Rapidgrass family roots

Hundreds gathered for festival

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Hundreds of bluegrass connoisseurs gathered Aug. 4 and 5 at the Idaho Springs baseball elds for Rapidgrass 2023.

More than a dozen bands lled out the lineup for the 14th year of the annual festival that brings bands from across the country to Idaho Springs for two days of music, dancing, camping and kinship. Attendees lled the elds with vendors of every kind surrounding the venue.

“It’s like a little community reunion every summer,” said Josie Klemaier as her 5-year-old daughter Valerie Porter danced in the bubbles her mom spread through the evening air.

Klemaier said it’s important for her daughter to know the festival atmosphere of live outdoor music and meet neighbors she didn’t know. e concept of a music festival in the valley was conceived more than a decade ago. Brother and sister Mark and Sarah Morris were both deeply involved and passionate about music. Mark had his own

“ is is our community festival,” Klemaier added.