What's the differrence b/t all these festivals????

[ManyRoads]

Hi everybody 

I was wondering what the difference is b/t telluride, rockygrass, folk fests, etc??? 
vibe mostly as I can see the bands that are playing each one.  Telluride seems like its much bigger. 

the wife came out of nowhere and said she wanted to go to Folk Fest in August and I've always wanted to go to Telluride for bluegrass.  With distance and $ we can't do them all....thanks for any input.

[bouzouki]

TBF has been around the longest.  Rockygrass and Folks are on the eastern slope of colorado and in a more intimate setting.  they all have their charms, and the audience is into the music.It is best to experience them and decide which is for you, especially the workshops before the two festivals in Lyons.  Look at the stuff online here and you will get a better idea

[Cindy Lou]

actually RockyGrass is older.  It started in 1973 and the first Telluride "festival" was in 1974.

[bouzouki]

Sorry, its just that on the western slope, it seems that Telluride was more prominent in our consciousness in the early years.

[Cindy Lou]

Oh I hear ya!  I never had heard of either one, until one day in college a guy asked me if I wanted to go to a little festival over in Telluride, and being 18 and new to Colorado I said "Sure, why not?"  Well that was that and I was hooked.
I still didn't know about RockyGrass for a number of years, and when I finally went I was surprised to find out it was older than TBF.
It's always just been a given that I would go to TBF since I live so close, and now to see all the people who come from all over the world is absolutely amazing, and I love it just as much now as I did then.  I don't think I'll ever outgrow Telluride Bluegrass Festival; it's what keeps me young at heart.

[Pen]

I'm sure everyone has their own experience.  In fact, each year the festivals bring me something different.

From my perspective (and mostly due to size), Rockygrass & Folks are more family friendly and laid back.  Teluride is just more intense - and more work too (due to difficulty to get to and size of crowds).  Now, don't take that as Teluride is worse - it's not.  My favorite festival/concert of all time was a Teluride a few years back.  Now that I'm married with a son, I'm looking for something different.  Who knows - maybe in ten years when my son turns into a musical prodigy I'll rank Teluride number one again.  Seems there where more picking circles there.  Of course, God will likely curse me and he will become a banjo player.

Wherever you go - I promise you'll have a good time!

[Hot Sugar]

From what I understand, Rockygrass is more bluegrass than Telluride. Telluride brings in the artists like David Byrne, Elvis Costello, Paolo Nutini, The Decemberists... which is really awesome. I doubt that most of those acts would make it to Rockygrasss, which is also pretty awesome

[bluegrassbass]

I think of TBGF and Rocky grass as beings siblings, with folks fest being more of a cousin to the two.  Based mostly to the crowd that goes. 
It think Telluride and rocky grass crowds are pretty similar and interchangable where as the Folks fest crowd is unique.  Music wise I think Telluride and Folks fest are closer together with Rocky grass being mostly bluegrass oriented. 

The thing is,  you got to check out all of them as they are all very different.   If you can't do em all,   do em one at a time.

[Redknuckles]

Telluride is all about what goes on main stage, some picking at night if your lucky enought to get in Town park,
major (week long) party.

Rockygrass is all about the night time picking in the campground after the shows. Some of the best anywhere, hands down.

Folks is very layed back and tends to be a very mellow, an older crowd, very little partying.