Telluride Bluegrass "festivarians" wait in a line that strechted for blocks in downtown Telluride Colo., on the first day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Telluride Bluegrass "festivarians" race to get a close spot to the stage during the annual "running of the tarps" on the first day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo., Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Telluride Bluegrass "festivarians" race to get a close spot to the stage during the annual "running of the tarps" on the first day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo., Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Telluride Bluegrass "festivarians" race to get a close spot to the stage during the annual "running of the tarps" on the first day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo., Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Telluride Bluegrass attendees set up spots close to the stage on the first day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo., Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Telluride Bluegrass "festivarians" race to get a close spot to the stage during the annual "running of the tarps" on the first day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo., Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Attendees of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival peruse festival merchandise in Town Park in Telluride, Colo., during the opening day of the festival Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Attendees of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival huddle under rain gear as rainstorms move through the San Juan Mountains overlooking Town Park in Telluride, Colo., during the opening day of the festival Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Bluegrass musician Sam Bush, right and Dierks Bentley of Long Jon converse during a song during the opening day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo.,Thursday, June 15, 2023. Bush has attended each Telluride Bluegrass Festival since 1975. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Bluegrass musician Chris Thile opens the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival to thousands packed into Town Park in Telluride Colo., during the opening day of the festival Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Bella White and her band performs on the Fred Shellman Memorial Stage, during the opening day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo.,Thursday, June 15, 2023. Shellman was known as the father of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Attendees of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival peruse festival merchandise in Town Park in Telluride, Colo., during the opening day of the festival Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Attendees of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival huddle under rain gear as rainstorms move through the San Juan Mountains overlooking Town Park in Telluride, Colo., during the opening day of the festival Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Hungry festivarians order food in-between sets during the opening day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo.,Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Natalie MacMaster of the husband wife duo with Donnell Leahy perform during the opening day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo.,Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Members of the Long Jon bluegrass band perform during the opening day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo.,Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, the husband and wife duo performs with their band during the opening day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo.,Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Bella White and her band performs during the opening day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo.,Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Attendees of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival huddle under rain gear as rainstorms move through the San Juan Mountains overlooking Town Park in Telluride, Colo., during the opening day of the festival Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Bella White and her band performs during the opening day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo.,Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Members of the Long Jon bluegrass band perform during the opening day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo.,Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Natalie MacMaster of the husband wife duo with Donnell Leahy watches her husband play during the opening day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Town Park in Telluride, Colo.,Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
Telluride Bluegrass "festivarians" wait in a line that strechted for blocks in downtown Telluride Colo., on the first day of the 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival Thursday, June 15, 2023. (William Woody, Special to The Denver Post)
ExpandThousands of bluegrass music fans from around Colorado, the United States and the world assembled in Town Park in the Telluride valley to celebrate 50 years of one of the most iconic music gatherings.
The 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival opened Thursday, June 15 with a mix of new and veteran artists from Bella White to Del McCoury to Béla Fleck and the Flecktones to Colorado’s own the String Cheese Incident. Other notable Telluride favorites like Sam Bush sat in with various groups during the afternoon.
As fresh snow fell on the towering peaks of the San Juan Mountains overlooking the valley, opening day weather saw sporadic rain showers mixed with short periods of sunshine as temperatures barely cracked 50 degrees. It was certainly different in past years where hot, sunny days brought thousands of music fans twirling around Town Park. The four-day 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival runs through Sunday.