While we don’t want to spark a debate, we do want to pose the question because the music festivals in question are so far north in New Mexico, they’re practically in Colorado, plus they are awesome! Tico Time River Resort, nestled between Aztec, New Mexico, and Durango, Colorado began hosting music festivals in 2017, so they’ve had time to perfect their offerings to help make your musical weekend one you’ll never forget. The resort is home to two popular music festivals each year. Let’s explore them both.
Rise and Vibes Music Festival
If reggae and roots are your jam, this is your festival! The Rise and Vibes Music Festival takes place May 10 – 12, 2024, at Tico Time River Resort, set on more than 80 beautiful acres on the banks of the Animas River. You can take advantage of included walk-in camping or upgrade to an RV camping spot for you and your friends while enjoying all the resort amenities.
Reggae and Reggae Roots Music
Reggae was born in Jamaica, just like the man acknowledged as the king of the genre, Bob Marley. Reggae is happy, infectious music that focuses on themes of love, everyday life, celebrating each other, and dancehall culture (think Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” for example). Instruments used by reggae bands include drums, guitar, keyboard, and bass with an infusion of horns, brass, and Afro-Cuban percussion.
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae which generally has a slower tempo and a focus on social justice and consciousness. It was inspired by the Rastaffarian movement.
The laid-back attitude on the island nation perfectly matches the mood at Tico Time River Resort, the country’s only Costa Rica-inspired resort. Jamaicans and the ticos (natives of Costa Rica) both embrace a “there’s no hurry, just enjoy life” attitude.
Experience a full weekend of reggae music, reggae community, and late night dancehall parties at the Rise and Vibes Music Festival at Tico Time River Resort with headliners Steel Pulse (find them on this list of the seven best reggae groups of all time!), Tribal Seeds, and J Boog, plus more than two dozen other performers.
Your Durango RV Park where the mountains meet the beach! Our 74-acre Animas River Front RV Park is the only Costa Rican-inspired resort in the United States!
ticotimeresort.com
20 Road 2050
Aztec, NM 87410
970-903-0681
Story sponsored by Tico Time River Resort
Tico Time Bluegrass Festival
The following weekend, May 17 – 19, 2024, distinctly American music takes the stage at the Tico Time Bluegrass Festival. Developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the country, bluegrass harkens back to Scottish, Irish, and English ballads and dance tunes, with an infusion of jazz and blues. Bluegrass musicians play stringed instruments like fiddle, banjo, mandolin, upright bass, and guitar and perhaps a harmonica to add some lively or lonesome sounds.
Early bluegrass performers include Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys, for whom the genre was named, Earl Scrugg, Lester Flatt, and the Stanley Brothers. Today, some popular names in bluegrass and Americana music can be found at the Tico Time Bluegrass Festival, including Railroad Earth, Kitchen Dwellers, and Elephant Revival. In all, 21 acts are on the musical lineup for the weekend festival, promising lots of toe tapping, dancing on the beach, fun, and even fire spinning demonstrations!
Music Festivals at Tico Time
Admission to either festival includes access to all the resort activities, like swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, disc golf, and beach volleyball. The resort also offers water slides and a zipline. Walk-in camping is included in your festival pass, but upgrades to RV sites are available.
Both festivals kick off on Friday and wrap up Sunday, but early admission is available for Thursday afternoon as an upgrade. The music festivals at Tico Time River Resort also feature a wide variety of food, drink, and crafts vendors. The festivals are family friendly events with kids four and under admitted free.
Tico Time River Resort is in Northern New Mexico a stone’s throw from Colorado, and close enough to both Arizona and Utah for music lovers who want to make it a weekend getaway.
So, are the best music festivals in Colorado actually in New Mexico? It seems there is a case to be made for it!
FAQ
Can I bring my pet to the festival?
Other than service animals as defined by ADA standards, pets are not allowed at either festival.
Will drinking water be provided?
There will be stations around the grounds, so bring a reusable water bottle for the weekend.
Can I bring alcohol?
Beer and wine will be available for purchase in the concert bowl area, so the organizers ask that you refrain from bringing outside alcohol to the concert bowl, food court, or performance areas. You may enjoy your own alcoholic beverages at your campsite, however.
