21 Nov Town of Telluride: 2026 Major Event Requests!
Town of Telluride receives 2026 major event requests
Planet Bluegrass and Telluride Jazz Festival proposals. Public encouraged to engage in three-step review process.
For more information, visit telluride.gov or bit.ly/telluridecalendar to view meeting agendas and participate in the public process.
The Town of Telluride has received applications for two proposed major events in August 2026, including a new two-night concert by Planet Bluegrass and an expansion to the Telluride Jazz Festival.
Both requests will follow the Town’s established three-step review and approval process for major events, which includes public meetings before the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Commission for Community Assistance, Arts, and Special Events (CCAASE), and Town Council.
Planet Bluegrass Two-Night Concert (August 28–29, 2026)
The 2026 proposal from Planet Bluegrass is a one-year-only request similar to the Camp Alderwild format from 2025, featuring two nights of live music on Friday, August 28, and Saturday, August 29, 2026, with amplified performances from 4:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. each night and sound checks on August 27, 28, and 29.
The request includes a 30-minute extension to the Town Park curfew to accommodate the proposed performance schedule. The event would host up to 9,000 people per day.
The proposed concert would take place during an “extra” weekend in the 2026 calendar between the Telluride Mountain Run (August 22) and the Telluride Film Festival (September 3 to 7) and does not overlap with other scheduled events.
Telluride Jazz Festival (August 7–9, 2026)
SBG Productions is requesting a recurring approval for two changes to the Telluride Jazz Festival, including a capacity increase from 2,999 to 6,000 attendees per day, which would reclassify the event from a “medium festival event” to a “major festival event.”
The request also includes additional use of Bear Creek Field on Thursday, August 7, and Monday, August 10, consistent with approvals granted in recent years. The overall festival format will remain unchanged, with gates opening at 1:00 p.m. and amplified music from 1:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.
Town policy outlines a three-step review and approval process for all proposed major festivals, including these 2026 event requests. Each step provides opportunities for public comment and uses specific review criteria:
• Parks and Recreation Commission – Venue Approval
◦ Meeting: November 19, 2025
◦ Agenda Posted: November 14, 2025
▪ Reviews venue availability and potential impacts to Town Park facilities, programs, staff resources, the park environment, surrounding neighborhoods, and existing events in Town Park.
▪ Considers crowd size, past performance, and financial impacts to Town Park.
• Commission for Community Assistance, Arts, and Special Events (CCAASE) – Calendar Date Approval
◦ Meeting: December 3, 2025
◦ Agenda Posted: November 26, 2025
▪ Reviews the proposed event dates based on longevity of event and organization, community value, community impacts, and impact on other events.
▪ Considers consistency with Town contracts and special event policies.
• Town Council – Consideration of Exemption to “Advance Notice of Impacts” (§11-4-20)
◦ Meeting: December 16, 2025
◦ Agenda Posted: December 11, 2025
▪ Reviews each proposal in relation to its overall community benefits and potential impacts.
▪ This is the only Council meeting required for these 2026 major festival requests.
Community members are encouraged to participate in all public meetings to share input on the proposed events. Each commission’s purview and review criteria are designed to ensure that Telluride’s festivals are beneficial to the community and have minimal negative impacts.
No Comments