Live music fans can rejoice There’s a one-day MeadowGrass music festival happening at UC Health Park. MeadowGrass Vibes is bringing together local artists for a socially-distanced outdoor concert on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the home stadium of the Rocky Mountain Vibes.
A rarity in these pandemic days, the concert features favorite Americana artists Grass It Up, Roma Ransom, Crystal and the Curious, and J.J. Murphy & Deirdre McCarthy. “Our mission is to build community through live music, and we are embracing new ways to fulfill our purpose,” says Nicole Nicoletta, executive director of the organizing Rocky Mountain Highway (RMH). “We know our community is hungry for responsible/safe ways to get together in person.”
Is it safe? Organizers insist it is, pointing to cooperation with the El Paso County Health Department to implement social distancing guidelines and to ensure a safe environment for concertgoers. And Rocky Mountain Highway points to its track record of safely hosting three outdoor concerts since July. “This is a proven model that affords us a sense of normalcy — dancing and celebrating together — while taking all necessary safety precautions,” Nicoletta says.
So bringing your hula hoop is optional — bringing (and wearing) your mask is nonnegotiable. Face masks are required during entry and when moving around the stadium venue. Seating is arranged in separate two-person, four-person or five-person pods with various sections having their own entrances, exits, restrooms and concessions. Once in their designated sections, attendees must remain in that section, but they are free to remove their face masks within their assigned seating pods.
The event draws its name from the annual MeadowGrass Music Festival, hosted each Memorial Day in Black Forest. The region’s largest music fest is known for its eclectic mix of local, regional and national artists, and many of its performing alumni have broken through to widescale prominence. The event was canceled this year due to the pandemic, which has dealt a heavy blow to local artists. “RMH has the ability to provide support for musicians and community members in building a much-needed connection,” Nicoletta says. “We are providing this concert to the Pikes Peak Region because this is what we do best and we know how to do this in a safe/systematic way.”
MeadowGrass Vibes Details
Find complete details and tickets at rockymountainhighway.org and facebook.com/RMHMC
Here’s the lineup schedule.
1:00-2:30 p.m. Roma Ransom
3:00-4:30 p.m. J.J. Murphy & Deirdre McCarthy
5:00-6:30 p.m. Crystal and the Curious
7:00-9:00 p.m. Grass It Up
Sponsor 1350 Distilling will be providing samples of vodka, rum, bourbon and gin from 2-5 p.m.
