Academy Info
Academy Info
Academy Info
Rules & Guidelines
- No pets are allowed anywhere in the Festival grounds, campgrounds, or parking lots and cars. It would be cruel to bring your pet to this Festival. Dogs do not like crowds, heat or traffic. If you need to kennel your dog call:
- Blue Hills Kennel: 303-776-3907
- Cottonwood Boarding: 303-442-2603
- Doggie Dude Ranch: 303-682-0007
- Gunbarrel Kennels: 303-530-2500
- Audio taping the classes at the Academy is permitted (and often encouraged!). Recording devices must be self-contained (we do not provide AC outlets in the class tents).
- Kids and Families. Everyone at the Academy must be registered as a student or paid guest, including all children of all ages.
Academy Campground Line Policy
The specifics of the 2019 Academy Campground line have not yet been finalized. To give you an idea of the process, below are the rules from 2018 (last year)…
Due to restrictions on use of the new Planet Bluegrass Farm and ongoing construction at Bohn Park, we have made several major changes to the Academy campground vehicle lineup.
- The 2018 RockyGrass Academy campground opens at 1pm on Sunday, July 22, 2018.
- Vehicles that arrive prior to Noon may lineup at the Planet Bluegrass Farm property ( located 0.3 miles northwest of the Academy campground on Highway 36 - view map).
- Vehicles may not arrive at the Planet Bluegrass Farm earlier than 8am on Sunday, July 22 (the day the Academy campground opens).
- To avoid a line prior to 8am on Sunday, vehicles arriving anytime between 8am-11am will receive a lottery number assigning them a random spot in the Academy campground vehicle lineup (see below). We highly encourage you to arrive after 9am to help us disperse the arrivals and avoid delays. (Vehicles arriving after 11am will proceed to the end of the lineup.)
- If you plan to arrive in Lyons a day or more before the Academy campground opens, you will need to find your own camping/lodging. No overnight camping is allowed at Bohn Park, at the Planet Bluegrass Farm, or on public streets in Lyons.
- If you were planning to arrive prior to Sunday, July 22 we encourage you to explore many of the beautiful camping options in the area including Lavern M Johnson Park in Lyons, Camp Dick, Pawnee Campground at Brainard Lake, and numerous campgrounds around Estes Park.
We realize these changes may impact some students’ travel plans. But after decades of experience managing these campground vehicle lines, we believe most students will appreciate the simplicity and fairness of this new system. We welcome your feedback at planet@bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422.
Initial Line-up Procedure (Lottery!)
To discourage any arrivals to the Planet Bluegrass Farm prior to 8am and to make this initial lineup process as stress-free and fair as possible, we will be using a “random lottery” procedure for the initial lineup from 8:00-11:00am on Sunday morning, July 22, 2018. (If you arrive after 11am on Sunday, you will simply proceed to the end of the line.)
- Vehicles arriving at the Planet Bluegrass Farm between 8:00am and 11:00am on Sunday, July 22 will be given a random lineup number, similar to our nightly tarp line numbers.
- These numbers will truly be random, so someone arriving at 10:00am will have the same chance of receiving a low lineup space number as someone arriving right at 8:00am.
- Only one number will be given to each vehicle. Vehicles that leave the line-up after receiving a number will forfeit their spot in line and will not be given a new number if they return to the lottery.
- Planet Bluegrass staff will assist vehicles in proceeding to the marked parking space corresponding to their lottery number.
- To help disperse the arriving vehicles and avoid delays for everyone, we urge you to arrive after 9:00am.
- At 11:00am, the random lottery will end.
- All vehicles arriving after 11:00am will receive the next available space at the end of the line.
Please remember: Vehicles MAY NOT ARRIVE EARLIER THAN 8:00AM at the Planet Bluegrass Farm on Sunday, July 22, 2018 (and with this lottery procedure there is absolutely no benefit to arriving any earlier!). YOUR VEHICLE WILL BE TICKETED & TOWED IF YOU PARK ALONG HIGHWAY 36.
If you arrive before 8am, we highly recommend you relax and grab breakfast at one of Lyons’ coffee shops or restaurants and casually drive over to the Planet Bluegrass Farm well after the 8am opening.
Academy Load-In Procedure
- Due to concerns from the Sheriff’s Department, each vehicle may only contain as many occupants as available seat belts. Vehicles with more people than the vehicle can safely transport, will be pulled from the line until each passenger is removed from the vehicle (or wearing a seatbelt).
- At Noon on Sunday, vehicles will be escorted from the Planet Bluegrass Farm to the Academy campground on the Planet Bluegrass Ranch. Vehicles must remain in order. Vehicles that arrive at the Ranch out of order will not be allowed entry into the campground.
- Vehicles will be admitted to the Ranch in order according to their number. Don’t lose your number or you will have to go to the end of the line! All cars will be cleared from the Planet Bluegrass Farm lineup area at this time.
- Due to safety concerns, NO pedestrian walk-ins to the on-site campground will be allowed until all vehicles in the lineup have entered the on-site campground.
