WinterWonderGrass is returning to Steamboat Springs for its eighth year and has announced a lineup that should please and energize almost any attendee at the annual bluegrass and Americana-infused festival.

The festival, which moved to Steamboat from the Vail Valley in 2017, will be hosted at Steamboat Resort from March 1-3. The event is famous for its community-based vibe and for drawing a worldwide audience. 

“We had good success down in the Vail area, and it was fun to evolve there, but there was something missing,” explained Scotty Stoughton, founder of WinterWonderGrass. 

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A musician himself, Stoughton met with resort officials during the venue transition and “knew right away” that Steamboat Springs was the location where the festival should continue its progression. He also decided to move his family to the Yampa Valley shortly thereafter. 

“The raw beauty of this community and the unpretentiousness of it has really molded WinterWonderGrass into something that I couldn’t have created without the inspiration and influence of this community,” Stoughton said. 

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The event is also one of the more family-friendly festivals in the nation, where music fans of any age are welcome.

Local support for the event has been instrumental, including from Steamboat Resort.

Rob Perlman, president and COO of Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp., has been a key asset to the event’s continued success, as Stoughton said he believes that no other resort in the WinterWonderGrass venue lineup has been as supportive as Steamboat has.

The lineup for this year’s event differs a bit from years past. There are 12 new acts that will be joining the festival this year, and with previous artists such as Greensky Bluegrass, the festival has set a high bar for the new bands.

But they may be up to the challenge. East Nash Grass and Shadowgrass are two East Coast-based bands that are new to the lineup this year. Both played at the Billy Strings Renewal Festival in Buena Vista earlier this month. They will be joining headliners The Dead South, The Infamous Stringdusters, Paul Cauthen and Sierra Ferrell.

“We have a higher caliber of talent that is evolving, which is really amazing right now,” Stoughton said. 

Sierra Ferrell, Stoughton added, is the second female artist to headline WinterWonderGrass. In a male-dominated genre, the inclusion of such a variety and depth of high-caliber female artists is notable. 

Joining Ferrell will be female talent including artists Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway, Lindsay Lou, WinterWonderWomen, and AJ Lee and Blue Summit.

“We have seen a huge evolution of female acts, and we are proud of the fact that we are one of the few festivals that shines a light on that year over year since the beginning,” Stoughton stated. “It’s because they rip.”

WinterWonderGrass is entering its 11th year. Stoughton hopes that the energy behind the series of concerts contributes to the legacy of music in the area and in the nation. 

“I think building something that is a legacy, that is a marker in time and place … that is what WinterWonderGrass is all about,” Stoughton said. “We are looking to honor the community that continues to support us.”

The event is also notable for its large monetary contributions to nonprofit organizations in the areas where the festivals are held. 

More information on WinterWonderGrass Steamboat can be found at the event’s website WinterWonderGrass.com/steamboat. Tickets are now on sale, including VIP packages.