Lynn Nauman of Durango, gets some one-on-one instruction playing her ukulele from Austin Nicholsen of the band The Leftover Cuties in Buckley Park on Thursday afternoon during a “Early Bird Master Class” for ukulele players as part of the Rocky Mountain UkeFest in Durango through this Sunday. The second annual Rocky Mountain UkeFest will have concerts, live mic sessions and workshops at venues in downtown that will include musicians Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel from California, Gerald Ross from Michigan and Danielle Ate the Sandwich from Colorado. The Leftover Cuties were the featured band for the Concerts @ the Park music series in Buckley Park at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
Lynn Nauman of Durango, gets some one-on-one instruction playing her ukulele from Austin Nicholsen of the band The Leftover Cuties in Buckley Park on Thursday afternoon during a “Early Bird Master Class” for ukulele players as part of the Rocky Mountain UkeFest in Durango through this Sunday. The second annual Rocky Mountain UkeFest will have concerts, live mic sessions and workshops at venues in downtown that will include musicians Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel from California, Gerald Ross from Michigan and Danielle Ate the Sandwich from Colorado. The Leftover Cuties were the featured band for the Concerts @ the Park music series in Buckley Park at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald

The second annual Rocky Mountain UkeFest started Thursday and will continue through Sunday morning, and if you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at playing the instrument, this is your chance.

“Uke fests are not your typical music fests. It’s not like going and listening to bands, and bands and bands of ukulele players,” said Denise Leslie, founder of UkeFest. “It’s not so much listening as it is workshop-oriented.”

And there are plenty of workshops to be had – from jazz blues to songwriting to finding your soul, there will be plenty to do for all levels of experience.

“We bring in presenters that travel all over the world and they teach us different techniques and styles,” Leslie said. “We’ve got swing ukulele, we’ve got Hawaiian music, we’ve got ragtime. There’s all kinds of music.”

There’s also plenty to do for those who don’t play but just love the music.

“Last year, we just had one big concert on Saturday night when all the presenters come together on stage at the arts center and they play,” Leslie said. “This year, I added some special events that people could come to, not just the participants.”

At 5:30 p.m. Friday, the Rochester Hotel will be hosting the festival’s welcome reception and open jam, which will be accompanied by hula dancers.

You can also buy tickets for the rest of the weekend’s activities there as well.

But it’s all about fun and camaraderie, Leslie said.

“The ukulele is a very social instrument,” she said. “It’s about playing together. Yes, you can have fun doing it on your own, but it’s really about playing with a group of people.”

To register or for more information, visit www.rockymountainukefest.com. or call Leslie at 903-6417.

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UkeFest schedule

FRIDAY
10 a.m.:
Registration begins. Lobby, Strater Hotel.
10 a.m.-5 p.m.:
RMUF Market Place. Centennial Room, Strater Hotel.
Noon-1 p.m.:
Welcome and announcements. Pullman Room, Strater Hotel.
1:
45-3 p.m.: Workshops
Who Needs a Chord Book?, Sarah Maisel. Oak Room, Strater Hotel. Level: Confident beginner to intermediate.
Ukulele Boot Camp 101, Craig Chee. Pullman Room, Strater Hotel. Level: All levels, High G tuning recommended.
Intro to Swing Ukulele, Gerald Ross. Henry Strater Theatre, Strater Hotel. Level: Confident beginner to intermediate.
Easy Two Finger Picking Pattern Danielle Ate the Sandwich. Studio, Durango Arts Center. Level: Confident beginner to intermediate.
5-7 p.m.:
Welcome reception and open jam with presenters. Rochester Hotel, Secret Garden.
8:
30-10 p.m.: Late night open mic and jam session. Lobby, Strater Hotel.
SATURDAY
9 a.m.:
Registration opens. Lobby, Strater Hotel.
10 a.m.-5 p.m.:
RMUF Market Place. Centennial Room, Strater Hotel.
10:
30-11:45 a.m.: Workshops
Jazz Blues, Sarah Maisel. Oak Room, Strater Hotel. Level: Intermediate.
The Percussive Side of Ukulele, Craig Chee. Pullman Room, Strater Hotel. Level: All levels, High G tuning recommended.
You Don’t Need to Learn All Those Chords!, Gerald Ross. Henry Strater Theatre, Strater Hotel. Level: Confident beginner to intermediate.
Finding Your Soul (while playing the ukulele), Danielle Ate the Sandwich. Studio, Durango Arts Center. Level: All levels.
12:
30-1:45 p.m.: Saturday luncheon. Pullman Room, Strater Hotel.
2:
45-4 p.m.: Workshops
Life After the Third Fret, Sarah Maisel. Oak Room, Strater Hotel. Level: Beginner to intermediate.
Intro to Soloing, Craig Chee. Pullman Room, Strater Hotel. Level: Confident beginner to intermediate.
Intro to Chord Melody, Gerald Ross. Henry Strater Theatre, Strater Hotel. Level: Confident beginner to intermediate.
Songwriting on the Ukulele, Danielle Ate the Sandwich. Studio, Durango Arts Center. Level: All levels.
4-5:
30 p.m.: Open uke jam. Lobby, Strater Hotel (lead by Denise Leslie).
7:
30-9 p.m.: Presenters concert. Durango Arts Center.
SUNDAY
9:
30-11 a.m.: Soulful uke jam and breakfast with Danielle Ate the Sandwich. Pullman Room, Strater Hotel.
Schedule subject to change.