Roots Music Project and Caruso Ventures today announced the debut of Boulder Roots Music Fest, a three-day, citywide festival set for October 17–19, 2025. The inaugural event will feature 140+ bands across 12+ stages, bringing more than 500 artists to downtown Boulder, with national headliners Yonder Mountain String Band, North Mississippi Allstars, and Andy Frasco & the U.N. joining a deep roster of Colorado’s rising talent.
“We envision a citywide immersion of music in alternative venues up and down Pearl Street,” said Dave Kennedy, executive director of Roots Music Project. “Our partnership with Caruso Ventures will make the first year bigger, bolder, and better than we originally planned.”
Festival programming spans traditional and non-traditional stages—from theaters and clubs to retail spaces—creating a walkable, downtown music experience. Confirmed venues include Boulder Theater, eTown, The Velvet Elk, 8Z Real Estate, Garage Sale Vintage, License No. 1, Odd Fellows Lodge, Paradise Found Records & Music, Savannah Bee Company, and Stone Cottage Studios, plus outdoor stages at 16th & Pearl Street and the Pearl Street Mall.
“Boulder Roots Music Fest will serve as a calendar bookend to Sundance Film Festival, further uplifting Boulder as a center for arts, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Dan Caruso, founder of Caruso Ventures, which is providing a significant seed donation for the 2025 launch. “We are excited to get behind the Roots Music Project team, and we expect our support to continue for many years to come.”
In addition to performances, the festival will present thought-provoking panels spotlighting Boulder’s emerging creative-tech leaders, an exploration of the city’s rich musical legacy, and a showcase of next-generation local artists.
Headliners:
Yonder Mountain String Band
North Mississippi Allstars
Andy Frasco & the U.N.
Featured Artists:
Ariel Posen · Banshee Tree · Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra · Danger Foley · David Lawrence & the Spoonfuls · DNA Picasso · Fruta Brutal · The Galentines · GEN3 · Hazel Miller & the Collective · No Signal · Old Man Saxon · Pete Wernick & Flexigrass · Rootbeer Richie & The Reveille · The Velvet Daydream · Wrenn Van
Over 100 additional acts and new headliners will be announced in the coming weeks.
