Tag: winterwondergrass
ANNOUNCING: WinterWonderGrass Releases Daily Schedule for Colorado Festival
As February’s kick-off of WinterWonderGrass 2020 grows closer, the festival is excited to share with BGS the official daily schedule for their Colorado edition, taking place February 21-23 in Steamboat Springs. One of the biggest delights includes the announcement of a second headlining performance by Billy Strings, who will now play the main stage on both Friday and Sunday nights.
In conjunction with the daily schedule announcement, WinterWonderGrass plans to release a limited quantity of single-day tickets starting Tuesday, December 3. Weekend general admission passes will move to a new pricing tier starting Tuesday, December 10. Tickets and more info available here.
“We are super pumped to announce that Billy will not only perform his first headlining WinterWonderGrass set on Friday night, but that he and his band really wanted to stick around and enjoy that Steamboat hospitality, so we added him as a co-headliner on Sunday before Margo Price,” festival founder Scotty Stoughton says. “It’s a testament to Billy’s appreciation and gratitude for his fans, the community, and the WinterWonderGrass family.”
Gates open at 1:45 p.m. each day and music kicks off at 2 p.m. during the three-day music festival, with Friday and Saturday night’s programming lasting until 10:30 p.m. All attendees 21+ are invited to take part in the complementary beer sampling from 2:00-5:00 p.m. each day during the event.
Performances across the Soapbox, Pickin’ Perch, and Jamboree stages will see many artists perform two consecutive sets, and each night, performances on the Close Pick stage will close the festival.
Tickets for all three stops are now on sale and moving fast: Colorado | California | Vermont.
VIP tickets to Steamboat’s stop are already sold out, but fans are encouraged to check out the official fan-to-fan ticketing exchange powered by Lyte if they’re in search of tickets as more of the dates and tiers sell out.
Stay tuned for more information on Grass After Dark programming and beer partners for the 2020 season.
Check out the full, announced schedule:
Twisted Pine kicks off the music for the weekend on the Soapbox stage from 2:00-2:30 p.m. and 3:40 – 4:20 p.m., followed by Molly Tuttle at 5:35-6:15 p.m. and 7:45-8:25 p.m. Steamboat locals Buffalo Commons open the Pickin’ Perch stage with performances at 2:00-2:40 p.m. and 3:40-4:20 p.m., followed by the Jon Stickley Trio at 5:35-6:15 p.m. and 7:45-8:25 p.m. The Jamboree stage opens on Friday at 2:00 p.m. with performances from Meadow Mountain at 2:00-2:40 p.m. and 3:40-4:20 p.m., with two sets from Jeremy Garrett (the Infamous Stringdusters) + Friends at 5:35-6:15 p.m. and 7:45-8:25 p.m.
The Bluegrass Generals (ft. Andy Hall & Chris Pandolfi of the Infamous Stringdusters) will open the Main stage on Friday from 2:30-3:40 p.m., followed by Della Mae’s headlining performance from 4:20-5:35 p.m. From 6:15-7:45 p.m., Keller and the Keels will take over the main stage and Billy Strings’ headlining debut at the festival will take place from 8:25-10:00 p.m.
Saturday welcomes local Steamboat pickers Jay Roemer Band from 2:00-2:30 p.m. and 3:40-4:20 p.m. on the Soapbox stage, followed by two additional performances from Della Mae at 5:35-6:15 p.m. and 7:45-8:25 p.m. Twisted Pine returns, as well, for performances from 2:00-2:40 p.m. and 3:40-4:20 p.m. on the Pickn’ Perch stage, and the collaborative WinterWonderWomen follow with performances at 5:35-6:15 p.m. and 7:45-8:25 p.m. Telluride Bluegrass winners Bowregard takes the Jamboree stage from 2:00-2:40 p.m. and 3:40-4:20 p.m., with Cris Jacobs Band to follow at 5:35-6:15 p.m. and 7:45-8:25 p.m.
Saturday’s Main stage opens with Horseshoes and Handgrenades from 2:30-3:40 p.m., followed by a headlining performance from Molly Tuttle at 4:20-5:35 p.m. Nikki Lane follows, with a set from 6:15-7:45 p.m. and Greensky Bluegrass takes the stage for their headlining performance from 8:25-10:00 p.m.
The Battle Of The Bands winner from the January 11th competition will open Sunday’s Soapbox stage from 3:15-3:55 p.m. Two sets from Che Apalache follow, with sets at 5:10-5:50 p.m. and 7:20-8:00 p.m. Cris Jacobs Band returns on Sunday for three sets on the Pickn’ Perch stage at 3:15-3:55 p.m., 5:10-5:50 p.m., and 7:20-8:00 p.m. The Jamboree stage closes out with three sets from Pickin’ On The Dead at 3:15-3:55 p.m., 5:10-5:50 p.m. and 7:20-8:00 p.m.
ALO opens the Main stage on Sunday, with a performance from 2:00-3:15 p.m. and Travelin’ McCourys follows from 3:55-5:10 p.m. At 5:50 p.m., Billy Strings returns for his second headlining performance, and Margo Price closes out the festival’s Main stage from 8:00-9:30 p.m.
