2025 RockyGrass Festival

FESTIVARIANS!

Welcome to the center of the bluegrass universe! It’s me, your pal the program! You might notice I’m looking a little... slimmer this year, a few less pages weighing me down. After 52 years, I was starting to feel the weight of all this paper. So, from here on out, I’m embracing the minimalist lifestyle.

But don’t you worry yourself right out of your river tube, this isn’t a sign of less festy fun, it’s actually quite the opposite. This year, I’ve entered the digisphere. That’s right, the times are a-changing, and I’m evolving – into a brand-spanking-new Festival App! Now, all the vital information – the artist bios, Main Stage schedule, maps, etc. – is right there in the palm of your hand. It’s like having me, but way cooler and less likely to get crumpled in your backpack. Now, you know I hate to intrude on the present moment, but if you’ll let me, I can give you a real-time heads up with weather alerts, schedule changes, and set reminders. I’ll handle the logistics, you focus on the stuff that counts.

As you relax on your tarp, shake yourself from sleep with early morning yoga, or cool off in the river, take a moment to introduce yourself to your neighbors. Few friendships develop as quickly, or last as long, as those born amongst bluegrass harmonies. You know the drill: wear sunscreen, drink lots of water, and keep those ears open! We hope you take this time to unwind, be present, and savor these long summer days. You’re home now, let us take it from here.

The Folks on Planet Bluegrass STAY IN TUNE OUT THERE,

FESTIVATION PARTNERS

RULES & GUIDELINES

First thing’s first, feel free to sit on any open tarp (especially up front) until its owners return. Make a few friends and do some dancing, that’s what we’re all here for!

SOME REMINDERS WHILE WE HAVE YOU HERE:

Tarps may be no larger than 10’ x 10’. We will be checking!

Climbing the hillsides and cliffs is STRICTLY prohibited. There is no lifeguard watching your kids in the river. Be sure to monitor your children carefully!

Sunshades and high-back chairs are only allowed in designated areas. All high-back chairs must be behind the sound booth. If we can roll a basketball under your chair, we will ask you to move it behind the sound booth.

Umbrellas, shade tents, and other view-obstructing items are allowed only along the river and back perimeter of the festival grounds.

Drones are not permitted on the Festival grounds or in any of our campgrounds or parking areas.

PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS —do not stand in the festival seating areas, and do not smoke in the audience! Instead, wander over to the smoking tent near the river, and deposit your butts in the proper receptacles. Sustainable Festivation, ya know?

Lost and Found is located at the Main Festival Box Office.

TARP LINE POLICY

Festivarians may begin assembling for the next day’s line numbers no earlier than 11pm, along the pedestrian walkway outside of the Main Box Office.

At around midnight, the number line will be led through the customs gate, where we will distribute random numbers and mark wristbands to show receipt of a number. These numbers will be shuffled randomly. Each person may receive no more than one number.

The next morning, Festivarians should re-assemble in line number order beginning one hour before gates. Festivarians will be admitted into the festival in this randomly-assigned order, followed by all Festivarians without line numbers.

PLANET BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL APP

Designed with our Festivarian family in mind, this app puts the entire festival in the palm of your hand. From daily schedules and venue maps to bar menus and artist bios, everything you need to navigate is just a tap away.

Want to catch an impromptu set in the Wildflower Pavilion? Curious about the Campground Challenge? The app has you covered. Plus, real-time notifications will keep you in the loop with important updates, including schedule changes, weather alerts, and other Festival-specific announcements. Download it today from the App Store or Google Play, and get ready to experience RockyGrass like never before. See you out there! Introducing

A GREENER FUTURE Certification

We are delighted to announce that all three of our major Festivals (Telluride Bluegrass, RockyGrass, and Folks Festival) achieved the Greener Festival Improvers Certification in 2024 by not-for-profit sustainability specialists A Greener Future.

The assessment involves detailed analysis and onsite inspection of areas of sustainability such as transport, energy and power, waste, water usage, local environment, CO2 and food and beverages.

“Improvers” signifies great strides on the green event journey, with continued improvements, and shows your event exhibits a significant engagement with the process of reducing negative environmental impacts and enhancing positive impacts.

