Ride Festival
Returning to Telluride July 8th-9th, RIDE Festival celebrates its sixth consecutive year of world-class music, camping and mountain adventure that only Colorado can deliver. Featuring an all-star line up in an intimate mountain setting; event headliners include BECK, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, The John Butler Trio, Rival Sons, The Temperance Movement, Kaleo, Jackie Greene, and Boulder’s own Rose Hill Drive among others.
Set to take place in downtown Telluride’s Town Park, the event features an unparalleled backdrop of Telluride’s idyllic landscape, world-class musicianship, Colorado’s finest microbrews and daily adventures for outdoor enthusiasts and music aficionados alike. Past RIDE performers include Pearl Jam, David Byrne, The Lumineers, Cage the Elephant, Widespread Panic, Jonny Lang and many others.
The Location
The undisputed gem of southwest Colorado, Telluride is well-known & revered by Colorado locals to be among the very best mountain destinations and has been called “number one for both scenery and character” by Forbes and Ski Magazine. With world-class hiking, rafting, climbing, fishing, mountain biking, and hot springs all within 40 miles of the festival, as well as a perfectly integrated farmer’s market downtown on Fridays, RIDE Festival is the can’t-miss mountain festival of 2017.
A boost to the local economy during the beautiful alpine summer, event organizers work hand in hand with the community to help bring first-class entertainment throughout the town for a full-scale festival environment. In an effort to take advantage of the unique Telluride setting, RIDE Festival carries out into the streets from Town Park with events scheduled at The Sheridan Opera House, Sheridan Bar, Roma Bar, Moon at O’Bannons, and the new Liberty Bar — each featuring emerging talent and intimate performances that play well into the night. Featuring an inclusive party-vibe that only a small town can provide most of the late-night entertainment is also free to RIDE Festival weekend pass holders.
The Lineup
RIDE Festival will feature another talented, star-studded lineup in 2017 including a rare Telluride performance by the Grammy-Award winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, BECK. Celebrated for his sonically experimental and lo-fi style, BECK rose to fame in the early 1990’s for creating musical collages encompassing a wide genre of styles. With a highly anticipated release on the horizon for 2017, fans may be treated to an early taste of the producer’s latest tunes during the 6th annual festival.
Known for his high-energy live performances, prominent activist and American singer-songwriter Ben Harper will perform for the first time in Telluride since his 2012 performance at the RIDE Festival. This year, Ben will be appearing with his talented band The Innocent Criminals. A rousing performer, Harper has taken home numerous awards including Grammy Awards for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album in 2005 and Best Blues Album in 2014.
With additional performances spanning multiple genres of music including rock n’ roll, reggae, gospel and soul, RIDE Festival’s diverse lineup has something for everyone.
Additional Information
Going further than just being a music festival, the annual event also benefits local community radio station KOTOfm, a local non-commercial listener-supported station in operation in the San Juan Mountains since 1975. An important facet to community living at 8,750 ft, KOTOfm provides local news, information, entertainment and music in an area that may not have access to local radio otherwise.
For more information about the RIDE Festival including ticketing and official festival details check out their official site, here.
Visit RIDE Festival @ Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
Eric- FestPop Staff Writer
