Mark your calendars and prepare to navigate Pearl Street by ear. The Boulder Roots Music Fest will officially return Aug. 27-30, bringing the sophomore event back to the Pearl Street circuit with more bands, more stages and a lunar eclipse party to start things off.
The 2026 festival will feature more than 150 artists across more than 15 venues around Pearl Street and downtown Boulder, including Boulder Theater, Velvet Elk, eTown Hall, Mountain Sun, Oddfellows and Trident, with additional schedule and ticket information still to come.
This year’s edition is also expanding to four nights (last year’s was only three), and will kick off with a cosmic twist. Music will begin Aug. 27 with a Lunar Eclipse Party at the Boulder Bandshell timed to coincide with a partial lunar eclipse visible that evening.
The return marks the festival’s second year, following its inaugural run Oct. 17-19, 2025. According to Dave Kennedy, executive director of Roots Music Project, last year’s festival drew about 4,000 people over the weekend.
“For 2026, I’m really excited to see how much more the community has embraced the fest, and to build on the momentum from year one,” Kennedy said. “It’s amazing to watch the scene grow. We will have more stages, more music and more ART. In particular, we are increasing our involvement with the broader Boulder arts community. Watch for thoughtful ‘art surprises’ throughout the Fest.”
When Roots Music Festival was first announced last June, organizers described it as Boulder’s long-awaited answer to Denver’s Underground Music Showcase — a citywide, multi-venue festival meant to spotlight Colorado artists and remind people that Boulder, for all its film festival hype, still has a robust music scene worth paying attention to.
The festival is produced by the nonprofit Bear Roots through a collaboration between Roots Music Project and Boulder-based investment firm Caruso Ventures. Organizers previously said the partnership expanded the festival’s budget to more than $1 million and allowed for additional programming, panels and performances throughout downtown Boulder.
Last year’s lineup drew acts such as Yonder Mountain String Band, Andy Frasco and the U.N., North Mississippi Allstars, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, The Rumble ft. Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. and Boulder favorite Banshee Tree, which slipped in a memorable secret set at License No. 1.
Further details regarding the artist lineup and ticket sales will be announced as the late-August dates approach. For more information, visit boulderrootsmusicfest.org.