We will take what we learned from this process and continue to improve & enhance our efforts.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL 2O24 IMPACT REPORT ON THE FESTY APP OR ON OUR WEBSITE!

RockyGrass Refreshers

BEERS + HARD SELTZERS

Come find the Family Area along the river behind the Wildflower Pavilion 11:00-4:00PM

There will be jewelry making, boat building, flower crown designing, face painting and arts & crafts!

While you’re over there, check out the Instrument Petting Zoo (courtesy of HB Woodsongs). This is a place for kids and their parents to discover, strum, and play a variety of instruments. HB Woodsongs’ knowledgeable staff of instrument zookeepers provide the instruments, you provide the curiosity.

We ask that parents please accompany their kids at all times while in the Family Area.

WINE

JOIN US FOR AN HOUR OF YOGA

MUSICAL COMPETITIONS

Since the first Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival, the band and instrument contests have been a beloved part of the festival experience. Discover the next generation of musicians as they vie for new instruments, cash prizes, spots on the Main Stage, and of course the clout that comes with winning one of these prestigious contests.

Instrument Competitions

Each instrument contestant performs two tunes in the preliminary round. The top three on each instrument advance to the final round where they perform two different songs. Musicians are judged “in the blind” using the following criteria:

BANJO

1st Prize: Deering John Hartford Banjo Prelims: Friday, 11:30am, Wildflower Finals: Saturday, 10:55am, Main Stage

FLATPICK GUITAR

1st Prize: Preston Thompson D-MA Guitar Prelims: Friday, 1:00pm, Wildflower Finals: Saturday, 10:30am, Main Stage

MANDOLIN

1st Prize: M5-F Bourgeois Mandolin

Prelims: Friday, 2:30pm, Wildflower Finals: Saturday, 10:05am, Main Stage

FIDDLE

1st Prize: Thomas Verdot Paragon Fiddle

Prelims: Friday, 4:00pm, Wildflower Finals: Saturday, 9:40am, Main Stage

DOBRO

1st Prize: $750

Prelims: Friday, 5:30pm, Wildflower Finals: Saturday, 9:15am, Main Stage

Band Competition

Cheer on these aspiring young bands while they gather in traditional bluegrass style around a single microphone and compete for a spot on the 2026 RockyGrass lineup.

SCHEDULE

Prelims: Saturday, 1:30pm, Wildflower Finals: Sunday, 1:00pm, Wildflower

Hey Festivarians –Here’s to independent care that puts you first.

BMC has been local, independent, and physician-owned since day one. That means that our decisions start and end with the people we care for — you.

Primary Care

Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine.

Specialty Care

Allergy, Dermatology, Endocrinology, ENT, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, OB-GYN, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Podiatry, Rheumatology, Urology.

Urgent Care, Optical Shop, Pharmacy

CHALLENGE Clean Campsite

With more than 2,000 campers in Lyons this weekend, (nearly doubling the size of our town!), it’s critical that we respect these beautiful Festival grounds that we get to call home for a few days.

In collaboration with Leave No Trace, we will be rewarding campsites that excel in creative, clean and sustainable camping. To nominate your campsite or one of your neighbors, pick up an entry form at the Leave No Trace booth near the Wildflower Pavilion and tell us your secrets to keeping your campsite clean. We will announce a random winner each day from the stage and reward them with goodies from our partners including Zeal, Leave No Trace, and The Country Store (so get your forms in early!).

One grand prize winner will be selected Sunday afternoon. This grand prize winner will receive a pair of FREE 3-day passes and camping for next year’s Festival!

Congratulations to our 2024 Clean Campsite Challenge winner: Wedgie the Veggie Van!

