This #whatshappening post is sponsored by Pinedale Fine Arts.
Music Fest, Adventure Race Highlight Annual Winds Celebration
Pinedale’s Wind River Mountain Festival returns July 19-21 for a weekend celebration of the Wind River Mountain Range highlighted by two nights of live music and day-long adventure race.
Again boasting over 50 event sponsors including a who’s-who’s of outdoor product companies (Patagonia, North Face, et al.), The Wind River Mountain Festival will feature everything from live music and gear demos to kids events and a craft beer festival. Fun vendor booths, outdoor contests, and a 5K fun run are also part of the festival with many activities taking place at American Legion Park.
The Surly Pika Adventure Race is not a triathlon or relay. It is a team-based adventure race in the front-country of the largest mountain range in the state, the Wind River Range. Team members (Pikas) must navigate with map and compass to track down checkpoints via bike, foot, and boat. There are two race divisions: a six and a twelve-hour option. The Surly Pika will be held Sunday, July 21 and online sign-ups are available at www.windrivermtfest.com.
Headlining the music portion of the two-night festival will be Seattle indie-rockers Kuinka on Friday night and California Americana band Dead Winter Carpenters on Saturday night. Music will kick off at Legion Park at 4:00 p.m. on both nights.
Friday Night (July 19) Music Lineup:
4:00 PM: Inaiah Lujan
Inaiah Lujan is one of Colorado’s most prolific and talented musicians who has fronted national touring indie-rock bands in/PLANES and The Haunted Windchimes.
5:30 PM: The Lonesome Heroes
Austin’s Lonesome Heroes reside at the cosmic junction of indie rock and country. Led by frontman Rich Russell’s never-ending call of the road, the group have toured extensively behind two acclaimed albums across continents on both sides of the world, while never straying too far from their “Cosmic Americana” roots.
6:45 PM: Kuinka
Described by NPR Music as joyous folk-pop, Kuinka “laces modern folk and Americana with an electronic jolt, waltzing along the grooved edges of dream-pop, synth-pop, and Brooklyn’s mid-aughts guitar-rock revival” (Vanyaland). Their genre-defying music features several different lead singers, four-part harmony, and eclectic instrumentation including cello, banjo, synthesizers, ukulele, and electronic percussion.
Saturday Night (July 20) Music Lineup:
4:00 PM: The Boom & The Bust
The Boom and the Bust, an alt-country duo based in Pinedale, are story-tellers who delve deep into the roots of the dirty south and untamed west.
5:30 PM: Them Coulee Boys
Them Coulee Boys craft a brand of Americana that blends punk, bluegrass, and rock & roll. Guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass, and a lone kick drum provide the pulse that drives underneath the conversational yet thoughtful lyrics.
6:45 PM: Dead Winter Carpenters
Americana band Dead Winter Carpenters has built a reputation for pouring their heart and soul into each performance. In just a few years, they have positioned themselves at the forefront of a youthful generation trying to redefine what string music is and what it can do. The band has shared stages with the likes of Jason Isbell and Greensky Bluegrass.
Home to over 140 miles of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), the Wind River Range is one of Wyoming’s most sought after destinations.
In February of 2016, Pinedale was officially accepted as Wyoming’s first CDT Community – a designation reserved for communities in close proximity to the Trail that apply through the CDT Coalition and promise to promote good stewardship and, among other things, plan a corresponding event, which has blossomed into the 3-day festival.
For a full schedule of WRMF events visit www.windrivermtfest.com.