FreeFall Bluegrass Festival closes out its first Avon run at Nottingham Park today
Railroad Earth, Bluegrass Generals and Molly Tuttle headlined three days of bluegrass and roots music by Nottingham Lake, as the festival settled into what the town calls its forever home.
The inaugural Avon FreeFall Bluegrass Festival closes its three-day run at Harry A. Nottingham Park today, wrapping a weekend the Town of Avon pitched as the fall finale of the Colorado festival circuit. Railroad Earth headlined Friday, the Bluegrass Generals took the Saturday stage, and Molly Tuttle closes the festival Sunday.
Announced by the town in June, the festival brought three days of bluegrass, roots and mountain music to Nottingham Park in the heart of the valley. The lineup also included Ross James' Electric Deadgrass featuring Nicki Bluhm, Alex Koford, Garrett Sayers and Bill McKay with special guests Bill Nershi and Paul Hoffman; the Nershi Hann Trio featuring Lauren Nershi and the Colorado Contingent; Hot Buttered Rum; the Drew Emmitt Band; High Country Hustle; the Jon Stickley Trio; Rapidgrass; Blue Ox Boys; the Henhouse Prowlers; and artist in residence DJ Logic.
The festival is produced by Diane Moudy of the Resort Entertainment Group, according to the town's June announcement. Tuttle's closing set caps Sunday's finale, with Nicki Bluhm also on the bill for a weekend the town newsletter billed as autumn at its finest in the heart of the Rockies, beneath the fall foliage of Beaver Creek. The festival site at Nottingham Park is listed as accessible and step-free.
We are ecstatic to be closing out the Colorado summer festival circuit and celebrate all that fall has to offer in Eagle County this weekend.
Diane Moudy, festival producer (KZYR The Zephyr)
Gates opened at 2 p.m. Friday with music starting at the Avon Pavilion at 2:30 p.m.; on Saturday and Sunday, gates opened at 11 a.m. with music from 11:30 a.m., wrapping at 9 p.m. each night. Weekend general admission passes were $110, two-day passes $100 and single-day tickets $50 until the day of the show; three-day VIP passes ran $350. After-hours After Grass parties at Agave, a short walk from the park, ran Friday and Saturday nights at $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
A fall anchor for Nottingham Park
The festival is new to Avon this year: the town said it "finds its forever home" at Nottingham Park, beside Nottingham Lake and beneath the fall foliage of Beaver Creek. Moudy pointed to the setting as the draw, calling Nottingham Park the perfect venue for the local community and for tourists traveling through to see the fall colors, with lodging, bars and restaurants within walking distance. The town's September newsletter described crisp mountain air, vibrant fall colors and a welcoming community atmosphere as the setting for the three-day celebration.