Wildflower Pavilion ROCKYGRASS

Main Stage Schedule

FRIDAY

July 25 th

10:00am Gates Open

11:00 - Noon Off The Rails

12:15 - 1:30

Mason Via

2:00 - 3:15 Mr. Sun

3:45 - 5:00

Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves

5:30 - 6:45 East Nash Grass

7:15 - 8:30 Del McCoury Band

9:00 - 10:30

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

SATURDAY July 26 th 9:00am

Gates Open 9:15 - 11:15 Instrument Contest Finals

11:30 - 12:30 Jake Leg

12:45 - 1:45

Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road

2:00 - 3:15 Becky Buller Band

3:45 - 5:00 Breabach

5:30 - 6:45 The Fretliners

7:15 - 8:30

AJ Lee & Blue Summit

9:00 - 10:30

Sam Bush

Bluegrass Band

SUNDAY July 27 th 10:00am Gates Open 10:30 - 11:30

Rose & Grant’s Sunday Set

Noon - 1:15

Seth Mulder & Midnight Run 1:30 - 2:45 The Faux Paws 3:15 - 4:30

Lindsay Lou 5:00 - 6:15

Peter Rowan with Sam Grisman Project

6:45 - 8:00

Rhonda Vincent & The Rage 8:30 - 10:00

The Infamous Stringdusters

FRIDAY July 25 th 11:30am

Banjo Contest: Preliminary Round 1:00pm

Guitar Contest: Preliminary Round 2:30pm

Mandolin Contest: Preliminary Round 4:00pm

Fiddle Contest: Preliminary Round 5:30pm

Dobro Contest: Preliminary Round

SATURDAY

July 26 th 11:00am - 1:00pm

Bluegrass Jam hosted by Pete Wernick 1:30pm Band Contest: Preliminary Round

3:45pm Mason Via 5:00pm Shelby Means Band

SUNDAY July 27 th 1:00pm Band Contest: Finals 2:15pm Liam

RockyGrass MAIN STAGE PERFORMANCES

Off The Rails

FRIDAY

11:00 - NOON

Howdy Festivarians! It sure is a mighty fine day to kick off a bluegrass festival, dontcha think? (Side note: we have no way to know what the weather is actually like, so we hope it is absolute perfection as you are reading this). We love revving the RockyGrass engine by beginning each year’s Festival with the previous year’s band contest winners. And booooy are you in for a treat! Off The Rails is a powerhouse bluegrass band from Nashville known for their high-energy performances

Mason Via

FRIDAY

12:15 - 1:30

Hold onto your hats, Festivarians, because Mason Via (pronounced vigh) is bringing the fireball this Friday! To be clear, we’re talking about the song, not the spirit. This young powerhouse is quickly making a name for himself in the bluegrass world with his fiery picking, soulful songwriting, and commanding stage presence. After releasing his debut album in 2022, Via spent a stint touring with Old Crow Medicine Show which earned him a GRAMMY nomination for his songwriting on their

Mr. Sun

FRIDAY

2:00 - 3:15

For obvious reasons, experts recommend not staring directly into the sun (heat, brightness, risk of solar retinopathy, etc.). It is, however, highly encouraged (and completely safe) to turn your complete and undivided attention to Mr. Sun, who promise to deliver a musical experience as captivating as their namesake. Mr. Sun is made up of freestyle fiddler and Berklee Emeritus professor extraordinaire Darol Anger, mandolinist

and top-tier musicianship. The band is Cory Chubb (guitar and lead vocals), Ben Hill (mandolin), Taylor Gerber (bass), Frank Evans (banjo), Cody Bauer (fiddle), and Lucas White (guitar). Their latest release, “I’m Blue I’m Lonesome,” features father/ son duo Vince & Silas Herman, as well as Josh Bell. We love the band contest because it continues to broaden our musical library and shows us incredible up and coming talent. Let’s kick this one off the rails!

chart-topping album Jubilee. He has collaborated with Molly Tuttle, Sierra Ferrell, and even brought bluegrass to the national spotlight on American Idol Via is joined on stage by five out of the six aforementioned members of Off The Rails as well as East Nash Grass’s own dobro master. According to Saving Country Music, Mason’s self-titled sophomore album, released in April of this year, has “[vaulted him] into the discussion as one of the top-rising names in bluegrass.”

and bassist Aidan O’Donnell. Together, they have effortless, enviable synergy that leaves nothing to be desired. Their newest album, released in 2023, is a remarkable rendition of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite that really gets us going. There’s something about the pairing of bluegrass and jazz, you know?

