colorado\u2019s rock purist festival, with recent acts such as Sheryl Crow, Pearl Jam, Beck, and Big Something. With summer in high gear, Telluride is an SPF-heavy wonderland for outdoor lovers. A<\/span> free gondola<\/span><\/a> from town rises up to a 10,540 foot peak (open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in the summer) to offer unparalleled views of the valley and access to many biking, hiking, and skiing trails. For those more inclined to earn their viewpoint, nearby Bridal Veils Falls (the tallest free-falling waterfall in the states) and the Ophir Wall just outside of town feature classic sport and trad climbing lines put up by luminaries like Lynn Hill.<\/span><\/p>\n

8.ARISE, August 2-4, Loveland<\/b><\/p>\n

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Credit: Jacob Morch \/ Unsplash<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Head to the northern front range for <\/span>ARISE<\/span><\/a>, an eclectic fest featuring recent headliners like Thievery Corporation, Jurassic Five, and Beats Antique. <\/span>Loveland<\/span><\/a>, originally a trading post, is just an hour from <\/span>Rocky Mountain National Park<\/span><\/a>, the most visited destination in the park system for a reason\u2014Bear and Emerald lakes are <\/span>stunning alpine features<\/span><\/a>, and there are still a few glaciers dotting the area. If you\u2019re all peopled-out from the weekend, Bobcat Ridge Natural Area in <\/span>Loveland<\/span><\/a> is known for common sightings of its namesake feline, as well as other fauna like elk and occasional mountain lions.<\/span><\/p>\n

9.Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, August 7-9, Lyons<\/b><\/p>\n

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Credit: Courtesy Planet Bluegrass<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Run by Planet Bluegrass\u2014the same association that puts on <\/span>RMFF<\/span><\/a>\u2019s big-brother fest in Telluride\u2014this festival in <\/span>Lyons<\/span><\/a> strays from the genre a little more willingly, featuring recent headliners like Ben Folds, Violent Femmes, Indigo Girls, and Jeff Tweedy. A particular treat of this fest is the North St. Vrain Creek, which cuts through festival grounds and offers a tubing opportunity for those who aren\u2019t quite ready to commit to the <\/span>whitewater park<\/span><\/a> in Lyons\u2019 Meadow Park. The must-stay in town is Lyons\u2019 quaint <\/span>WeeCasa<\/span><\/a> resort, which features Insta-ready micro-trailers that can somehow still sleep four to six.<\/span><\/p>\n

10.Seven Peaks Fest, Late August (Date TBA), Buena Vista<\/b><\/p>\n

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Credit: Courtesy Seven Peaks Fest<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Held in 2019 on Labor Day weekend, <\/span>Seven Peaks Fest<\/span><\/a> hosted country haymakers like Luke Bryan, Travis Tritt, and Dierks Bentley on campgrounds that live up to the town\u2019s name. To be in <\/span>Buena Vista<\/span><\/a> at the end of August is to have the <\/span>Arkansas River Valley<\/span><\/a> at your fingertips: In the surrounding area are 10 picturesque fourteeners, world-class <\/span>fly-fishing<\/span><\/a>, the <\/span>Mount Princeton Hot Springs<\/span><\/a> to ward off the night\u2019s pre-fall bite, and the ghost town of <\/span>St. Elmo<\/span><\/a>. Buena Vista is also the premier <\/span>whitewater <\/span><\/a>destination in the U.S., featuring a fine whitewater park and fantastic options for rafting trips of all lengths.<\/span><\/p>\n

via:: Rolling Stone<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Known best for its bounty of tucked-away mountain towns and world famous ski resorts, Colorado has in recent years become a global destination for music lovers of all types too. The state\u2019s well-programed calendar of diverse music festivals highlights Colorado\u2019s renowned, four-seasonal beauty, the charm of Rocky Mountain life, and the rich cultural offerings of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-973925","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-music-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-26 09:10:19","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KFMU Solar Powered Radio","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/973925","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=973925"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/973925\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=973925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=973925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kfmu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=973925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}