The sound of 10,000 folks howling at the moon. The smell of flank steak and beer and sunscreen. Music before breakfast and Gospel on Sunday. Turning around and mezmerized by not only what and who was on stage but behind me, those beautiful mountains and all those smiling faces. The way we tried but failed many years ago in our youth to sneak in on our bellies laughing our butts off under the security horses. Crazy us. Man those memories are seated deep and everlasting. Thanks.
Watching a 12 or 13 year-old Alison Krauss being brought on stage - can’t even remember who the act was that introduced her.
Selling a tie-dye T-shirt to a young Bela Fleck and then seeing him on stage wearing it the next day!
Yeah … that was a very very long time ago !
HI Betcey, I first saw Allison and US in Santa Fe in 1987 when she was 15 and she blew me away. Her first time in Tride was 1989 when she was 17 and I don’t recall ever seeing her perform in Telluride before then, so I’m curious as to when you saw her there at age 12 or 13? She signed with Rounder in 1985. She is 50 now! Still has the voice of an angel. That show in Santa Fe was amazing. It was Alison Kraus and Union Station, followed by Tony Rice Unit, and finished up with New Grass Revival! Man what a show that was! After 35 years I still remember how amazing the whole day was!
WOW, that sounds like an amazing show!
Alison wasn’t playing as an official act when I saw her … someone else who was performing (I wish is could remember who!) just brought her onstage and introduced her, saying that she was an up and coming talent to watch. I think she only performed one song … my memory is fuzzy. It would have been somewhere between 1983 and 1985 … the only years I went to Telluride. I want to say it was '83.
I am soooo excited to finally be making it back often so many, many years!!
(Still desperately seeking a TP or WF ticket if you know anyone with one for sale!) 
My guess would be Sam Bush. He has been there since year 2 1975 I believe. My first was year 3 in 1976 but I don’t remember seeing Alison! I know Sam has definitely sung praises of up and coming young musicians including Chris Thiele and Sierra Hull.
WOW, that sounds like an amazing show!
Alison wasn’t playing as an official act when I saw her … someone else who was performing (I wish is could remember who!) just brought her onstage and introduced her, saying that she was an up and coming talent to watch. I think she only performed one song … my memory is fuzzy. It would have been somewhere between 1983 and 1985 … the only years I went to Telluride. I want to say it was '83.
I am soooo excited to finally be making it back often so many, many years!!
(Still desperately seeking a TP or WF ticket if you know anyone with one for sale!) 
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My guess would be Sam Bush. He has been there since year 2 1975 I believe. My first was year 3 in 1976 but I don’t remember seeing Alison! I know Sam has definitely sung praises of up and coming young musicians including Chris Thiele and Sierra Hull.
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I would LOVE to know if anyone else shares that memory … I know I didn’t dream it! Anyone else remember an early-to-mid ‘80s show when Alison was introduced onstage as a young girl?
That’s easy. BILL MUNROE fanning the feet of Emmylou (who I am secretly in love with) with his cowboy hat while she was dancing on stage with the Bluegrass Boys. Stunning!
2022-
Discovering Rising Appalachia. Watching those lovely women dancing on stage was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I listened to them and played cross harp to their music all the way home after the festival. Then there was a happy crossing of stars when HOOCH and I traded tickets at the entrance to backstage at the festival. He REALLY IS kind of a big deal.
BUT, the killer this year was Punch Bros happy hour at Elks Park. It was so intimate and fun I actually teared up! Bless those boys.
With a killer version of Uncle John’s Band!
Ha, ha! Right, except Chris admitted he didn’t know the Dead catalog and had to read the words off his phone!
Where’s the Festivarian Crew?
Time to Check In!
Its time for more of that Secret Sauce!
Alright fam Roll call!
Who’s still kicking and gearing up for another epic year in TP? Feels like some of the usual voices have gone quiet, and it’s time to get the conversation flowing again.
We know it isn’t just about the music—it’s about the people. The traditions, the late-night jams, the shared meals, the way a group of strangers becomes extended family by mon morning. God rest to our loved ones who’ve moved forward (TT Hippy Lara and many more, the list is growing)
TBF wouldn’t be the same without its community—new faces mixing with seasoned Festivarians, campsite jams turning into legendary stories, and traditions like the crawfish boil, dance party, beershare, kickball, bobby, and all the shenanigan’s at RaM. that is the sauce thats been keeping the spirit alive year after year.
So let’s talk
what’s your favorite festival moment that made you feel part of something bigger?
What makes this place so unforgettable?
Drop your thoughts, tag your crew, and let’s get this conversation rolling!
Howdy! Flyin Phil here. I’ll go back to my first time, the 20th anniversary. I got town park and had no idea what I had scored. We parked in the elk fields west of town. I set up camp and started walking around but back then campfires were allowed, and EVERYONE had one going. Some folks don’t know how to build a fire, so the air was unbreathable! I spent the rest of the festival sleeping in my van in the field, which was actually the nicest camping I’ve ever had since!
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TBF 2021 All 7 days!!!
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Pod year was magical!
The part that makes it feel like being a part of something bigger is the pre-fest for sure. Town Park becomes a community that should be used as an example of what a community should be. Every big camp puts on its own event to help provide for all festival goers who make their pilgrimage there before the festival starts. It truly serves as the rejuvenation of my faith in humanity knowing that these beautiful people out there in the world. The more you walk around the community, going event to event, late night camp picking, the more love you feel just radiating from everyone.
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This is the truth! We were just saying the same thing last night. If the world worked together as do the folks in TP imagine how wonderful it would be!
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I do enjoy walking around TP, seeing everyone and singing Imagine to myself.
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