Fun fact: if you’re a fan of Click and Clack, NPR’s beloved brother mechanic duo, you may recognize the dulcet tones of Anger’s fiddle from their theme

RockyGrass MAIN STAGE PERFORMANCES

Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves

FRIDAY 3:45 - 5:00

East Nash Grass

FRIDAY 5:30 - 6:45

Del McCoury Band

FRIDAY

7:15 - 8:30

We love a duo, and what a duo this is! Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves have a youthful spin, spontaneous energy, perfect timing, and the combined talent to blow the watermelon hat right off that one guy. You know, the guy you see always wearing a watermelon hat? Yeah, that guy. Hargreaves, a fiddler who has toured with musicians such as Dave Rawlings, Gillian Welch, and Laurie Lewis, has been on the forefront of an up-and-coming generation of old time,

East Nash Grass is a band on the rise!

Hailing from the fertile bluegrass soil of Nashville, Tennessee, they are quickly becoming a household name among fans of traditional and progressive bluegrass alike. They have coalesced into the hair-raising ensemble of Harry Clark (mandolin), Cory Walker (banjo), James Kee (guitar), Maddie Denton (fiddle), and Jeff Partin (bass & dobro). This dynamic collective of musicians brings a raw energy and undeniable talent to every performance. Here’s

The hair, the suit, the voice- and most of all, the megawatt smile. Del has been beaming at audiences for more than 60 years. And why not? He’s a bluegrass Godfather, known for delivering his signature highoctane sound to fans far and wide. The Del McCoury Band is a family affair, with sons Ronnie on mandolin and Robbie on banjo. Add the eversteady Alan Bartram on bass and new addition Christian Ward on

bluegrass, and new acoustic musicians. Canadian clawhammer banjo player Allison de Groot has a Steve Martin Banjo Prize for Excellence in Banjo under her belt (this sentence is really challenging our preconceived notions on how many times you can say banjo in one sentence). The duo’s sophomore album Hurricane Clarice is hauntingly beautiful, its overarching commentary on environmental disasters and the strength of community more striking with each day that passes.

what you can expect (among other things): tight harmonies, masterful instrumentation, fresh interpretations of bluegrass standards, and compelling original material. And while their originals are endlessly captivating, it is obvious that they have a deep respect for and understanding of the roots of bluegrass. Their newest album, God’s Children, is set to drop on August 22nd. It’s a follow up to 2023’s Chance to Win which fully blew us away. We are actively counting down the days!

Their newest single is a cover of “The Times They Are A-Changin’” (who knew Del could do such a good Dylan?) These legends stay out here bringin’ it. But Del is a humble guy. He takes constant requests from the crowd and laughs at himself while singing favorites in his piercing tenor. It’s one of the many things we adore about him. We truly could go on and on. Del is joined by his lovely wife, Mrs. Jean. Hi Mrs. Jean,

HEY!

you pickers, pluckers, plinkers, strummers, shredders, stompers, yellers, thumpers, mashers, grassers, grinners, crooners, choppers, riffers, noodlers, pile-drivers, boom-chickers and song-slingers, y’all gotta plugin sometime. And that’s where we come in. Grace Design builds famously great sounding, reliable preamps for acoustic musicians of all stripes. You’ll

them onstage just about everywhere, maybe even the one you’re standing on.

RockyGrass MAIN STAGE PERFORMANCES

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

FRIDAY 9:00 - 10:30

Jake Leg

SATURDAY

11:30 - 12:30

All good things must come to an end. Your killer G run must hit its final note, and we must, regretfully, finish our last dumpling from Sisters (before we inevitably buy more). Tonight’s performance marks Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway’s last as a group before they all move forward towards new projects. Since their inception in 2021, this ensemble has been a force of nature. Golden Highway is Dominick Leslie (our very own Kid’s Academy instructor!) on mandolin,

Did you know that they call Lyons “Little Nashville” because it has the largest population of musicians in one locale outside of the Tennessee staple? Okay fine we made that up. We’re not sure if anyone has ever called it that, but don’t you think they should? This town is busting at the seams with talented, awardwinning musicians. You can’t make it down Main Street without hearing it spill from the local haunts. Take Jake Leg for example. Eric Wiggs (guitar

Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road

SATURDAY 12:45 - 1:45

Kyle Tuttle on banjo, Bronwyn KeithHines on fiddle, and Shelby Means holding everything steady on bass. And the incomparable, immensely talented Molly Tuttle, of course! This quintet has delivered some of the most raucously fun, impeccably fashionable, and musically tight live performances we’ve seen in the last few years. Long story short, we love them endlessly and are so honored they chose to close out this chapter on the RockyGrass Main Stage with us. We are forever grateful.

