KT Tunstall, Amos Lee, Jakob Dylan headline 18th Rocky Mtn Folks Festival

July 31, 2008 - PRLog -- The three-day “Summit on the Song” (August 15-17) in Lyons, CO features many of the world’s great rock, folk, and country songwriters including KT Tunstall, Amos Lee, Nanci Griffith, and Jakob Dylan. Tickets ($40-105) and camping ($45-60) is still available at www.bluegrass.com or 800-624-2422.

International accents are scattered throughout the lineup: Australians Missy Higgins (7-time ARIA / Australian Grammy winner) and rootsy sisters The Waifs; Canadians Luke Doucet and Great Lake Swimmers (purveyors of ambient zen Americana); and Scottish superstar KT Tunstall. Meanwhile, the richness of American music is on display – from the deep-rooted soul of Greg Brown and Patty Griffin, to the quirky hilarity of Todd Snider, to the Grammy-winning virtuosity of Tim O’Brien, to the provocative lyricism of Josh Ritter, Dar Williams, and Shawn Mullins.

Beyond the main stage, the 300-seat Wildflower Pavilion hosts intimate sets throughout the Festival. During the day, a full schedule of performers present workshops and performances including major artists like Gregory Alan Isakov, Madi Diaz, and Priscilla Ahn.  Then after the music ends on Saturday night, Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers will light up the Wildflower stage for a special late-night MoonGrass set.

Often mentioned alongside Red Rocks as one of Colorado’s great outdoor venues, the 3,500-capacity Planet Bluegrass Ranch is a relaxed, family-friendly setting. Mature Cottonwoods tower overhead providing afternoon shade, while the sandy beach and cooling river provide the antidote to a warm August afternoon. Many Festivarians wheel in red wagons filled with picnic food, blankets, and beach toys, staking out claims around the scenic property – whether planting their chair directly in the river (with a clear view of the stage), reclining in hammocks in the woods, or floating down the St. Vrain in an innertube.

The “Festivarian Bill of Rights” promises no handling fees on any tickets, free entrance for kids 12 and under, and sustainability at the forefront of every aspect of the festival. Flipping the normal paradigm of selling imported bottled water, the festival offers unlimited free filtered local water; while all performers are given reusable stainless steel bottles rather than a case of plastic bottles. Through compost, recycling, and extreme reuse, over 60% of the festival’s waste is now diverted from landfills. With the addition of VIP “carbon-free parking” Festivarians are encouraged to bike to the 100% wind-powered festival.

The week preceding the festival Planet Bluegrass welcomes songwriters from around the world for a four days of songwriting and inspiration with a top faculty of professional songwriters, musicians, and industry professionals at The Song School, August 10-14. Younger songwriters are featured at the Festival, through the nationally-recognized Folks Showcase songwriting contest which opens the festival’s main stage schedule on Friday morning.

The Planet Bluegrass Ranch is located just outside the quaint quarry town of Lyons, CO - 20-minutes north of Boulder and less than an hour from Denver or Fort Collins. The 18-acre historic ranch is bordered by the wooded cliffs of the St. Vrain River in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, just 20 miles from Rocky Mountain National Park.

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Since 1990, Planet Bluegrass has been producing exquisite musical events in remarkable Colorado settings including the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, RockyGrass and the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival.