WinterWonderGrass tickets on sale for three-day music fest at Squaw Valley

Here’s something different to spice up your snow season: WinterWonderGrass, a music festival at Squaw Valley ski resort near Lake Tahoe. It will feature folk and bluegrass bands over three days.

Launched last year, the outdoor show sold out despite a dearth of snow. This year, the festival runs April 1 to 3.

The festival attracts some of the best talent from the bluegrass, folk and jam band scenes. (Jam bands are known for their long, improvised musical interludes.) The lineup features more than 20 acts, including jam bands Railroad Earth and Leftover Salmon, lightning pickin’ bluegrass bands Greensky Bluegrass and Elephant Revival and country band Duo De Twang.

Audience members will hit the slopes during the day, then, still in parkas and ski pants (the main stage is outdoors), park their gear and walk to the main stage at the base of the mountain.

Bands play from 2:30 until 10 p.m., and beer tastings take place from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. After 5:30, bars stay open, and food will be available at gourmet trucks serving food as varied as vegan to barbecue.

There are two heated beer halls with tastings from 16 Californian craft breweries. There’s also a wine bar and the Soap Box cafe and two side stages for the smaller acts inside tents.

Nevertheless, dressing warmly is imperative.

On top of all this, $1 of each ticket and 100% of bar sales go to local environmental organizations and groups that help the hungry or support the arts. The festival is zero waste, so no plastic bottles (bring your own bottle for free water) and compostable cups. In fact, if you buy one of the three-day ticket packages, it comes with a free Klean Kanteen mug.

To purchase tickets, go to WinterWonderGrass. Prices range from $139 up to $498 for VIP tickets that include beer and wine tastings, access to a heated viewing tent, three days of skiing, and food tastings from local vendors.

Info: WinterWonderGrass Tahoe California