and vocals) and Dylan McCarthy (mandolin and vocals) both live a stone’s throw from here. Bandmates Justin Hoffenberg (fiddle) and Aaron Hoffenberg (bass) are just down the road in Boulder. That’s close enough, don’t you think? Their debut album, Fire on the Prairie , graced our ears last spring and they were subsequently nominated for IBMA Momentum Band of the Year. We are so pleased to welcome them for their RockyGrass debut!

Liam Purcell...Liam Purcell. Why is that name so familiar? Oh right, Liam Purcell is the young man who swept the RockyGrass contest stage in 2022. He won the guitar, mandolin, and banjo competitions (reminder, these are all judged blind). Ha! That’s never happened before, and it hasn’t happened since. His bluegrass roots run deep, all the way back to his (and Doc Watson’s!) hometown of Deep Gap, North Carolina. Although we’d love to see Liam playing all the instruments

today, he’s got Cane Mill Road behind him and they have some killer chops to show off, as well as some sweet nicknames: Zack “Pookie” Vickers on banjo, Ari “The Silver Bullet” Silver on guitar, Teddy “ Pteddy” Kent on bass, and Devin “Virginia Slim” Jones on guitar and mandolin. We’ve heard pretty good things ( No Depression calls them “the future of bluegrass”), so we’ll allow it. Do you think they’ll play “HOT TO GO!”? Surely they’ll surely cover “Espresso”... right? RIGHT?!

RockyGrass MAIN STAGE PERFORMANCES

2:00 - 3:15

SATURDAY

3:45 - 5:00

This fiery-haired Minnesotan exudes enthusiasm and cheerful joy. Whether fiddling, singing or songwriting, Becky is having a blast while capturing the industry’s attention. We first heard her as the hot fiddler with Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike but in the ensuing years Buller has taken her place on the vanguard of millennial bluegrassers. She walked away in 2016 with both the IBMA Fiddler of the Year and Female Vocalist awards – the first time anyone had won in

two categories. Her newest single, “A Hazy Shade of Winter” came out YESTERDAY! This is as fresh as it gets, people! Becky has burned up the miles touring with her band, but she knows how to keep it light. If you haven’t seen her spoof “We Will Grass You” with Brian May, this is your sign to look it up right now. Her compositions have been covered by Ricky Skaggs, the Infamous Stringdusters, Rhonda Vincent, and Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver.

They seamlessly unite deep roots in Highland and Island tradition with innovative contemporary influences emanating from their Glasgow base. The band is comprised of Megan Henderson, James Lindsay, Calum MacCrimmon, Conal McDonagh, and Ewan Robertson. Prepare yourself to see a tapestry of rich instruments during this set, including (and certainly not limited to), the highland bagpipe, whistle, bouzouki, cajon, and Uilleann pipes. Becky

5:30 - 6:45

Let us expand our sonic horizons together! “Breabach” or “breab” means to kick, prance, or stomp your feet in Gaelic. It’s a fitting name for the contemporary folk band that you see before you today. The Scottish band adopted this name as a representation of their energetic and forward-driving style of music. Formed in 2005, Breabach has firmly established itself among Scotland’s most skilled and imaginative folk acts.

You know them by their given names: Tom Knowlton, Sam Parks, Dan Andree, and Taylor Shuck. A charismatic crew of fishing bandits, to know them is to love them. Tom is the guitar master with a warble that rivals Del McCoury. Sam is the mandolin man rocking that gorgeous newlywed glow. Dan is the fiery redheaded bluegrass star fiddling his heart out, all while Taylor keeps them all steady on the bass. Last year they opened

the festival, this year we’re enjoying their talents on a glorious summer evening. It goes to show the work this band has put in over the last 12 months. They’re hot to go on their 2025 festival tour schedule. So far they’ve wowed Merlefest, Delfest, and Blue Ox Music Festival, and they’re full steam ahead towards Roseberry, Pickin’ in the Pines, and Winfield. These fellas are a real great time, so get ready to do some boogyin, Fretivarians!