Photo credit: Tobin Voggesser
ANNOUNCING: WinterWonderGrass Returns to Colorado, California, and Vermont in 2020
Today, the WinterWonderGrass Music & Brew Festival shares the 2020 lineup across all three of their flagship events. Taking place in Colorado from February 21-23, California from March 27-29, and Vermont from April 10-11, the traveling music festival will welcome performances from some of the hottest names currently thriving in today’s bluegrass and Americana scenes.
“It’s with a mountain of intention, huge hearts, humility, and a commitment to delivering the hottest and sweetest artists that we present to you the 2020 WinterWonderGrass landscape,” says festival founder Scotty Stoughton in a press release. “Each year, the hardest thing to do is not heed our desire to return to each and every band — and by virtue of that, friends to WWG — year in and year out. It is our sincere desire you’ll find new lifetime favorites on this lineup, have the chance to be reunited with old loves and step out of your comfort zone with open arms to new experiences.”
“WinterWonderGrass has become a home for artists, fans, staff, locals, businesses, skiers, riders, their families and all of the like,” adds festival Director of Marketing & Ticketing, Ariel Rosemberg. “We pride ourselves on creating a sustainable, safe and receptive environment, bound by the marriage of the best in bluegrass, folk and Americana, and the undefeated nature of American ski culture.”
BGS has partnered with WWG for the past two years and we are excited to once again join forces with WinterWonderGrass to create and share unforgettable experiences and world-class music across our communities and across the country.
Returning to Colorado for its eighth consecutive year, and its fourth year located in the pristine ski town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, WinterWonderGrass presents headlining performances from Greensky Bluegrass, Billy Strings, and Margo Price over its three days this coming February.
Additional artists on the bill include: Keller & the Keels, Della Mae, Travelin’ McCourys, Nikki Lane, Molly Tuttle, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Bluegrass Generals (Chris Pandolfi & Andy Hall of The Infamous Stringdusters), ALO, Lindsay Lou, a collaborative set from the WinterWonderWomen, Pickin’ on the Dead, Che Apalache, Cris Jacobs, Twisted Pine, Jon Stickley Trio, Meadow Mountain, Jay Roemer Band, Buffalo Commons, and Bowregard, as well as special guests Andy Thorn, Jennifer Hartswick, Bridget Law, Pappy Biondo, and Will Mosheim.
Over March 27-29, WinterWonderGrass makes its way to the Tahoe region of California for its sixth consecutive year presenting three days of music at the base of Squaw Valley Ski Resort. Headliners for this festival stop include The Devil Makes Three, The Infamous Stringdusters, and two sets by Billy Strings.
Also joining the bill: Peter Rowan, Fruition, Keller and the Keels, The War and Treaty, The Lil Smokies, Brothers Comatose, Della Mae, Larry Keel Experience, Kitchen Dwellers, Andy Falco & Travis Book Perform Jerry Garcia, Cris Jacobs, Trout Steak Revival, Midnight North, Town Mountain, Pickin’ on the Dead, Pixie and the Partygrass Boys, Old Salt Union, TK & the Holy Know-Nothings, Rapidgrass, and Twisted Pine. As well as special guests Lindsay Lou, Bridget Law, Will Mosheim and a collaborative WinterWonderWomen set.
A Mountaintop Dinner with Keller Williams, co-presented by BGS, will kick off the festivities in both locations on Thursday, February 20, and Thursday, March 26, respectively. These events will include a ride up the gondola in Steamboat and the Tram at Squaw, a multi-course meal complete with locally-sourced ingredients from each respective region, wine and beer samplings, plus two sets by Williams during each event.
The Vermont stop of the festival takes place over April 10 and 11 at Stratton Mountain Resort in Stratton, Vermont. Previously held in December, this year’s festival stop in Vermont was scheduled to coincide with the ski resort’s closing weekend. Headliners for this iteration of the festival, billed as WonderGrass Presents: Sugar & Strings, include The Infamous Stringdusters, Cabinet, Della Mae, and Molly Tuttle.
Additional artists on the two-day lineup include: Kitchen Dwellers, Andy Falco & Travis Book Perform Jerry Garcia, Twisted Pine, Che Apalache, a special WinterWonderWomen collaboration, Saints and Liars, Dead Winter Carpenters and Damn Tall Buildings, as well as special guests Jennifer Hartswick, Bridget Law, Pappy Biondo, Will Mosheim and more.
Additionally, the Grass After Dark Series will return for post-festival programming with more details coming soon.
Tickets for all three festivals are on sale now: Colorado | California | Vermont.
For WinterWonderGrass, Cold Is a State of Mind
WinterWonderGrass believes that festival season should be experienced year-round. With an impressive lineup of talent, the outdoor music series comes to Stratton, Vermont, on December 14-16, with bands like Railroad Earth, The Infamous Stringdusters, and Keller and the Keels, to name a few. (Early 2019 events are scheduled for Colorado and California as well.) Festival marketing director Ariel Rosemberg fielded a few questions by email.
