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| The Swell Season at Telluride's 35th |
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What a week it was. The sun, the music, the snow on the mountains, and the musical magic from the stages to the campgrounds. Thank you to all the Festivarians that made the trek from all over the world to the sold-out 35th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival. If you joined us, share your thoughts in our 5-minute web survey - one randomly-chosen survey response will win a pair of tickets to next year's Festival. If you missed out, read a few Festival reviews or join the discussions over at the Festivarian Forum. We hope to see all of you at the 36th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, June 18-21, 2009.
The Summer Solstice...
The 35th Annual Telluride Bluegrass coincides with the Summer Solstice and the days surrounding the full moon; the longest day of the year; the beginning of summer. It's a magical time of sun and light, when the the high country of Colorado puts away its skis and grabs hiking boots, kayaks, and a low-back festival chair to take in "Bluegrass."
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| Ryan Adams at Telluride Bluegrass |
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We are excited to welcome a unique lineup of only-in-Telluride performances. Beloved Festival veterans and inspiring new talent. The Telluride royalty of virtuosic bluegrass superpickers, soulful songwriters, and some of the biggest stars in the Americana landscape.
The 2008 lineup includes unique collaborations (Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder; Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova of The Swell Season; Darrell Scott & John Cowan), fresh sounds (Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, Brett Dennen, The Frames, Tift Merritt), beloved Telluride veterans (Ani DiFranco, Yonder Mountain String Band, Sam Bush Band)...
Reunions of our favorite Telluride legends (Hot Rize with Red Knuckes & the Trailblazers, Leftover Salmon), music legends (Arlo Guthrie, Solomon Burke), youthful virtuosos (Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile, Uncle Earl, The Duhks), and the all-stars who have defined the virtuosic Telluride acoustic adventure (Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien, Peter Rowan, Edgar Meyer).
The single-day lineup was just announced. Check out bios and video clips from all of this year's artists. Then share your excitement about this year's performers in the Festivarian Forum.
The Bluegrass Festival...
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| Paolo Nutini and Drew Emmitt at TBF |
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Performers say there is a unique thrill to performing in front of the smartest audience in the country. Artists are encouraged to take risks in Telluride, and the Festivarian audience is regularly
rewarded with unique blends of voices sharing the stage for the first time - as a new musical friendship cultivated backstage makes its debut on the Telluride stage.
With music on the main stage all day, intimate workshops on the Elks Park stage in the middle of town, prestigious band and songwriting contests, late-night Nightgrass concerts at every indoor venue in town, and jam sessions throughout the night in condos and around campgrounds, this is a week of uncommon musical riches.
Festivarians...
The voices of Telluride Bluegrass are also the voices of festivarians, many of whom have been finding their way back year after year for twenty years. Today, children raised on Telluride Bluegrass return to introduce their own children to the festivarian experience.
Friendships informed by music and inspiration are special. Cherished friends reunite every summer in the Town Park campground. New friendships are created as festivarians choose their tarp spot every morning to the sound of bagpipes echoing off the jagged peaks overhead.
Listen to the mayor of Town Park, Telluride Tom, talk about the festivarian experience on the Colorado Public Radio program Colorado Matters and join the year-round community in our Festivarian Forum, where there's an active thread right now about Festivarians' favorite Telluride memories.
Telluride...
Nestled in the rugged San Juan Mountains and surrounded on three sides by the natural architecture of the Telluride Box Canyon, Telluride is arguably the most spectacular town in the American West.
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| 2008 Telluride Bluegrass |
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Founded in 1875, the Victorian charm of the town is protected as a National Historic Landmark District. The town of Telluride (elevation 8,750') is connected to the modern resort community of Mountain Village (elevation 9,450') via a free commuter gondola.
The San Juan Mountains are the highest concentration of 14,000 mountains in the US. Activities in and around Telluride include mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, numerous hot springs, historic ghost towns, and whatever else your sense of adventure shows you. Popular hikes from town are the Bridal Veil Falls - the highest cascade in Colorado - and the 2-mile hike up to Bear Creek Falls.
Tickets for 2009 Telluride Bluegrass Festival (Jun 18-21) will go on sale in late fall, including a lottery for Town Park camping passes in November. Make sure you're signed up for our email newsletter for all the latest festival updates.