We're kicking off the new year with putting the festival Tix on sale! Lot's of prep goes into getting that ready. I worked with James Armington to get everything formatted on our ticketing platform, TicketSignup. James has worked really hard with the developers to use their platform--originally designed for race events--for events like SnowyGrass, Targhee Bluegrass fest, Midwinter, and more! Your vehicle pass is now an add-on after you select 4-Day Pass + Camping Add -on. We're calling it a 4-Day pass because people forget about Thursday Campy Hour.
Bruce Molsky has a standing invitation to play EVERY year now. He's bringing Tony Trischka! We have Blue Canyon Boys back! Why in the world did they take last year off to go to Canada instead?! We will never understand! ha. We also have Chain Station back and are bringing Thunder and Rain back to Colorado from Nashville! That comes from a little tubing excursion with Amelia Ransom during RockyGrass. Which also brings me to SLOCAN RAMBLERS! They were fantastic at Midwinter last year and I got to hang and tube with them as well! The River Arkansas made a great impression on my at Rail Arts events, and of course, Tonewood is coming back, but playing the stage as well they should! We have SunBelt, a sweet duo from Estes Park. Ann plays fiddle with Lost Penny some, and of course every year, I book Lost Penny--my band. It's a tradition for me to play in the middle of a very stressful experience. HA! Every single year. Pete and Joan Wernick will return! It is truly a privilege to have such foundational Bluegrass musicians play our festival. Pete is, of course, from Hot Rize and has been president of IBMA, and has taught many a musician how to jam. We are also excited to bring the talented Haven Slay to the festival!
Meanwhile, I got the website ready. When I'm not planning the fest or Songwriting Retreat, I do web design, and had a lot of fun making the animations happen on the 2025 page. Hope you like!
This year, in 2025, we have kept ticket prices the same as last year even though expenses like insurance have skyrocketed. I need to remember the insurance guy and tell him yes--I would be happy to sign off on insurance for $3500. yikes. The addition of camping along with liquor does that--and fires being more prevalent.
Anyway-- one small difference this year is to ask that a nominally priced ticket be purchased for workshops. It's only $10 per workshop. I think it's good to give a value to small things to remind us of how their worth. People who don't buy festival tickets have always been able to pop in for a workshop, and that's still true. I think $10 is a good deal. Same for Thursday Campy Hour. Same as last year, that's $15 but this year is included not only for camper, but the All Days pass includes it--thus a 4-Day pass.
This is the 10th year for SnowyGrass, but my 9th year. Take a look at a previous blog post to see the story behind why I started producing this festival. It's not easy to keep these things going, and I appreciate the support you all give this fest. It was quite sad to hear that Four Corners fest will not be held in 2025. Thank you in advance for supporting SnowyGrass in 2025. Hopefully, we will make it to year 11, but it will certainly take having a big turnout in 2025. I will be appealing to our sponsors again soon, of course. We really would not have a festival if it were not for folks like:
Snowy Peaks Winery & Candice Mohr--the FOUNDER OF SNOWYGRASS and generous cash $$ supporter and host of Happy/Campy Hour and donor of wine for your enjoyment
Tandem CPAs - incredible CASH $$ supporter and fan of Bluegrass in our community
Alrich Builders who build our stage every year and put up all that darn fencing!
Richardson Team Realty and Mike who has put a lot of physical work into stuff
Estes Park Condos who provide riverside luxury accommodations for our traveling artists
Oskar Blues Brewery - Incredible BEER donation!
Abbott & Wallace Distilling - not only donated delicious cocktails, also were a FUN presence at the fest!
Bird & Jim!
Estes Arts District - provided our bar every year from 2017 - 2023 plus CASH $$
Rocky Mountain Channel/Nick Molle Productions who have documented our festival and songwriting retreat for years
Estes Park News - so generous with ads. Full page sometimes!
Visit Estes Park
Estes ICE --These guys came through!! Ice is SUPER important!
Riverpointe and whatever venture Paul Pewterbaugh has going
Earthwood Galleries--every single year!
