Fun was had by all at WinterWonderGrass in Avon, Colorado this weekend. Bring your unicorn onesie, your fluffy hat, your handlebar mustache, your vintage one-piece ski outfit but most importantly, bring your happy dancing shoes. Well, shoes that will enjoy alittle mud.
The blue skies were radiant throughout the weekend which was the first ingredient to a fantastic Music Festival.
Upon our arrival we walked into the brightly lit entrance and toured around the festival grounds. There was a buzz of energy in the foreground and a melodic trance of jamming music in the background.
The variety of bluegrass music was energetic and fun but more importantly nonstop. You could choose to visit one of four venues within the confines of the WinterWonderGrass setting, the main stage and three large tented venues called, The Soapbox, Picken’ Perch and Jamboree. The more intimate tents offered libations as well as a cozy, comfortable warm venue to listen to intimate musicians strumming and pickin’ their original tunes.
The schedules for the weekend were very easy to read and were placed throughout the venue. If a band was playing on Main Stage then the tent venues were a place to meet friends old and new to discuss your favorite band or what beer was tasting good. If the Main Stage was in between acts then the three tents featured different musicians playing their favorite instruments.
The crowds ebbed and flowed throughout the day. Starting at 2pm each day, the music carried on throughout until the 8pm Main Stage band finished their set. On Friday night, Leftover Salmon treated the crowds to a monster closeout show for the first full day. On Saturday and Sunday Greensky Bluegrass closed out the Main Stage with a bang.
Bands like Fruition, The Lil’ Smokies, Dustbowl Revival, The Wood Brothers, Mandoline Orange, Town Cavalry, The Drunken Hearts and Drew Emmitt kept the festival flowing in the tents when the Main Stage was not occupied. These bands strummed, picked and grooved their music and had each tent rocking all day and night long.
The people watching and hula hooping was on high alert. Once the sun went down, the grounds lite up. Everyone was happy and enjoying the festivities.
The music creates the buzz and gets the people to the show but the backbone of the festival are the extra little things. The extra tented venues, the assortment of beer, wine and liquor, the variety of food, the sitting areas, kids station, the heaters and water station are just a few of the amenities that keep people coming back year after year. The WinterWonderGrass festival was a fun festival for music lovers both young and old.
A festival in the Vail Valley that is not to be missed. The crowds were happy, the music was great and the amenities were plentiful.
Thanks WinterWonderGrass and all the bands that made our festival experience a winner.
