The inaugural Telluride Bluegrass Festival was July 6th, 1974––the same year Sally Puff Courtney arrived in the small Colorado mountain town.
“Telluride was a very interesting and different place. I grew up in Southern Jersey and New Hampshire, and when I got to Telluride, the streets weren't paved except for Main Street,” Puff Courtney said. “So everything was dirt. There were no street signs, and there weren't for years. Nobody knew what streets were what, back in the day. People probably still don't know what the streets are today.”
Back then, the festival had about a thousand people in attendance, donning cowboy hats, boots, or short-shorts, for a perfect day of sunshine and music.
“The weather was fabulous,” mused Puff Courtney. “And we were all so excited to just hang out, probably smoke a little pot, and because we were from that era, and dance and drink and have a lot of fun.”
At the time, Telluride’s parks and recreation department didn’t exist, so the park was unwatered and dusty. Festival-goers often went barefoot or wore sandals, and by the end of the day, they were filthy from dancing in the park.
“We would be black from our knees down,” Puff Courtney recalled.
Puff Courtney has seen acts like Sam Bush, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Johnny Cowan, all before they got really popular.
“I've been able to watch them grow up… They're phenomenal artists,” she said. “I feel blessed because I've been able to see and watch all of this for 52 years.”
Over the years, the festival's music and lineup have evolved, bringing in different bands and new experiences while maintaining connections with the people who helped start it. Puff Courtney believes there is no other festival in the world quite like the one in the small town of Telluride.
Puff Courtney said music has played a major role in shaping Telluride’s culture and identity, with the town becoming known for its festivals.
“It's definitely shaped the culture. Music is a major part of what Telluride is today,” she said. “People can't wait to come and hang out with us and listen to great music; in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places on this earth.”
Puff Courtney has attended every year for the past 52 years and hopes to keep the tradition going for at least another 20.
That story is part of a Rocky Mountain Community Radio project marking Colorado’s 150th year of statehood and the United States' 250th birthday.
Rocky Mountain Community Radio is a network of public media stations in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico, including Aspen Public Radio.
Copyright 2026 KOTO.
