We're excited for next year and working on it already

Same Time    Last full weekend in June  

  Same Place    Calhan 

     Same Price     FREE !!!

located at the
El Paso County Fairgounds
in Calhan, Colorado, 30 miles east of Colorado Springs on Highway 24
Directions:
If you are driving to Calhan from the north on I25, exit Founder's Pkwy at Castle Rock and go east to Hwy 86. Stay on it through Elizabeth and go 5 more miles. Before you get to Kiowa, turn right on Elbert Rd. There is a sign for the Peaceful Valley Boy Scout Ranch. This is a beautiful drive all the way to highway 24. Go east to Calhan. The fairgrounds are south of the highway on 10th Street. (read parking directions below) Coming on I25 from the south, take the Hwy 24 exit east.

Day Parking

Day Parking - The north lot - near Swink Hall -  has handicapped spaces.

Camping and Lodging

    Bring shade for tents if you rough camp. Personally I think that under the grandstands is a great place for a tent! Fees payable to fairgrounds. Call Janice to reserve your spot. 719.520.7880.

2011 Fees (subject to change in 2012)

Water/Electric - $20 per night - 34 spaces in the 'Midway" and near Swink and Whittemore

Electric Only - $10 per night - 17 spaces, south of the arena

$5 rough camping. Showers are in Whittemore

Dump Station - $10 - open on Sunday afternoon

The only hotel in town has 27 rooms. The EconoLodge, 719-347-9589, 10% discount available. New hotel. Very nice and clean. Queen beds. Internet, free breakfast, microwave and fridge. It sells out, so reserve early.

Well Behaved dogs are welcome on leashes except in Swink Hall. No dogs in Swink!

Happenings at the Festival

Human Foosball - everybody can join in - adults and kids



Ultimate Frisbee - open to all ages

Food

 Fundraisers for GospelGrass Gas

These fundraisers and all donations over the weekend will go to the GospelGrass Gas Fund to help the bands

1. Silent Auction
Bring good new or used items. Auction will close at 5 pm on Saturday. Items will be displayed in Whittemore.

Merchants: If you donate an item worth $50 or more we will put your name here and also in the program.

2. Music Contest
$5 entry fee. Every participant gets their name in a drawing for an instrument (tba)

The contest will be held Frid. at 5 pm. Contestants have 1 minute - 60 sec. - to show us your stuff. Play a tune on any instrument or sing a song or recite a poem. Just one minute. Open to all ages.


  

On Sat. there will be a free drawing for youth 18 and under at 5 pm in the Kid's Tent. Instruments will be donated by individuals and  Pickin' on Tennyson

To apply for the Richard Rutledge Memorial Scholarship Instrument (open to youth 12 - 18), email and tell us the name and age, instrument requested, why they want this instrument. This is based on need, as well. 

Workshops

TBA

Friday Fiddle Tune Frolic! All instruments are invited to play these Top 10 Tunes (Suzie's compilation!)

"D Tunes" - Angeline the Baker, St. Anne's Reel, Arkansas Traveler, Soldier's Joy, Whiskey Before Breakfast

"A" Tunes - Old Joe Clark, Red-Haired Boy, Bile 'Em Cabbage, Cripple Creek

"G" Tune - Blackberry Blossom

Of course there are 1000s of others but we can't get to them all. We'll play them slowly, then as fast as we can go. If we play all of these we'll go to Salt Creek - A, Cherokee Shuffle - A, Mississippi Sawyer - D

Vendors


Pickin' on Tennyson will bring some of their inventory - instruments, instructional cds and dvds, books, accessories.

Festival Overview

Thursday

Informal jamming and visiting. Music on stage at 5 pm. Free hot dog & lemonade night! Serving at 4:30 pm. 

Prayer and a devotional around the campfire (if there is no fire ban) with Paul Estep of Revival Ridge following the music on stage.

Friday

Workshops 10 am - 4 pm

Those of you who don't want to attend workshops can take a hike at the Paint Mines Park nearby. Great nature trails.

Human Foosball and Ultimate Frisbee during day.

5 pm - Music Contest - see rules above

6:30 - Music on stage

Prayer and a devotional around the campfire with Paul Estep of Revival Ridge following the music on stage.

Saturday

Music on 3 stages beginning at 10 am  - 2 indoors, 1 outdoors -  You may want to bring your own chairs, as seating is on bleachers in Whittemore. Buildings are handicapped accessible.

Band Scramble sign up - 9:00 Sat. morning at Swink. The contest will be held in the evening.

Hanks Williams Songwriting Contest - participants meet in Swink at 9:30 and draw a phrase which must be used in a song that they write during the day. Songs will be performed in the evening. 1st, & 2nd places will sing their songs after the band contest.

A Barn Dance will follow in Whittemore after the band scramble & song contest winners have performed. The Grass Hat Gals will play for the dance. Other pickers are invited to join them.

Kid's Tent Activities: Cupcake Walk, Craft, Fish Pond, Popsicle Break, Pass the Pickle and more!

Sunday

Breakfast in Swink from 9:30 - 10:15. This is a free breakfast but we are asking for donations of milk & orange juice.

Sing-Along with Paul Danley will follow breakfast at 10:30. All musicians are welcome to join in the 'heavenly band'.

Jamming and visiting in the afternoon.

Pictures from Past Rocky Mountain Summer GospelGrass Festivals   

2000
2001 - We do not have any. If anyone out there has pics from this year,
please send them to us!
2002
Friday          2003 Saturday        Sunday 
2004     More 2004 
2005  More 2005  Workshops

10th Annual Summer GospelGrass, Calhan, CO, 2009

Album 1      Album 2    Album 3    Album 4    Album 5    Album 6    Album 7

11th Annual Festival