Top 5 Reasons You’ll Want to Visit Salida, Colorado for an Amazing Two Day Concert Event

Have you visited Salida, Colorado lately? If you haven't, start making plans right now. The "Bluegrass on the Arkansas" festival is on for 2022. These are my top five reasons why you will definitely want to be there.

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Why You'll Want to Make This Trip to Salida, Colorado

Get ready for two days of incredible music on the banks of the Arkansas River in Salida, Colorado. This event is not to be missed.

Start planning now for a quick trip to Salida. It's not that far down the road. Let me tell you, the town is magnificent. It's all there - rafting, music festivals, awesome downtown fun, everything you can think of.

Put Simply, Salida's Bluegrass Festival is Incredible.

I had the pleasure of attending this event two years ago. The town's Rotary hosted an incredible two-day music festival, Bluegrass on the Arkansas, on Saturday and Sunday. In this case, Arkansas refers to the Arkansas River, which is right on the edge of downtown.

The venue is magnificent. The Salida Rotary Amphitheater is just right. You'll enjoy seating on the lawn, with an awesome view of the stage and the river just beyond.

The Price is Certainly Right - This is a FREE Event

Right about now you've noticed just about everything has almost doubled in price. Have you fueled up your car lately? On the other side of the coin, though, is this awesome event. You can enjoy these concerts for a very reasonable price of... FREE. The Bluegrass On The Arkansas official webpage states:

This is a FREE event that our community has enjoyed for the past 19 years that draws visitors to Salida. However as all others events and cost of the bands, Rotary is requesting DONATIONS from this day forward.

Here's a Look at the 2022 Bluegrass On The Arkansas Schedule for 2022

Let's begin by stating this is a free event. That's right, free. The festival runs two days, May 28 and 29, 2022. Looking at the official webpage, this is the lineup for 2022.

Saturday, May 28, 2022

• 4;30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. - Pint and a Half
• 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Floodgate Operators
• 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. - Blue Canyon Boys

Sunday, May 29, 2022

• 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. - Bonnie Culpepper and Alex Johnstone Band
• 1:30 p.m. to 2;45 p.m. - Ragged Mountain
• 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. - Big Meadow
• 4;45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. - Red Mountain Boys
• 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. - Rapidgrass

In a Word... Amazing

The festival was amazing. The town is amazing. The river is amazing. Are you starting to notice a certain sameness here?

You can park downtown, visit numerous restaurants and bars, and then walk a few feet to the river for the river walk, rafting, kayaking, the park, and music. Seriously, there's a boat launch located downtown.

There are two things you'll notice right away: an abundance of people with dogs, and a shortage of bras. I would estimate half the population of Salida have dogs they take with them everywhere, and half of the female population go bra-less. What I'm delicately trying to say is.... the town has a certain "free spirit" vibe about it.

Here are my top five reasons why you should visit Salida right now.

• The river walk itself is worth the trip
• If you want to spend time on the river, this is the perfect place to go
• Locally owned restaurants abound with well-above-par cuisine using local ingredients
• You can park once, and enjoy everything. These features are all within a short walking distance of one another
• You can have fun on a budget - prices are extremely reasonable
• EXTRA SPECIAL BONUS REASON: Did I mention the concerts at the Bluegrass festival are FREE?

Lodging in the area.

Motels are of the "Motel 6" caliber and can run a bit pricey during festivals. Book ahead; motels can definitely fill up during events.

How difficult is it to get there?

Google Maps puts the drive at 188 miles from Grand Junction, coming in at roughly three-and-a-half hours travel time. I made the drive in three hours, and that's driving like a little old lady. If you're leaving from Grand Junction, simply set a course for Montrose, turn to stay on 50 and head to Gunnison, and keep going until you hit Salida.

Salida is the perfect getaway, and the 2022 Bluegrass on the Arkansas festival is the perfect excuse to visit. It's fairly close, inexpensive, and loaded with fun. You won't need a week. All you'll need are two days, a lawn chair, sunscreen, and a desire to listen to awesome music.