WinterWonderGrass Festival is returning to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, February 23rd-25th, 2018 for the sixth annual internationally acclaimed bluegrass and craft beer festival.
WinterWonderGrass Festival is an all ages community centric, environmentally focused festival featuring world-class bluegrass artists and Colorado craft beer. Establishing roots in Steamboat Springs, the WWG vision is to deliver a high-quality experience by combining artists that align to their altruistic team vision and sense of community.
With 25 bands performing on 4 stages over 3 days, WinterWonderGrass has distinguished itself as the premiere winter music and brew festival in the country. Headlining artists at the 6th annual WinterWonderGrass include Greensky Bluegrass, Yonder Mountain String Band, Elephant Revival and Leftover Salmon.
Additional artists include Fruition, Travelin McCourys, Lil’ Smokies, Horseshoe and Hand Grenades, Jon Stickley Trio, Billy Strings and Trout Steak Revival. The three large heated beer halls; Jamboree, Pickin’ Perch and The SoapBox are filled with bluegrass artists including; Good Time Travelers, Brad Parsons Band, Ghost of Paul Revere and We Dream Dawn. Special guests Tyler Grant, Bridget Law, Jay Starling and Allie Kral will be joining the WinterWonderGrass All-Stars plus sitting in with artists throughout the weekend.
The festival weekend kicks off on Thursday, February 22nd, with a free welcome party 2pm-5pm at Gondola Square at the base of Steamboat Resort with WinterWonderGrass artists Trout Steak Revival.
WinterWonderGrass sets the intention to get back to the roots with a small community gathering cultivated to reconnect with nature over three days. With the jams coming from 4 different stages throughout the weekend, the music never stops, creating a contagious high energy sensation. Drawing from the environmental beauty and mountain lifestyle of majestic Mt. Werner, WWG delivers the ultimate winter gathering.
“It's humbling to be welcomed and appreciated so authentically in a new community, it brings upon us a level of deep responsibility. We are working hard year round to build much more than a Festival, our desire is to curate a space that can inspire true connection, new conversation, a place to bring young and old together and reignite kinship. This event is not for you, it's from you", Scotty Stoughton, Founder.
New this year is the Public Pick at Rye at Torian Plum Plaza. In keeping with the festival’s desire to further integrate music and community they will be announcing the opportunity for friends and family of all ages to join WWG artists in an an informal unplugged musical collaboration. Fans can bring their instruments while listening to the stories behind the songs.
Throughout the weekend, WinterWonderGrass will host “pop-up” bluegrass jams on the Champagne Powder® snow covered mountains. Steamboat Resort will be offering a 3 day lift ticket starting at $189 valid any 3 days, February 22 – 26th. Dedicated to the winter lifestyle, the festival has collaborated with Icelantic Skis to create a custom made ski with the full lineup printed on the base of the ski. The skis will be available for pre-order and for purchase at the festival.
Partnering with WinterWonderGrass Steamboat as the 2018 Presenting Brew Sponsor is Oskar Blues Brewery. In addition, 22 Colorado breweries will join the beer tastings each day 2pm-5pm. The beer tastings will be hosted in the three heated beer halls where artists create a warm sense of camaraderie with spontaneous collaborations and raucous jams.
WinterWonderGrass aligns with local charitable organizations each year, focusing on music education, environmental protection and disaster relief. This year the festival has aligned with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Yampatika, Yampa Valley Autism Program and Partners in Routt County.
With an established 80 percent waste diversion rate in 2017, diverting 13,321 pounds away from landfills and into composting, the festival strives to offset the environmental impact of the event. A Klean Kanteen stainless steel commemorative festival mug is included with each three-day festival ticket dramatically reducing single use plastics. WinterWonderGrass is a community and family friendly event with a colorful kids zone including face painting, hula hooping and crafts while parents can sip libations as the sun sets over the Colorado mountains and the music plays into the night.
WWG brings late night shows Friday and Saturday night to Thunderhead Lodge plus The Chief Theater and Schmiggity’s in downtown Steamboat. New this year is a late night addition at the Steamboat Grand Hotel. All late night tickets will be sold separately and line up to be announced at a later date.
The festival has sold out the past six years and is expected to sell out quickly. Three-day tickets will be for sale starting at $169 and three-day VIP tickets $339. All three day tickets include three hours of daily beer tastings, a commemorative Klean Kanteen festival cup and three days of incredible live music at the base of Steamboat Resort. Children under the age of 12 are free and Seniors over the age of 75 are also free. For more more information and to purchase tickets - winterwondergrass.com