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RockyGrass MAIN STAGE PERFORMANCES

9:00 - 10:30

AJ’s melodies and vocals are like whispers in the breeze. They twine and soar, unveiling truth like the changing color of autumn leaves. The maturity of her songwriting and her comfort on the stage is telling of the dues she’s already paid while playing stages starting at a young age. And there is no question that the band has done its homework. With the ability to draw from the depths of the traditional bluegrass catalog yet also the virtuosity to weave in modern influences such as country,

If joy was a person, they would carry themselves with the grace of Sam Bush on the Planet Bluegrass stage. Eyes closed, wire-rim glasses in place, and mandolin pushed against his ribs, the Kentucky born prodigy has been bringing joy to stages and stereos alike for over four decades. “The joy of the music comes to me and overtakes me sometimes,” says Sam. “I just become part of the music.” As the co-founder of seminal progressive bluegrass outfit New Grass Revival,

We’ve gathered along the North St. Vrain this morning to rejoice in the RockyGrass gospel. For decades these musical sermons have taken inspiration from pages of our good book. We are pleased to welcome Charlie Rose and Tyler Grant, a locally sourced duo who are poised to offer us entry into their bluegrass sanctuary. Go ahead and take a seat, this is gonna be nice and sweet. Both frequenters of the Red Rocks stage (Rose with Elephant Revival,

soul, swing, rock, and jam music, there is never a dull moment. AJ Lee and Blue Summit play sans banjo, keeping their configuration unique–Sullivan Tuttle and Scott Gates dominate on steel stringed acoustic guitars, AJ shreds on mandolin, and Jan Purat fiddles with force. The overall effect is ethereal with a resplendent allure to the past and present. Their newest single is a cover of “I’m a Believer.” It is a delightful rendition that has us thinking about Shrek (in the best possible way).

and an in-demand collaborator with everyone from Emmylou Harris to Lyle Lovett, his pocket-defining chomp, shimmering full-arm tremolo, and cascading single-note improvisations incorporate all that came before even as they keep a keen ear toward what is yet to come. Sam is joined by Stephen Mougin on guitar, Wes Corbett on banjo, Todd Parks on bass, and Chris Brown on percussion. They’re the real pros here, so we’ll let them take it from here.

Grant with Emmitt-Nershi Band and others), Rose and Grant’s talents combined is a masterclass. Tyler is the keeper of the flatpicking flame and the river guide of our dreams. Charlie croons like Kermit and swaps instruments like it’s his job (you know... we suppose it technically is his job), cycling through banjo, pedal steel, and more. How lucky are we that these two have chosen to deliver us with the feast that is their Sunday set?

RockyGrass MAIN STAGE PERFORMANCES

Seth

& Midnight

- 1:15

The Faux Paws

SUNDAY

1:30 - 2:45

Lindsay Lou SUNDAY

3:15 - 4:30

Seth Mulder takes the stage with the mandolin cradled in his arms like a baby, and when Midnight Run hits their first downbeat, you know something exciting is afoot. This Gatlinburg-based quintet’s sound is characterized by plenty of drive, yet it’s far from antiseptic. It’s built with an enduring quality that’s designed to last, which is a testament to a group of musicians who deeply understand that bluegrass is a blessed form of soul music. At the heart of the band is Mulder, a proud

A faux pas is a slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or conduct; an embarrassing social blunder or indiscretion. Like snapping at someone for occupying your tarp while you’re grabbing lunch, for example. Tarps are to be shared, you silly Snobivarian! The Faux Paws are something entirely different. They struggle to sum up the parts of their sound, even into a hyphenated mash (like jazzmericana-folkgrass, for example). We’ll do our best to

Festivals are a marathon, and we’ve officially reached the home stretch. It’s time to zone in, because Nashville based Lindsay Lou is having a big year, and you don’t want to miss it. It’s not even August and she’s already released two singles and one perfect human baby into the world. We can only speak to the songs (we love them both), but may we offer some serious kudos on the excellent work? Lindsay is a songwriter with

graduate of the Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music. Midnight Run is Anthony Howell (guitar), Carter Lester (banjo), Mason Wright (fiddle), and Tyler Griffith (bass). The band’s newest single, “Looking Past The Pain (The Cowboy Song),” climbed to an impressive number two on the bluegrass charts. But Seth Mulder & Midnight Run aren’t just playing bluegrass; they’re living it, breathing new life into its soulful traditions with every note.

