Volunteers
Volunteers
Volunteers
Volunteer applications for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2025 will open on November 26th. It takes over 400 volunteers to make the Telluride Bluegrass Festival happen! Volunteering provides a unique festival experience where you have the opportunity to give back in exchange for a 4-day festival pass. Volunteers are responsible for their own camping so please purchase camping when tickets go on sale!
Volunteering requires physical activity including standing, walking, and possibly lifting during your four hour shift. Please respect your limitations and read the volunteer job descriptions below. After reading through this page to make sure volunteering is a good fit for you, click on the button below to sign up. Thank you for your interest!
Volunteer Positions
Direct vehicles, maintain smooth traffic flow, and direct Festivarians to shuttle busses while being able to tolerate the elements (sun, snow, rain, wind, dust, heat). Requires two 6-hour shifts for a total of 12 hours (instead of 16 for other positions). Parking shifts begin the Monday before the festival and go through Sunday.
Check that Festivarians have on the appropriate wristbands and direct them to the festival grounds. These shifts are four hours each and occur Thursday-Sunday of the festival.
Greet Festivarians, check for proper wristbands, and check backpacks for glass & alcohol. This is the main entrance to the festival and sets the tone of friendly Festivarianism. This position is for people who can work quickly with a smile. These shifts are four hours each and occur Thursday-Sunday of the festival.
Greet Festivarians, check wristbands, educate campers on rules and regulations, and have fun. Volunteers will be placed at one of the four campgrounds: Town Park, Warner Field, Lawson Hill, or Mary E. Ilium. We highly recommend that you select the campground where you are staying. These shifts are four hours each, begin as early as the Monday before the festival, and go through the Monday after the festival.
Greet Festivarians to make sure that they have parking passes/wristbands, direct vehicles, maintain proper traffic flow, and check that folks park properly. We are looking for volunteers who pay attention to detail, can direct traffic confidently, and can work in the elements of sun, rain, wind, and dust. These shifts are four hours each, begin as early as the Saturday before the festival, and go through Sunday of the festival.
Assist campers, keep traffic flowing smoothly, sell ice, and answer camper-related questions. These shifts are four hours each, begin as early as the Monday before the festival and go through Monday after the festival.
Assist children and their families with face painting, juggling, hula hooping, and arts & crafts. Face painting experience and patience is a must. These are four hour shifts that occur during daytime hours Thursday through Sunday of the festival.
Greet Festivarians, exchange tickets for wristbands, and answer questions. We are looking for organized, tech-savvy, friendly folks who are willing to work in a fast-paced environment. Box Office experience is preferred. Shifts are usually four hours each and begin as early as the Tuesday before the festival through Sunday.
Work at a cash register, straighten or fold merchandise, and assist customers. Some retail experience preferred. There are many return volunteers for this position, so it fills up quickly. Shifts for the Country Store are four hours each and occur Thursday-Sunday of the festival.
Direct and educate Festivarians as to where to place compost, recycle, and trash items. This is a critical role for our waste reduction (compromised recyclables and compostables end up in the landfill). Please only request Compost if you are serious about helping the environment. Shifts are four hours each and begin Wednesday before the festival through Tuesday after the festival.
Check that food vendors have on the appropriate wristbands and direct them to the water station. Assist vendors with composting/recycling guidelines and ensure that food safety guidelines are followed at the dishwashing station. Shifts are four hours each and occur Thursday-Sunday of the festival.
This special team helps make sure Telluride is left the way we found it - beautiful and with no trace a festival even happened. Bikes are recommended. Please bring work gloves, food, and water. Shifts are 4 hours each from Thursday until the Monday after the festival. For those of you looking to volunteer after the festival, we have shifts available Monday. If you are scheduled the Monday after the festival, you are welcome to bring a vehicle as the team will be working at Mary E. Ilium campground.
You must be 21 by June 19, 2025 to volunteer at the beer booth. Check ID’s, pour/sell beer, and have fun. Beer Booth is a very popular volunteer location and previous volunteers receive priority. This position requires three 6-hour shifts Thursday-Sunday of the festival. Please note in the comments if you have any bartending experience and mark if you are TIPS certified.
Eligibility & Requirements
- Only volunteers over the age of 18 may apply.
- Must be available to work each day of the festival. You will be assigned four 4-hour shifts (approximately 16 hours total), in exchange for a 4-Day Festival Pass. Typically, volunteers will be assigned a morning, afternoon, evening, and a closing shift but sometimes we need to fill open shifts and this could change. There are a few positions Saturday-Wednesday before the festival and Monday-Tuesday after the festival. Please see location descriptions above for more details.
- Only completed and confirmed applications will be considered.
- Required payments of a non-refundable processing fee of $20 and a refundable ticket deposit (which will be refunded after completion of all volunteer shifts).
- Attend the mandatory Volunteer Meeting the Wednesday before the festival at 7pm.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, camping is NOT included, but we have several camping areas available. Camping will sell out so buy your tickets early. You can purchase tickets online at shop.bluegrass.com.
We will make every effort to schedule you around your favorite band (if there is one), but we can’t guarantee it. There is a section on the application to note your favorite bands. If the artists aren’t available when you fill out your application, please check back frequently since we will add them as they are released. Applications will lock in early May when scheduling begins and you’ll no longer be able to add your favorite artists.
We will do our best to make sure you volunteer with your friends. There is a feature in festiVOL to link your application with your friends. Please link with friends as soon as possible. It is easier to accommodate working with one friend than it is with a group of friends. It is also helpful if you and your friend request to work together in the same location. (Once scheduling begins, applications will lock and you will no longer be able to link your application with friends.)
Children may not accompany you during your volunteer shifts. We need your full attention during your scheduled volunteer shifts. Of course, they are welcome to join you at the festival and in the campgrounds (if you have purchased camping).
The volunteer meeting is held on the Wednesday before the festival at 7pm under the white tent near the Warming Hut — located near the entrance to the festival grounds. This meeting is mandatory because you will be meeting your supervisors and learning what is expected of you during your volunteer shifts. If you have an emergency and cannot make the meeting, send us an email (volunteer@bluegrass.com) and we will inform your supervisor.