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Long warm days, crisp mountain air, and live music. We can’t think of anything better than that (okay, maybe fresh powder on a bluebird day…) but as long as we’re celebrating summer we are celebrating festival season. So, if you’re looking to kick back and enjoy some live music we’ve got you covered.
Here’s a roundup of where you can listen to music in the mountains this summer. From the Rockies to the East Coast here’s a list of five of the best summer jams seshes to make you groove, jive, dance, and of course, smile.
Best Mountain Music Festivals For Summer 2023
JAS Experience
- Where: Aspen Snowmass, Colo
- When: Sept. 1-3, 2023
This festival organized by Jazz Aspen Snowmass is the premier jazz fest in the state, featuring performances by some of the most renowned artists and ensembles. This year’s event has big-name headliners like The Foo Fighters, The Lumineers, Billy Idol, Old Dominion, James Bay, and more.
The Ride Festival
- Where: Telluride, Colo.
- When: July 6-9, 2023
Telluride is the summer music festival capital of North America, so it’s not surprising that events are successfully going off here this summer, including the incredibly popular Telluride Bluegrass Festival scheduled for June 15-18.
But if you’re not in town for Bluegrass, The Ride Festival deserves a spot on your music calendar this summer. This festival in its 9th year returns, with music taking place at various venues throughout the town rather than at Telluride Town Park. The rock-n-roll-inspired independent artists on the schedule include Black Pistol Fire, Tyler Bryant, and Jay Buchanan who will offer free shows on Thursday and Sunday.
Vermont Summer Orchestra Summer Under the Stars
- Where: Various Locations
- When: Varying dates from June 30- July 4
The wonderful VSO is doing several tours this summer at various outdoor venues throughout the state, and this year to kick off summer the group will travel all around in the 2023 TD Bank Summer Festival Tour. The tour will include guest musician and trumpeter Ray Vega. The orchestra is guest-conducted by the talented Michelle Di Russo and will feature marches, swings, jazz, and more.
Brews, Jazz & Funk Festival
- Where: Squaw Alpine, Calif.
- When: Aug. 12, 2023
This popular Brew, Jazz, and Funk Festival returns for its 21st year this summer, combining the funk and jazz genres with brews from nationally renowned breweries, all to benefit the four-legged furballs at the Humane Society of Truckee Tahoe. The lineup includes psychedelic soul band Monophonics, a funk collective known as Sal’s Greenhouse, and Rock-n-roll performer Alo all performing at the Village at Squaw with the mountains in the background. Participating breweries include Alibi, Anderson Valley, Long Drink, Sierra Nevada, hard Kombucha favorites Juneshine and Flying Embers, and more!
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