Wintergrass Music Festival

Mission

Wintergrass Music Festival is committed to preserving and promoting traditional acoustic American music through presentation and education, with special attention given to the bluegrass music community. Wintergrass is all about people of all ages and lifestyles who gather to play, learn and listen to bluegrass and Americana music.  Wintergrass is a family-friendly festival offering live performances, and music education for babes in arms through adulthood.

Description

Wintergrass is a multi-day, annual indoor music festival featuring live performances on 4 stages, with award-winning artists from around the globe. Music education is fundamental to Wintergrass as reflected in our numerous workshops and extended sessions (Intensives) for adults and four vigorous programs for students from age 4 to 24. JAMz1, JAMz2 and JAMz3 guide students  as young as 4 years old through sequential music training ending with a launch into integrating music into adult life for high school and college students.  In addition, the Wintergrass Youth Orchestra pairs students with performers from the lineup every year performing pieces arranged for each band and the orchestra. In an effort to remove barriers to participation all youth education programs are pay what you can. Your generosity enables every student to experience the joy of music-making regardless of race, age, gender, sexual orientation or economic status. When you give, you make good things happen!  

The festival is a welcoming, happy place where old friends re-connect and new friendships are forged.  No matter where you come from, all you have to know how to say is, 'Do you wanna pick?' As much fun as it is to watch and listen to music, the fun meter goes all the way to eleven when you get to play it with others.  We make sure there are multiple entry points into this kind of experiential music by offering not just youth education, but two-chord song workshops, learning the rules of the road for jamming, and the Never Too Late Academy for adult beginners.  We firmly believe music for a lifetime for all is a wide road toward a better world. 

 We feel it's vital to offer programs to replenish the soul and remind us all of our common humanity. We want to reach out, stay connected, listen, and give back to the community that so generously supports our efforts. We love music, musicians and the people who love them. Your donation will enable Wintergrass to be a vital part of the circle of life that is music.

Recognition

Wintergrass runs on the good energy and support of a corps of 250 volunteers, patrons, artists, vendors, a dedicated board and scrappy, inexhaustible staff. Our sincerest gratitude go to the City of Bellevue, Visit Bellevue, ArtsWA, 4 Culture, ArtistWorks, The D'Addario Foundation, Gibson Gives, Peghead Nation, Nechville Musical Instruments, Eastman Guitars, Deering Banjo, Tunes & Coffee,  Washington Acoustic Music Association, Oregon Bluegrass Association,  Western Canada Bluegrass Association, Astound Broadband, and Ted Brown Music. 

In 2022, Wintergrass accepted awards from VisitBellevue for their inaugural Event of the Year, WA Festival & Events Association (WFEA) WA Event of the Year, WFEA's Central Puget Sound Event of the Year and the City of Bellevue's rarely given Certificate of Commendation.  We're grateful to our entire Wintergrass volunteer family for keeping Wintergrass in their hearts year after year. We're beyond grateful for your past support and deeply look forward to gathering with you again in 2025. In the meantime, your support makes us partners in the joy of making music and making music happen.  Thank you.