The Bluebird Music Festival made its Fort Collins, Colorado, debut on Thursday, October 3rd, 2024. Opening night festivities, with Daniel Rodriguez providing the musical entertainment, were held at the Odell Brewing Company Winery. On Friday evening, October 4th, the musical magic moved to Washington’s, the expansive state-of-the-art music venue in downtown Fort Collins. Entertainment was provided by Josh Ritter and his band, Daniel Rodriguez, and The Wildwoods.

I could tell you how their set included fun covers like the Rolling Stones’ “No Expectations,” John Hartford's "Granny Wontcha Smoke Some Marijuana," and Jesse Stone’s “Don’t Let Go” (a familiar Jerry Garcia Band tune for many in the audience who sang along with the refrain). I could tell you they picked and fiddled as tight as ever. I could tell you they had a guest fiddler named Coleman Smith and that he and Piccininni had a lot of fun fiddling eye to eye. So much to tell!

Nestled between Boulder and Fort Collins lies the sleepy little town of Lyons, Colorado. Populated with little more than two thousand citizens, this historic settlement has deep roots in the narrative of the Centennial State. Like much of the west, this area was first populated by multiple Native American tribes including the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Comanche peoples, who thrived due to the vast resources of both the Rocky Mountains as well as the surrounding grasslands.