By Tim Dwenger

www.bluegrass.com

August 15 -17

Planet Bluegrass Ranch, Lyons, CO

Set in the beautiful town of Lyons, Colo., this festival is the perfect compliment to a summer afternoon. Along the St. Vrain River, Planet Bluegrass Ranch is an oasis nestled among the majestic red rock formations that dominate the Lyons landscape. The Festival, now in its 19th year, brings together some of the most recognized names in the folk world with some bright new up-and-comers. The folk genre is broad and the organizers are more than willing to push the boundaries of the genre when booking acts. Rest assured that there will be a healthy dose of old favorites, but if you are a music lover who can’t wait to find a new act to sink your teeth into, you won’t be disappointed. For those who shy away from big crowds, the relatively low capacity of the Ranch allows this to be one of the most intimate festivals around. TRAVEL TIME: (As calculated by mapquest.com from Denver, Colo. to Lyons, Colo.)

Total Est. Time: 55 minutes

Total Est. Distance: 49 miles

YOU NEED TO KNOW: Like Planet Bluegrass’s marquee festival in Telluride, the on-site camping may be close quarters but it fosters new friendships. If you want to sleep during the late-night jams, bring ear plugs. PRICE: $$$ CAMPING: Yes ARTISTS: KT Tunstall Amos Lee Patty Griffin Greg Brown Missy Higgins Jakob Dylan The Waifs Todd Snider Tim O’Brien Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers Melissa Ferrick Great Lake Swimmers Susan Werner Steve Seskin Luke Doucet Sarah Sample