The announcement comes only 11 weeks after the Festival grounds, based in Lyons, were decimated by the floods that swept through Colorado in September.
When CPR visited the site in October to report on how the many cultural organizations in the small foothill town were coping with the damage, the Festival's headquarters were in a state of disarray. Many buildings had been destroyed and the river had readjusted its course to flow right in front of the main stage.
Repairs to the site are now well underway, although some roads still remain closed in Lyons. A fleet of tractors has diverted the river away from the stage. New building foundations are being poured. According to Brian Eyster, communications director of the Rockygrass Festival, the renovated site will feature improved acoustics and dressing rooms.
The estimated cost of the repairs is around $500,000 after insurance payouts, Eyster says.
The Festival grounds are still without water, heat, sewer and electricity. Festival workers are operating out of one office and using a temporary electricity supply and mobile latrines.
"Right now, it looks like a building site around here, but we're planning on holding our first events in four months' time on the first day of Spring," Eyster says.
The artists scheduled to perform at the 42nd Rockygrass Festival (Jul. 25-27, 2014) include major names like Bela Fleck, Chris Eldridge and Bruce Hornsby. Eyster says that the music community has rallied around Rockygrass more than ever before.
"A day after the floods, we started receiving phonecalls and emails from artists wanting to help," Eyster says. "They wanted to bring shovels, but we told them to show their support by playing the festival."
The artists announced to play at the 2014 Festival include:
Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Horsnby with Kentucky Thunder, Hot Rize, Bela & Abby, Jerry Douglas & Friends, Peter Rowan, Steep Canyon Rangers, Noam Pikelny & Friends, John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band, Della Mae, Balsam Range, Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge, Matt Flinner Trio, The Railsplitters.