explain what it all embodies. Prepare yourself for a high energy, dynamic live show with great on-stage chemistry. Chemistry because the trio are old friends (and two of them are also related!). You can expect saxophone solos, raging fiddle tunes, and unrequited love songs, but no social blunders or impropriety. At least that’s what we discussed, right boys? Their newest album No Bad Ideas was worth the wait. Grab your own copy at the Country Store!

a soulful voice and the gift of writing lyrics that are both personal and universally relatable, blending traditional bluegrass and folk with a modern, emotive sensibility. Her 2023 album Queen of Time is tender in its explorations of transition, selfdiscovery, and healing through loss. Her voice soothes on some numbers and soars on others. She is joined on stage by the immensely talented Emma Rose and Wila Frank. We are in for a real treat!

RockyGrass MAIN STAGE PERFORMANCES

Peter Rowan with Sam Grisman Project

Bluegrass is a family affair, and given that RockyGrass turned 53 this year, we’ve watched it evolve over decades. And there’s really no question: Peter Rowan has been looped up in our planetary orbit for as long as we can remember. He wails, he yodels, he howls – and he always delivers. In 1973 he co-founded Old and in the Way with Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Vassar Clements and John Kahn. The group’s 1975 eponymous album became an instant classic among

deadheads and introduced a new generation to bluegrass music. Today, David Grisman’s son (and bass master), Sam, is here to join his Uncle Peter and propel the torch forward. Sam’s goal in starting the Sam Grisman Project was “...to build a platform for [his] friends and [him] to showcase their genuine passion and appreciation for the legacy of Dawg and Jerry’s music.” Well, it looks like Rowan and Grisman are back at it again! You can find us in the very front row.

It takes a lot to garner the title of “Queen of Bluegrass,” and the one and only Rhonda Vincent is more than deserving (and she carries the honor with grace). Known to always deliver a brand of traditional bluegrass that is as precise as it is passionate, Vincent’s pristine vocals and powerhouse mandolin playing, combined with the unparalleled musicianship of her band, The Rage, create a sound that is tight, vibrant, and always thrilling. Our rage typically pertains to festival

We’re dusting off our dancing shoes and prepping our fire extinguishers because The Infamous Stringdusters are surely about to ignite the Main Stage. This quintet is renowned for their innovative approach to bluegrass, seamlessly blending traditional roots with jam band improvisation and rockinfused energy. Their live shows are legendary for their high-octane picking, soulful harmonies, and adventurous musical exploration. Not to mention that the Dusters themselves are some

Upcoming

Events

THE SONG SCHOOL

August 4-7, 2025

related things, like bad weather that forms right on top of us with no notice from the radar system (don’t even get us started). The Rage is Mickey Harris, Aaron McDaris, Zack Arnold, Adam Haynes, and Jacob Metz. You see the difference? This GRAMMY-winning ensemble consistently sets the bar high, showcasing why they are one of the most awarded and respected bands in bluegrass history. Get ready for an unforgettable set from these living legends!

of our favorite people: Travis Book (bass), Andy Falco (guitar), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), Andy Hall (dobro), and Chris Pandolfi (banjo). You’d think their talent would supersede all other qualities about them, but it turns out they’re so lovely, kind, and humble that you can’t help but love them before knowing anything about their musical wizardry. While their musical influences run across various channels, their common denominator is bluegrass (isn’t that the case with all of us?).

Rocky Mountain FOLKS FESTIVAL

August 8-10, 2025

2026 Tickets

CAMP ALDERWILD

August 22nd & 23rd

Telluride, CO

Visit Bluegrass.com beginning in October for details on our upcoming events. Tickets for 2026 will go on sale between December and February.

We’ve spent many years refining every aspect of the Festival experience. Your voice is a vital part of this process. Please complete our online survey to be entered to win a pair of tickets to next year’s RockyGrass.

Printed on FSC-certified 80# Neenah Conservation texta 100% post-consumer recycled fiber, made with 100% renewable energy.

August 7-9, 2026