{"id":132176,"date":"2026-06-07T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/dolores-river-fest-honors-the-river-with-music-under-the-sun\/"},"modified":"2026-06-07T09:28:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T15:28:18","slug":"dolores-river-fest-honors-the-river-with-music-under-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/dolores-river-fest-honors-the-river-with-music-under-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Dolores River Fest honors the river with music under the sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rebecca
Rebecca Jane of the Face Painting Fairies turns 5-year-old Jayda into a fierce tiger Saturday in Joe Rowell Park at the Dolores River Festival. The festival, held annually, features all-day and music through sundown, as well as food, retail and kids activities. Jane, who lives locally during summertime, said this year\u2019s festival is a first. \u201cI really wanted to come here so I could meet my neighbors,\u201d Jane said. (Anna Watson\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

The Dolores River flowed low and calm Saturday afternoon, rushing over rocks and occasionally splashing a swimmer taking a cool dip under hot sun to the backdrop of music as festival goers settled in Joe Rowell Park to celebrate.<\/p>\n

Greater Dolores Action hosts the River Festival annually to pay tribute to the waterway sustaining fishers, farmers, and recreationists as it winds through the town\u2019s hillsides showcasing scenic serenity. The all-day event brought visitors and residents live musical entertainment on two stages, food and retail vendors with plenty of grass to lounge on. Around mid-afternoon, a small group crowded near the main stage, swaying to the rhythm.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, I want to thank everybody for coming out,\u201d festival coordinator Scott Clow told the early-afternoon crowd while onstage.<\/p>\n

\"A
A crowd watches and dances to afternoon entertainment from Americana and Blues trio band Felix y Los Gatos at Joe Rowell Park for Dolores River Fest on Saturday. (Anna Watson\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The blazing sun and cloudless sky did not deter audiences, who came prepared with shade tents and lawn chairs with portable canopies.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the 21st year, and it\u2019s really here to honor the river,\u201d Clow said.<\/p>\n

While final attendance figures were not yet available, organizers said the daytime crowd appeared smaller than some previous years. Clow said he believed it may be driven by higher tickets costing $50 per person at the entrance. He said after the pandemic, a price increase was necessary to keep up with rising production costs, saying they did not want to sacrifice quality.<\/p>\n

Eight performances offered wide-ranging sound \u2013 a little something for everyone \u2013 from funky grooves and heavy rock to old-school hip-hop. The afternoon kicked off strong with the Native Jazz Quartet, which offered a little more than a musical performance.<\/p>\n

\"Eight
Eight performances offered wide-ranging sound from funky grooves and heavy rock to old-school hip-hop at Dolores River Fest on Saturday. The afternoon started strong with the Native Jazz Quartet, which offered a little more than a musical performance. (Anna Watson\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

As festival goers settled into lawn chairs, lead bandmember Ed Littlefield introduced audiences to the Tlingit language. He explored traditions of the Tlingit Nation of Southeast Alaska, translated lyrics and explained the meaning behind children\u2019s songs in shared stories while preserving the Indigenous culture through music.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t use something, it becomes dead,\u201d Littlefield said in an interview, recalling advice passed on from his father. \u201cSo my little way is \u2026 to keep community with me at all times, I like to do these songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

At one point, he asked listeners to imagine hearing the same notes heard centuries ago, accompanying the demonstration with traditional instruments, specifically a hand drum that has been with him for nearly three decades.<\/p>\n

\"Ed
Ed Littlefield of the Native Jazz Quartet poses with a traditional hand drum after the band\u2019s afternoon gig ends and before the ensemble travels for another show Saturday evening in Farmington. \u201cThis thing is almost 30 years old,\u201d Littlefield said.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cWe take Native melodies and they\u2019re exactly the same as I learn them but they\u2019re with different chords behind them, different rhythms behind them, but you could take all of that away and it would still be the same melody. So, that\u2019s an important part,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The event saw strong turnout from volunteers with over 100 people helping to answer questions, direct traffic, check wristbands and troubleshoot any issues.<\/p>\n

Emily Budd and Jonnie Ryan, longtime residents, joked that as volunteers, they had the best seats to river stage entertainment. They checked wristbands at the riverside gate where attendees came and went, cooling off with short plunges in clear water and \u2013 for those with a little more time \u2013 drifting downstream in a watercraft.<\/p>\n

\"Grace
Grace Fenner, 9, enjoys a dip in the Dolores River. (Anna Watson\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Paddlers
Paddlers float downstream along the Dolores River toward festivities Saturday. (Anna Watson\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Last year, Jack Geran and Tina Puckett wandered through River Fest as attendees.<\/p>\n

Before leaving, they noticed a sign encouraging volunteers to return the following year. On Saturday, the couple found themselves behind the cashier\u2019s table. They swapped a few hours of work for free admission and a chance to support the community event.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t know the musical lineup at first but its been a good time,\u201d Puckett said.<\/p>\n

What began as a one-night Halloween tribute performance in 2012 turned into a band that\u2019s been together for years and played a couple of hundred shows. Sabotage, set to take the stage at peak golden hour nearing sundown, aims to capture the beloved Beastie Boys\u2019 style.<\/p>\n

The Fort Collins-based group evolved in 14 years into a long-term project characterized by lineup changes and members switching musical instruments. The musicians emphasized how their rock and metal backgrounds allow them to infuse the original hip-hop tracks with a high-energy guitar performances.<\/p>\n

While they are devoted to recreating the atmosphere of the live Beastie Boys performances, the mindset is incorporating their own flair and intensity, and to \u2013 always \u2013 have fun.<\/p>\n

awatson@the-journal.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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