Putting a festival like this together is definitely a team effort. How would you describe the group of individuals who work behind the scenes at WinterWonderGrass?
Our team is second to none where everyone truly makes contributions at the highest level. We have experts dedicated to sustainability who ensure we’re properly and most effectively managing waste, experts dedicated to curating an ultimate winter fan experience, experts at each of our resort partners and so on. For me being relatively new to the core team, it’s truly a breath of fresh air to be a part of the wheel that is WinterWonderGrass.
WinterWonderGrass will take place in three destinations in the months ahead. As you plan and execute these events, how would you describe your commitment to the community?
The manifestation of community is one of the principles that keeps the WWG ship at sea. Our potential energy immediately transitions into kinetic at the mere rumble of discussion and stoke within our host resort communities. Additionally, since inception, the festival has contributed upwards of $100k to our local/regional non-profit partners and it’s our intent to continue on that path.
Environmentalism is an important aspect of this festival. What steps are taken to ensure this festival is environmentally responsible?
We work very closely on a national level with an organization out of Burlington, Vermont, called Waste-Free Earth. With their help we’re able to confidently promote that we’ve held a diversion rate of 80-90 percent for each festival in California and Colorado. Our intent is to bring that same model to Vermont, by the way. Every bag of trash, recycling, compost, etc., is sorted through on site with the help of volunteers. And the festival has committed to using only reusable or compostable product wherever possible (since ’15) and has eliminated all single-use plastic (since ’16).
A couple quick stats from 2018 alone: WWG diverted +23K lbs of waste from landfills due to composting, recycling or donation programs. It’s estimated that WWG saved +68K single-use compostable cups from being produced thanks to a partnership with Klean Kanteen (all three-day ticket holders receive a Klean Kanteen reusable cup). It’s estimated that WWG saved +76K single-use plastic water bottles from being used thanks to our single-use plastic ban and our free filtered water stations.
Summer festivals are plentiful, of course. Why did the concept of a winter festival appeal to you?
I love this question and we get it a lot. For me in short, there’s nothing better than huddling up with your closest friends (old AND new), listening to your favorite band, sipping a delicious craft beer or whiskey in the dumping snow at the base of the most iconic ski resorts in the country. The idea of being “cold” to a certain degree (no pun intended) can be easily masked by experience. Cold is a state of mind, it’s an opportunity to just let go of all the BS that surrounds us on the daily and just be absorbed by the moment. Plus, there’s no way to ski fresh powder after a humid, rainy, muddy summer festival night!
Passes are still available for all three WWG weekends. Buy your tickets and discover more at winterwondergrass.com
Beat the Winter Blues with These Kick-Ass Festivals
Ah, Winter. Thanks to cold weather, holiday hangovers, and the looming dread of tax season, Winter often gets a bad rap for being the worst of the four seasons. If you're looking for ways to beat those Winter blues, we at the BGS recommend one cure-all for all your ails: live music. While Spring and Summer are typically considered festival seasons, there are a handful of great festivals to be found in Winter, too. Check out some of our favorites.
In addition to a host of amazing beer options (a few of which you can check out here), WinterWonderGrass Colorado boasts a February 19 – 21 lineup with the likes of Greensky Bluegrass, the Wood Brothers, the Travelin' McCourys, and more. And don't miss WinterWonderGrass Tahoe, which happens in April.
There's nothing like a good time out on the back porch, and that's just what this festival seeks to recreate. Head to Northampton, Massachusetts, from Feb 25 – 28 for music from Steep Canyon Rangers, Los Lobos, and more, all at the Parlor Room and the Academy of Music.
This Bellevue, Washington, festival has it all, from performances by Jerry Douglas and the Earls of Leicester, the Seldom Scene, and more, to workshops on the Carters and idiot-proof mandolin lessons. Check it out February 25 – 28.
A conference AND a festival, Folk Alliance International, held February 17 – 21 in Kansas City, Missouri, lets you learn while you listen!
Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, and Bobby Bare, Jr. … all on a boat! This cruise sets sail from Miami, Florida, on February 7 and is bound to have you singing "I'm On a Boat" to all your landlocked friends.
No need to explain this one: SXSW is one of the biggest festivals around, in one of the coolest cities around. Nothing beats those Winter blues like tacos, beer, and all the live music you can handle. Head to Austin, Texas, March 15 – 20 for SXSW Music.
And keep an eye out for these festivals, which have already happened, when they roll back around next year …
A weekend at one of the country's most beautiful beaches AND 150+ established and upcoming songwriters? Sign us up. Unfortunately, the 2016 30A Songwriters Festival has come and gone, but hey, if you go ahead and book a beach house for next year, you're bound to get a damn good price!
This journey out to see with Buddy Miller and a handful of his most talented friends is a can't-miss experience. Missed the boat this year? Tide yourself over until the 2017 cruise with the just-released Cayamo Sessions at Sea by Buddy Miller & Friends.
Lede photo by Sandra Dahdah for BGS, all other photos courtesy of the festivals