- Once you have entered the Academy campground on the Planet Bluegrass Ranch, please remember that ALL vehicles and campers must be parked adjacent to a roadway in the campground.
- Please unload necessary items and move your car to the Academy parking area BEFORE setting up your camp in order to allow others the opportunity to find a site as well.
- Only vehicles with a RockyGrass Festival on-site vehicle pass will be allowed to park within the Academy camping area. If you plan to camp in your vehicle but you do not have a RockyGrass Festival on-site vehicle pass, our staff will direct you to a spot near the Academy parking area.
- All roads are one-way and the speed limit is strictly 5 MPH. For the safety of everyone PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY.
Frequently Asked Questions
Instrument instruction is $600; Kids Camp is $385; mandolin and mandola instrument building classes are $820; guitar building classes are $1050. Classes are sold through our online lottery - open from November 5-14, 2018. A $150 deposit is required to hold your space. The balance is due by April 1, 2019.
Each day at the Academy is divided into four sessions that run from 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM. Each morning, you’ll be treated to instructor jams. Elective sessions follow, including instrument instruction, mentoring sessions, and song session groups to work on ensemble material, with coaching by instructor teams. After a lunch break, you will have an instrument instruction session followed by an elective session (10-12 electives) to end your day. Some examples of elective topics are: songwriting, harmony vocals, music theory, and specific instrument styles and topics. After a dinner break, there will be evening activities offered including a band scramble, open stage time and campfire jamming.
Full payments for the Academy are due by April 1, 2019. Your $150 deposit is non-refundable, but your remainder payment is fully refundable before May 1, 2019. There will be no refunds after May 1, 2019.
The Academy offers different levels of instruction for various bluegrass instruments. Please note that there are no beginner classes. Do not sign up for a class if you have never played the instrument! To be considered a novice you must at least be able to strum, pick or bow, as well as change basic chords in time and play simple melodies. Intermediate level participants should be able to play lead and rhythm parts and be comfortable with slow jamming. Advanced level participants are expected to play well with others, be competent at faster rhythms and complex lead parts, and cover material quickly. Classes with only two levels will divide the intermediate students into upper and lower levels. It is usually not a problem to switch levels within your instrument class once the Academy has started. However, you will not be permitted to switch to a different instrument.
During the Academy, we offer two evening BBQs on Monday and Thursday evenings; included in the tuition. Friends and family of participants may attend only if they have purchased a guest pass (see below). Every morning we offer complimentary coffee, tea and muffins to start your day. Additionally, we plan to again have a local vendor on site for those wishing to purchase lunch and snacks.
Because we have limited space and aim to provide an intimate learning environment for all Academy students, we have to put limits on the number of non-students who are on our property during the RockyGrass Academy.
Guest passes are required for anyone on the property — ages 13 and over — who is not enrolled in the Academy. We only sell guest passes to immediate family members of students. Since we limit the total number of guest passes available, each student can purchase a maximum of one guest pass until we are sold out.
Children 12 and under not attending the Academy do not have to purchase a guest pass, but they must be supervised during class hours. Children may attend the evening BBQs, but they must pay for their meal.
Guests and Children must observe the following rules during the Academy:- Guests/Children must share a tent with their student host.
- Guests may not bring any additional vehicles on-site.
- Guests/Children must avoid the classroom areas during class time.
The Lavern Johnson (Meadow) Park Campground is an excellent alternative for groups or families who are not all attending the Academy. Your Festival camping pass will be valid the entire Academy week through the Festival. Lavern Johnsin (Meadow) Park is easy walking distance the Festival grounds.
To purchase a guest pass (once you have confirmed your Academy registration), please contact our Academy Administrator - madison@bluegrass.comIf you are planning to fly into Denver International Airport, you have several options to get from Denver to Lyons. The Denver metro bus system, RTD, stops about 1/2 mile from the Planet Bluegrass Ranch gate. Another private service, the Estes Park Shuttle, makes four daily runs from DIA to Estes Park, dropping you off at the Planet Bluegrass Ranch on the way. The North Denver Airport Shuttle and Superior Shuttle both serve Lyons. For more details, contact these services directly:
- RTD: 800-366-7433
- Estes Park Shuttle: 970-586-5151
- North Denver Airport Shuttle: 303-457-4646
- Superior Shuttle: 303-399-2812
Yes. Because Planet Bluegrass is located on a highway and the line has grown in the past few years beyond what can safely be accommodated by the shoulder, vehicles must line-up off-site. As with last year (2018), we expect this lineup will be held at the new Planet Bluegrass Farm. Vehicles may not begin lining up until Sunday, July 21 (opening day of the Academy campground). To give you an idea of the process, check out last year’s 2018 vehicle line-up procedure (above).
If you’ve been thinking about introducing your children to bluegrass, or bringing the family to the Academy this program will provide excellent instruction for ages 7-14. Classes will run at the same time as the Academy. Additional information is available at the Kids Camp page.
