Meadowgrass Music Festival Memorial Weekend

Rocky Mountain Highway Music Collaborative opened MeadowGrass on Friday, May 22, for a three-day Memorial Day weekend run at La Foret Conference & Retreat Center in Black Forest, north of Colorado Springs. The annual event is billed by organizers as the kickoff to summer in the Pikes Peak region and runs through Sunday, May 24. La Foret says the festival includes live music, camping and family activities across its forested property. Organizers say this year is the 17th MeadowGrass festival and the 8th annual beer festival. ### Where is MeadowGrass actually happening this weekend? La Foret Conference & Retreat Center lists MeadowGrass for May 22-24, 2026, at its campus in Black Forest, not along Boulder Creek in Boulder. The venue describes the site as several hundred acres of forest, canyons and historic buildings within about 30 minutes of downtown Colorado Springs. The festival’s own website also lists “MeadowGrass May 22-24, 2026” and identifies Rocky Mountain Highway Music Collaborative as the organizing group. The nonprofit says it uses the event to showcase local, regional and national roots music acts. ### What does the festival include beyond concerts? La Foret says MeadowGrass offers activities for kids, guided hikes, workshops, yoga and late-night shows in addition to the music lineup. Children 12 and under get in free with a paid adult, according to the venue listing. The MeadowGrass website describes the event as family-friendly and says the festival is designed for audiences of all ages. Organizers also say the broader collaborative supports live music in the Pikes Peak region through festivals, venues and year-round performance opportunities. ### What stands out in the 2026 edition? La Foret says the 2026 event marks the 17th MeadowGrass Festival and the 8th Annual Beer Festival. That gives this year’s edition two anchors: the long-running music weekend and a separate beer component folded into the same program. Springs Magazine reported earlier this year that programmer Steve Harris said the 2026 lineup leaned heavily on Colorado talent. The publication said Harris has helped shape MeadowGrass lineups since 2010 and quoted him saying organizers were bringing back favorite artists while introducing newer bands. ### Who is behind MeadowGrass? Rocky Mountain Highway Music Collaborative says it brings together funders, sponsors and volunteers to support artists and expand the local live music scene. The group says MeadowGrass is one of its signature events and part of a wider effort to connect musicians and venues in the Pikes Peak region. The festival website says the organization aims to present both large and intimate events and to give emerging artists a platform alongside nationally touring acts. That description places MeadowGrass inside a broader nonprofit mission rather than as a standalone commercial festival brand. ### What should attendees know before they go? The festival website directs visitors to online ticketing, maps and a full FAQ and rules page. La Foret lists a festival contact email for attendee questions and says more details are available through the event’s ticket portal. Sunday, May 24, is the final day of the 2026 festival, and organizers say schedules, tickets and festival information remain available through the MeadowGrass website and La Foret event page.