Rams Horn Village - year after year
KGNU and Old Grass New Grass
Let's not forget Neil Smart--our Emcee since 2023 and for as long as he'll do it! All around support for the festival during and before & after
You Need Pie! (you really do) - donation of some yummy food for our artists
Village Bagels (above and beyond with cash and use of cooler space and donation of non-alcoholic beverages
Patterson Glassworks -every single year!
Colorado Bluegrass Music Society and John Pierce for hosting our jam and green room
Egg of Estes - first time sponsor in 2024!
Murphy's Resort - provides an incredible space for our songwriters in January plus supports SnowyGrass in cash $$
The Country Market - Scott would always donate beautiful food trays in addition to cash $$
Bluedoor Inn - provided lodging last year for our friends from Dublin, Ireland (I Draw Slow)
Hike Rocky Magazine
Rocky Mountain Dumpster - saved us with a donation of a big ol' dumpster that the Rec District requires us to provide
Estes Park Lumber - above and beyond with cash $$ + donation of fencing materials
Lonigan's Saloon & Pub - generously provide our room for the Listening Show each year during the songwriting retreat
The Colorado Sound
In the past, we have had some great support from Ziggy's Coffee each year
Well--as long as I am being thankful, I want to acknowledge the many volunteers who lift up the festival like a rockstar in the middle of a mosh pit. Some who come to mind, and please forgive me for not naming every single person:
Avery Fichera - made a KILLER bar last year along with Joe Fichera
Amelia Fichera - always willing to jump in where needed
Richard Johnson - our WiFi and all things IT absolute GURU!!
Barb Davis - our OFFICIAL Photographer since day one
Jessie Finch-takes it on every year and knows the ropes and knows me and how to communicate the stuff and make sure my hair looks good. Ha!
Beth Engel & Karla - our aesthetic crew who add the lovely touches to the fest and jump in to many crises
Skip Strickland - ready to jump in and assist our artists back stage
Dan the Man - ready to anything, anywhere, anytime for the festival, artists and guests
James Armington--absolutely crushed Box Office stuff last year
Jenine Abarbanel - Girl! Has mad skills from running her own festival in New Zealand!
Neil Smart - the incredible Emcee who keeps things calm and running efficiently as double-duty stage manager and festival-producer-whisperer.
Wendy Easterling - first time last year, but dang, girl! You jumped in and got that merch tent and box office running smoothly and trained other and were just a general all-around essential!
Adam Torgerson - Dude! What didn't you do?! All around dude!
Andrew Hiles - provided an incredible backdrop for our stage
Marsh Rothschild - Girl! You stuck it out in the parking lot!
Chris Theunnisen - Dude - you are so helpful and you make us all look good with tie-dye!
Greg & Sue Shipman -- every single year! Foundational Volunteers!
Lonny Lewis - our phenomenally knowledgeable handy man and campsite director
Karen Finch - who provides humor and animation --especially when the ground squirrels are biting her ankles!
Alex Wieser and Michael Kennedy!
Mark Batchelder, Donna Scheer, Harry Whalen, Steven Sherman-Boem, Michele Loudermilk, Randy Flipse, Joy Bryant, Mary & Doc Young, Doug Singletary, Joanna Gidrewicz, Annie Caplan, Vicki Armour, Sallie Brackman--all willing to jump in to whatever was needed!
Mike Jackson & Candice Major -- Where are my keys?! haha
There are so many others from 2023 too! Colleen Murphy, Elle Michelle, Russ Carter, Jenny Sleeper, and I KNOW I am missing people!
Our Early Bird Sale is short this year. One week only because we need to light a fire under y'all! We are also asking something from you in order to get that code. If you are a site member already, just log in and take a look at the Early Bird page.
If you are interested in volunteering, please go to the ticket site and select a volunteer ticket. That's just a first step to let me know that you're interested. When I get the shifts set up in our volunteer scheduling platform, I'll send you a link to sign up.
Here's some volunteer info:
Thanks Everyone!
-nadine
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