Bluegrass Festival

HIGH MOUNTAIN HAY FEVER BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL, TENTH ANNIVERSARY
JULY 12-13-14-15, 2012
WESTCLIFFE, COLORADO

SO LONG TO HIGH MOUNTAIN HAY FEVER FRIEND, WARREN HELLMAN

The High Mountain Hay Fever family is saddened to learn of the passing of Warren Hellman, a steadfast friend of the festival and our goal to support the Custer County Medical Center. A prominent San Francisco financier and philanthropist, Mr. Hellman passed away Sunday, December 18, 2011 at the age of 77 due to complications from leukemia. He is widely known for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival he produced every year since 2001 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, a free festival with top tier performers that was, and will continue to be, his enduring gift to the city he loved. Mr. Hellman, as HMHF fans will recall, played banjo for the Wronglers and appeared at three HMHF festivals, most recently in 2011 with Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Over the past few years, Mr. Hellman's family foundation has made generous donations to the Custer County Medical Center on behalf of the festival, and he and his family loved the time they spent in Westcliffe. Mr. Hellman was a truly amazing human being for all the good works he did and the causes he supported. We are indeed grateful for his support and fortunate to have known him.

2012 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE RELEASED!

TENTH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL LINE-UP ANNOUNCED!

Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top X-press—Nashville, TN (Fri. and Sat.)
Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands—Berkeley, CA (Sat. and Sun.)
John Reischman and the Jaybirds—Vancouver, WA (Sat. and Sun)
The Darren Beachley Band—Brunswick, MD (Sat. and Sun.)
Spinney Brothers—Lower Sackville, N.S., Canada (Fri. only)
Heidi Clare and AtaGallop—Westcliffe, CO and various locations (Fri., Sat., Sun)
Travers Chandler and Avery County—Blue Ridge, VA (Fri., Sat., Sun)
The Tuttle Family—Palo Alto, CA (Fri., Sat., Sun)
The Honeydew Drops—Charlottesville, VA (Fri. and Sat.)
Bruce Hayes and the Ragged Mountain Ramblers—Howard, CO (Thurs.)
Giddy Up Kitty—Longmont, CO (Thurs.)
The Blue Canyon Boys—Boulder, CO (Thurs.)
Honey Don’t—Alamosa, CO (Thurs.)
Gary Bowman, David Okay Patton, Don Belveal, Tom Young
The Sons and Brothers Band (hosts)
Dry Branch Fire Squad (hosts)

2011 FESTIVAL GENERATES $50,000 FOR MEDICAL CENTER

The 2011 High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival was a big success. 4,011 fans attended over the four days. The performances were inspiring, the audience enthusiastic, and the weather cooperated throughout with only a couple of rare exceptions. Best of all, we did so well that we were able to write a check to the Custer County Medical Center in Westcliffe for $50,000, which includes a very generous $10,000 contribution after the festival by the Hellman Family Foundation (the Hellman Family is at the heart of the Wronglers, who performed with Jimmie Dale Gilmore at this year's festival). This brings the total funds generated by the festival over nine years to $301,000! We are very proud of this accomplishment and we are grateful to all of the volunteers, sponsors and attendees who made the festival and the allocation to the Medical Center possible.

.......................................................................................................

OUR SPECTACULAR FESTIVAL SITE

Photos: Top, Bill Gillette; bottom, Bob Thomason

The festival site is at the west end of Main Street in Westcliffe, on a bluff directly overlooking the spectacular Wet Mountain Valley and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (see photos above). We think you won't find a more inspiring site for a festival.

 
PLEASE JOIN US IN THANKING AND SUPPORTING OUR 2012 MAJOR SPONSORS!
<Click on the business logos to view sponsors' websites>