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Rhonda Vincent (center) leads her band on the
Showmobile stage as the closing act at Fiddles, Vittles & Vino at the Rock Ledge
Ranch Historic Site July 29.
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Late-afternoon sunshine over Rock Ledge
Ranch was a welcome sight during Fiddles, Vittles & Vino. The tent in the
background was one of several housing more than 25 food/drink vendors at the
July 29 event.
Grammy-winner pleases crowd as weather cuts Fiddles, Vittles & Vino a break
In keeping with Fiddles, Vittles & Vino
tradition, a campfire was kept burning throughout the event. In the background are
the Showmobile stage, where a band was playing, and the Orchard House. Nearby
were a Rock Ledge Ranch chuckwagon and tepee. (A photo at the bottom of this
page shows them).
Westside Pioneer photo
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In July 2017, the 13th annual Fiddles, Vittles & Vino at the Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site sold out for the seventh straight year. Unfortunately, rain washed out more than half of the six-hour, bluegrass-styled, music/culinary event, and the headline performers (the Quebe Sisters) had to play their set in the Coronado High School auditorium.
One year later, July 29, a week of rain leading up to the 2018 Fiddles probably discouraged some prospective attendees, according to Mark Gardner (who lines up the festival's bands), and the event came about 100 tickets short of a sellout.
So wouldn't you know it, this year was dry. A few raindrops fell around the 2:30 p.m. gate opening, but then the clouds parted, and things stayed that way on through the headline band, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, who played until about 8:30.
Leading her seven-member group, Vincent offered several comments between songs about how nice Rock Ledge was, with its picturesque setting and the area's reasonable temperatures and lack of humidity. She was also impressed with the chuckwagon and tepee, which were set up (as in past years) about 100 feet to the
Young dancers enjoy themselves while Songs of
the Fall performs on the Pergola Stage (at the rear of the Rock Ledge Ranch's
historic Orchard House).
Westside Pioneer photo
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Ranch manager Andy Morris was one person relieved about the rain staying away. In 2017, in response to iffy weather forecasts, he had arranged with School District 11 to have Coronado as a fallback - which obviously was necessary.
But this year the auditorium was in the midst of a fire alarm system upgrade, so Coronado wasn't available. Nor were any other nearby locations he had looked into. “It was all or nothing,” Morris told the Westside Pioneer with a grin.
Now 56, Vincent grew up in a musical family and has been performing since age 5. She and her contingent were the first Grammy award-winners to ever play at Fiddles. Their album, “In Concert Volume One,” tied for first in the category of Best Bluegrass Album for 2017.
Fiddles attendees, most settled in their portable chairs but others showing off swing-dance moves beside the stage, liked what they saw, giving Vincent's band a standing ovation that led to an encore pair of songs.
Gardner said he had actually lined up the Missouri-based group before the Grammys were announced, but even then the bill ($11,000) helped bump up this
Lonesome Days, a bluegrass band from Denver,
performs on the Pergola Stage during Fiddles.
Westside Pioneer photo
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As in previous years, a total of 1,200 tickets were available; that was the number that event planners settled on several years ago - the idea being that any more would make Fiddles feel too crowded.
The annual event is a fundraiser for Rock Ledge, an 1880s-style working ranch on 230 acress off Gateway Road at 30th Street which is owned by the city but leans heavily on volunteers with its friends group, the Living History Association, to keep it running.
The other three bands this year were Tibet (a local group returning from 2017); Lonesome Days (a Denver quintet who had won the 2017 Fresh Grass competition in North Adams, Massachusetts); and Songs of the Fall (a Pagosa Springs band which had also played at Fiddles in 2015).
Along with a steady dose of music, ticket-buyers got to sample food and drink from more than 25 restaurants and food/drink suppliers inside tents set up on the lawns outside the front and back of Rock Ledge's historic Orchard House.
The ranch's summer season continues Wednesdays to Saturdays through Aug. 18. The $8 adult admission fee includes access to the two historic houses, blacksmith shop, 1860s-styled cabin, American Indian area and the grounds in general.
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LEFT: Parked inside Rock Ledge Ranch was the
colorfully painted bus that brought Rhonda Vincent and the Rage to Fiddles.
RIGHT: Event attendees enjoy samples of food and drink inside a tent.
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In a contrast between history and the modern
day, technicians sit at an electronic board regulating the sound for the musical acts
at Fiddles, Vittles & Vino, while in the background are Rock Ledge Ranch's
chuckwagon and tepee.
Westside Pioneer article
(Outdoors:
Rock Ledge Ranch)
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