Fellowship of the Strings likes their music one part bluegrass and one part Celtic.

Breaking away from the tradition of both will make them stand out at their first appearance at the annual Durango Celtic Festival next week.

“We play Celtic music sprinkled in with our bluegrass, but it’s going to be really fun for us to meld the two,” said fiddler Dennon Jones, a music major at Fort Lewis College. “We’re going to play lots of Celtic pieces, but we’re going to take improv solos like it’s a bluegrass tune.”

The Celtic Festival, now in its sixth year, hosts bands from all over the world and also provides workshops.

Fellowship of the Strings formed about three years ago. Members are Dylan Ruckel on the guitar, Jeff Berman on bass, Jones on fiddle and Patrick Storen on mandolin. Jones will also play with local bands Kitchen Jam Band and Patrick Crossing at the festival.

Special guests Shiela Lane and Brin DeVore will join Fellowship of the Strings.

Jones said playing at a festival in a town that values its musicians is special.

“It just blows me away how vibrant the local music scene is; how much it gives people a passion to play, or go out to see it,” he said.

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Performance schedule

Thursday
7 p.m.: Stramash with Old Blind Dogs and Daimh. The literal definition of the word stramash is “an uproar.” When applied to a Celtic Festival, it implies a mash-up of musicians.
Friday
Friday afternoon Concert Series at the Henry Strater Theatre:
1-1:45 p.m.: Singing Pilgrims
2-3 p.m.: Ed Miller presents “Songs of Scotland”
3:05-3:50 p.m.: Westwind Pipes & Drums
4-4:45 p.m.: The Hydes
5-6 p.m.: Patrick Crossing
Friday afternoon at the Irish Embassy Pub:
3:30-5 p.m.: The Singing Pilgrims
Friday Night Concert Series at the Henry Strater Theatre:
7:30 p.m.: DAIMH
9:30 p.m.: Late Night Session
Saturday
Saturday Workshops: Visit http://www.durangocelticfestival.com/workshops/ for schedule.
Saturday Afternoon Concert Series at the Henry Strater Theatre
11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Next Generation Fiddlers
12:30-1:15 p.m.: Fellowship of the Strings
1:30-2:30 p.m.: Ed Miller presents “Love and Murder Ballads”
2:45-3:30 p.m.: Truckely Howe
3:45-4:30 p.m.: Kitchen Jam Band
4:45-5:45 p.m.: The Hydes
Saturday Afternoon at the Irish Embassy Pub:
2:30 p.m.: Kid’s Ceilidh
4:30-5:30 p.m.: Airs, Waltzes and More Session
5:30-6:30 p.m.: Irish Session
Saturday Evening Concert Series at the Henry Strater Theatre
7:30 p.m.: Old Blind Dogs
9:30 p.m.: Late Night Session
Sunday
12:30-3 p.m.: Free Open Session. Upstairs at the Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave.

If you go

What:
Durango Celtic Festival.
When:
March 8-10.
Where:
Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave., and Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave.
Tickets:
Full festival passes and daily general passes are available. Visit
http://bit.ly/2n5Fte1
for prices and to purchase.
More information:
Visit
www.durangocelticfestival.com
.