ALTA, Wyo. — Thirty-six years! The Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival is a Teton County gem, a three-day celebration of (mostly) bluegrass-inspired, acoustic roots music. It’s all going down this weekend — Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the slopes of Grand Targhee Resort, and tickets are still available.
Many favorites are returning to the 2026 lineup, though two headliners are first-timers — Sierra Ferrell (Sunday) and Jesse Welles (Saturday), the latter making his Wyoming debut.
Don’t expect to hear immaculate banjo rolls in Welles’ set, traded instead for razor-sharp wordsmithing and according to Dave Matthews, “one of the best songwriters I’ve ever heard in my life.” Welles approaches folk songs the way Woody Guthrie or John Prine did — as a living, breathing alternative newspaper hell-bent on truth telling. He names names, calls out greed, and articulates the quiet anxieties of everyday life without sounding like a rigid lecturer. From social media folk hero to main-stage juggernaut, his rise has been swift; and his prolific attack, dizzying. Over the past year, he stacked up four Grammy nominations and earned Americana Music Association Artist of the Year acclaim.
Sierra Ferrell last performed in Teton County when she headlined the Center for the Arts Benefit Concert in 2022. Since then, she has transitioned from a fast-rising independent darling into one of the biggest names in modern roots and Americana music, culminating in a massive sweep at the 2025 Grammy Awards, taking home awards in four categories. She, too, has taken strong stances on social issues via her microphone, increasingly commenting on social justice and environmentalism. She’s currently in the middle of a massive 50-city international Heavy Petal Tour.
“Really looking forward to this year’s line-up,” said Tony Ferlisi, Senior Special Events Manager at the resort. “I haven’t seen Tim O’Brien in years, so am particularly looking forward to his set.”
The Brothers Comatose were a surprise highlight for many attendees last year, while Mountain Grass Unit also returns as one of the hottest younger acts on the scene (with a second set earmarked for Saturday night at The Trap Bar). The Friday lineup delivers classic artists, while Saturday is a marathon of uber-eclectic, and Sunday holds a shorter day with the most in-demand artist.
Targhee Bluegrass has historically cultivated a fan-led parking lot pickin’ scene as well — a culture born from the beloved (and now dissolved) Targhee Music Camp. As the first year without the camp, it’ll be interesting to see if the campground scene will be as musical as past years’. Regardless, the slopeside venue has been a magical experience for concertgoers and a dependable mainstay for locals and regional fans.
“This festival is a complete team effort here at Grand Targhee,” said Ferlisi.“Every department comes together to pull real weight and play significant roles in order to facilitate the weekend for festival-goers. The majority of those roles and tasks are happening way behind the scenes but ultimately culminate in the experiences of every single guest and artist, pre, during and post-festival. It’s an incredible thing to be a part of and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work alongside some super talented, hard-working and committed folks up here.”
Festival Lineup:
Friday, Aug. 7
- 12:30 p.m. – Gates open
- 3 – 4 p.m. – Magoo
- 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Keller & The Keels
- 6 – 7:15 p.m. – Yonder Mountain String Band
- 7:45 p.m. – 9 – The Devil Makes Three
- 9:30 p.m. – 11 – Railroad Earth
- 11 p.m. – 1 a.m. – Trap Late Night – AJ Lee & Blue Summit (Late-night tickets required, doors @ 10:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Aug. 8
- 11 a.m. – Gates open
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Kyle Tuttle Band
- 1 – 2:15 p.m. – The Brothers Comatose
- 2:45 – 4 p.m. – Shadowgrass
- 4:30 – 5:45 p.m. – AJ Lee & Blue Summit
- 6:15 – 7:30 p.m. – Mountain Grass Unit
- 7:45 – 9 p.m. – Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country
- 9:30 – 11 p.m. – Jesse Welles
- 11 p.m. – 1 a.m. – Trap Late Night – Mountain Grass Unit (SOLD OUT, doors @ 10:30 p.m.)
Sunday, Aug. 9
- 11 a.m. – Gates open
- 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Hogslop String Band
- 1 – 2:15 p.m. – Lindsay Lou
- 2:45 – 4 p.m. – Tim O’Brien Band
- 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. – Sierra Ferrell
GA advance tickets start at $175 (Friday only) and $185 (Saturday or Sunday only) and $422 (three-day pass). Parking pass, camping pass, and late-night shows purchased separately. GrandTarghee.com.
