Thanks to everyone who joined us for the sold-out 2007 RockyGrass. It was an unforgettable weekend of virtuosic music, full moon jam sessions, and bluegrass tradition. Thanks to Bluegrass By Bike and the "How Green Is Your Grass?" Campsite Contest for making this the greenest RockyGrass ever. Share your comments with us in the festival survey and find the solution for the BlueDoKu puzzle from the festival program. Mark your calendars for next year - July 25-27 - and we hope to see you this fall at the Wildflower Pavilion shows. Check back here in early October for details on the 2008 on-site camping lottery.

The Scene

RockyGrass is held at the Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyons, Colorado - located along the wooded banks of the beautiful St. Vrain River. The historic quarry town of Lyons is just 15 miles north of Boulder in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The town is known for its antique stores, restaurants, artists, and musicians.

Numerous camping options nearby include: on-site at the festival grounds, under the cliffs at Meadow Park (a quick five-minute walk from the festival), or at the Olson Campground (a 10-minute walk or via the free shuttle buses).

Non-musical activities in and around Lyons include single-track mountain biking at Hall Ranch, river sports in the Meadow Park whitewater course, touring through Rocky Mountain National Park (40 minutes up the hill from Lyons), and hiking in the neaby National Forest lands.

A Day at RockyGrass

A day at RockyGrass starts with a campground breakfast or a quick walk to downtown Lyons to relax at one of the fine coffee shops. Whether walking the campgrounds or Main Street in Lyons, live bluegrass music already fills the air. Soon the sound of bagpipes echoes off the canyon walls, signalling the opening of the festival grounds and the morning tarp rush.

As the afternoon heats up, kids of all ages flock to the sandy beach - beach toys, innertubes, and all. Meanwhile older folks make new friends with tarp dwellers close to the main stage or under the shady trees. Away from the stage, kids work on crafts in the family tent, while musicians form jam circles in the woods along the river or listen to an instrument contest or workshop in the Wildflower Tent.

All day the audience is treated to headliner after headliner on the main stage. Then when the final headliner finishes their set on the main stage, the campgrounds come alive with jam sessions. A walk through the campground is a vital part of the RockyGrass experience - hearing pickers of all ages and backgrounds sharing in the common language of bluegrass music.

Important Changes for 2007

Every year we listen to comments from festivarians at the festivals and read through the hundreds of surveys we receive both online and at the festival. Several issues keep coming up: the increasing demand for on-site camping passes and ways to improve the on-site campground experience. To address these concerns, we're instituting several important changes for 2007.

We recognize that change can be difficult. But we firmly believe that these policy changes will improve the festival (and pre-festival) experience for everyone. If you have comments or concerns about these changes, please contact us - [email protected] or call 800-624-2422 | 303-823-0848.

1. No More On-Site RV Passes

With each festival season, we find more of the on-site campground being taken up by increasingly larger RVs. These large RVs damage the trees and natural environment in the on-site campground and detract from the intimate feeling of the relatively small campground area. These large RVs are better parked in the much larger Meadow Park and Olson Campgrounds.

So starting this season we will no longer be selling on-site RV passes. Furthermore, we will be limiting on-site vehicles to 18 feet. Fear not, RV campers - there will be plenty of room for RVs in Meadow Park in Olson. We will just not be parking any RVs in the on-site campgrounds.

2. Bar Code Tickets

In an effort to reduce the amount wasted paper and envelopes and the confusion resulting from lost tickets in the mail, we will be modernizing our Lyons festivals to use emailed barcode tickets. All camping, vehicles, and festival tickets will now be sent only as an email. This email will contain your tickets - which you should print and bring with you to the festival. At the festival box office, we will scan your unique ticket and issue you the appropriate wristbands.

Share your festival thoughts with us in the festival survey and plan to join us this fall for intimate shows in the Wildflower Pavilion. On-site camping tickets for next year's Festival will again be sold via an online lottery - look for more details in the fall. Be sure you're signed up for the Festivarian Newsletter for all the latest RockyGrass news.