Planet Bluegrass offers convenient on-site camping during the RockyGrass Academy and during RockyGrass. Our Ranch is situated on 14 beautiful acres of private property. It’s nestled along the St. Vrain River; tucked beneath a rim of 75 foot high red sandstone cliffs. We also have a bathhouse, which offers indoor toilets, sinks and showers.
Yes, you may bring an RV with you to Academy and the Festival, but vehicles over 21 feet may not park in the on-site campground. In order to protect the natural environment of the Planet Bluegrass Ranch, we will not be allowing any large RVs on-site during any of our events. If you purchase a Lavern Johnson (Meadow) Park RV pass for the festival, you may stay there during the Academy. You will need to purchase a separate RV pass at Lavern Johnson (Meadow) Park or the Planet Bluegrass Farm to park your RV during the Festival.
We also offer camping at Lavern Johnson (Meadow) Park across the street from our Ranch. This campground is operated by the town of Lyons and there is a fee per night until Sunday at 11am when Planet Bluegrass takes over. If you display a Lavern Johnson (Meadow) Park camping and vehicle pass for the festival, you may stay for the Academy for no additional charge.
You may camp in a tent or vehicle (up to 21 feet) free of charge while attending the Academy in the designated Academy camping area. To stay on-site during the festival you will need to purchase a three-day festival pass with on-site camping privileges. Vehicles require additional passes during the festival, separate from the per-person camping pass. On-site camping was sold through a special random online lottery. You may also choose to purchase an on-site camping pass through the Academy lottery. If you are not staying for the festival you may have your vehicle with you in the camping area or a tent - NOT BOTH. If you choose to have your tent in the camping area, you will be able to park your vehicle on-site in a designated area as space permits. Overflow vehicles must be parked off site.
Academy campers who have festival and on-site camping passes can set up and stay in the same campsite once the Academy has ended. Buy your festival, camping, and vehicle passes ASAP before they sell out. Camping during the Academy occurs in a designated area on the Festival grounds. If you don’t have a vehicle pass for the Festival, you may have either a vehicle or a tent in the camping area - but not both. If you chose to have your tent in the camping area, you may park your car in the designated Academy parking area on the grounds as space permits. You will be required to move your vehicle and campsite on Friday morning by 9:00 am if you do not have festival camping passes. If you are not camping with your vehicle for the festival, you may park it in a secured lot for the weekend.
Lyons is a small town where you can get the basics. Within a mile or less from the Ranch gate, you can get to the post office, a health food store, a small grocery, a half dozen restaurants, several liquor stores, and several coffee shops. Within a two-mile radius you can find a dozen restaurants, several gas stations, a bank, and several antique dealers.
The classrooms are outdoors under shade tents, so bring rain gear and warm clothing as well as shorts, a swimming suit and sunscreen. Also bring picks, rosin, extra strings, watch, audio recorder and plenty of extra batteries, a flashlight, tarp, folding chairs, camera, and snack food.
We do not have a pay phone on the Planet Bluegrass Ranch. Pay phones may be found nearby in the town of Lyons. Cell phones users have experienced trouble with reception on the Ranch, though Verizon users tend to have the most success. Service improves once you are a mile or so away or closer to Boulder and Longmont.
The Academy campground opens mid-day (exact time TBA) on Sunday, July 21, 2019.You may check in and pick up Academy materials from 2:00 PM - 5:30 PM on Sunday and on Monday morning starting at 8:00 AM.
Usually Colorado is sunny and warm with an occasional afternoon thunderstorm - but not always. The phrase “if you don’t like the weather just wait fifteen minutes” is truly appropriate in Colorado. It’s good to be prepared for a little rain, wind, and cool evenings. Daytime temperatures usually are in the 80s and 90s and at night you can expect 60s and 70s.
The initial class for the Mandolin and Mandola building classes will run from 3:00-5:30pm on Sunday, July 21. The first item of business is to select your instrument kits and receive an overview of the entire building process. Everything will be provided for you, so come on time ready to start! You can set up your camp after class if necessary.
Sorry, no pets are allowed on site. Call us for a list of local kennels if necessary. Here is a list of some local kennels:
- Camp Bow Wow Boulder (3631 Pearl St, Boulder, CO 80301-2423) - 303-442-2261
- Arapahoe Animal Hospital & Boarding Kennels (5585 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder, CO 80303-1334) -
303-442-7033 - Cottonwood Kennels (7275 Valmont, Boulder, CO 80301-4715) - 303-442-2602
- Whispering Pines Pet Resort (14360 N 83rd St, Longmont, CO 80503-9215) - 303-776-3907
- Windstar Kennels (14077 Weld County Road 5, Longmont, CO 80504-9642) - 303-485-2176
- Longs Peak Animal Hospital - 303-776-6666
- Canine Campovers LLC (Boulder County) - 303-998-1111
There are a number of lodges and motels in the surrounding area, which offer a wide range of accommodations. Visit our lodging page for more information.