Hula hooping was a popular activity among kids on Family Day.
There's something you don't see every day: a juggling slackliner.
Slacklining 101
Costumed UllrGrass co-founder Susanna Thompson enjoying the music.
A dancer with beer in hand.
Jason Beard's guitarist brought joy.
Ms. Amy & The Jet opened the festival on Sunday.
Campfire Pickin' took place between acts.
UllrGrass co-founder Chris Thompson pickin' his guitar on Saturday,
Tyler Grant brought a farm of musicians with him.
Vikings were well-represented on both days.
No animals were harmed in the manufacturing of this faux fur shawl.
A Viking lass with her horn of plenty.
GOLDEN — This year, winter in Colorado has been unusually warm and dry. The average snowpack stands at a record year-to-date low at sixty percent of normal. March and April have the potential to erase the deficit, but at this juncture it was more pressing than ever that the snow god Ullr be summoned.
On January 31 and February 1, people gathered at Parfet Park in Golden for the 12th Annual UllrGrass Beer & Music Festival to enjoy the outdoors, sample craft beers, listen to bluegrass music, and pay tribute to Ullr in hopes that he’ll deliver the snow that agriculture, industry, cities, forests, wildlife, skiers, and snowboarders depend on.
Many of them clad in faux fur and horned helmets, up to 2,000 attendees mingled upon the picturesque grounds next to Clear Creek on Saturday, checking out artistic creations available for purchase at the booths. Shoulder to shoulder and several rows deep at times, beer and ale connoisseurs had a multitude of options.
Jeff Goodwin & The Front Range Cowboys opened on the Main Stage at 11 a.m. The Hank Willams Jr. song “Family Tradition” was enthusiastically received.
Jason Beard’s Bring Joy band followed with the Allman Brothers’ southern rock classic “Blue Sky”—“You’re my blue sky, you’re my sunny day.”
Next to appear, Coral Creek with Tyler Grant & The Nershis was the highlight of the afternoon. Bringing a revolving door of friends and fellow musicians onstage ramped up the group's energy with numbers such as “Ramblin’ Man,” and Willie Nelson’s “Good Hearted Woman.”
Between Main Stage acts, Campfire Pickin’ sessions were held on the lawn, where eight musicians stood playing in a circle as each took their turn jamming. The tunes and party continued into the night at the Ullr Saloon Stage under the big top.
Temperatures reached 65 degrees on Sunday without a snowflake in sight. It was Family Day at UllrGrass, beginning with an egg hunt for the kids. At least a quarter of the park had been set aside for them, strewn with hula hoops and a wide assortment of games to play with.
The dragon sculpture and climbing rocks beside it saw lots of activity. Slacklines tested balance. There was a baby goat petting zoo, and even marshmallows provided, to roast over a fire for s'mores.
Of course, great music played all the while throughout the day. Ms. Amy & The Jet, Jake Leg, and Tyler Grant’s Bluegrass Farm kept everyone well entertained. Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice,” plus “Friend of the Devil,” and “Stealin’” by the Grateful Dead were among the offerings. Festivalgoers of all ages were happy and Ullr presumably properly appeased.
UllrGrass is a volunteer-powered event with proceeds benefitting A Precious Child and the Coral Creek Kids Music Project, which delivers music education and performance to kids in Colorado; see more at apreciouschild.org and coralcreekmusic.com.
