As the sun beat down on an impossibly picturesque summer day, attendees to the 53rd annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival kicked up dust dancing to the sound of banjos, mandolins and fiddles reverberating off the mountains. Families dipped in the river to keep cool and hikers filled the trails eager to explore the forest and its waterfalls.
With about 10,000 people in town for the event, local shops and restaurants were bustling, bringing a welcome vibrancy to the Western Slope enclave after a tumultuous winter.
Tourism in ski towns across Colorado suffered in the wake of record-low snow last winter, with some resorts seeing as much as a 24% decline in visitation. Telluride, which is more remote than many ski areas on the Front Range, had the added challenge of a ski patrol strike that shut down the mountain for about two weeks, causing economic problems for residents and businesses.
But the thing about seasons is that they continually change.
“Summer in Telluride is so magical itap kind of hard not to be optimistic,” said Mark Rineer, the local sales consultant for Southern Glazer’s alcohol distributor. “As far as my perspective working with all the different restaurants and businesses, everyone is hopeful.”
Lodging data adds to that sentiment. Tourist occupancy is currently trending 3.5% ahead of last summer, according to the Telluride Tourism Board, with before the leaves change color. For example, there’s Telluride Reserve food and wine festival at the end of July and the second annual Camp Alderwild music festival in August.
“The economy seems steady for the summertime, and we’ll see how it goes from here,” Rineer said. “This is just the start.”
Residents like Lynn Moore, owner of the retail store , aren’t dwelling on the doldrums of winter. She attributes the impact on her business during ski season to a lack of snow more than anything else. (Rineer agrees; he said he only went skiing twice last season when he usually clocks 60 or more days on the mountain.)
Though some restaurants saw up to 40% declines in sales at the start of the year, January is always a slow month for retailers in Telluride, as holiday revelry and spending come to a close, Moore said. Thatap why the timing of the strike didn’t seem like a big deal to her — especially and certainly now that summer is in full swing.
“Here in town, itap business as usual,” Moore said. “There’s no grievances with the ski patrollers. Itap water under the bridge.”
In the summer, Telluride has many more activities that draw visitors and help steady the flow of tourism, Moore said. As a local of 38 years, she’s also seen autumn tourism pick up in recent years, attracting leaf-peepers and wedding parties that bolster business for several more weeks.
“We have festivals, weddings, hiking, biking, climbing — you name it,” Moore said. “So many things are going on that don’t really depend on the weather.”
The Telluride Bluegrass Festival is a rain or shine event that brings in die-hard fans who stick it out no matter the forecast. That said, having a full weekend of sunny, bluebird days seemed to please the crowd, even as many hunted for shade under vendor tents, canopies that they brought or personal umbrellas. Seasoned attendees walked around with misters, showering strangers with both water and kindness. Giggling children ran around with their water guns, doing just the same.
Moore said the bluegrass festival is a beloved tradition that helps set a positive vibe for the rest of the summer. “I think we’re all just hoping that there’s no more drama, and just a lot of happy visitors and happy campers,” she said.
Judging by the smiling and sunbaked faces throughout town over the weekend, that mission was accomplished.
