After the tragedy of the East Troublesome Fire, a celebration of the community’s resiliency and recovery rose up in Grand Lake. In 2021, the newly formed nonprofit Fire on the Mountain hosted the first annual Troublesome Fest.

This year, Troublesome Fest will return to the shores of Gene Stover Lakefront Park on Saturday, Sept. 9. Troublesome Fest combines the power of live music and community spirit with the importance of wildfire safety. The third annual fundraiser will feature bands, food and educational nonprofit booths focused on wellness and fire mitigation.

Tickets for the live benefit concert are now on sale and the musical lineup has been announced. The rock, country and Americana bands for this year’s Fest include: Lucero, Them Dirty Roses, Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers, Danno Simpson, Rebekah Meldrum, and The Wields, a Winter Park based band.

The first fest took place on Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, to honor the sacrifice of firefighters during East Troublesome, as well as first responders around the country. In 2022, the fundraiser grew to nearly 1,500 attendees. Funds raised from the celebration benefitted first responders, mental wellness organizations, wildfire clean-up efforts and more.

Since their inaugural fest, the fundraiser has supported the following projects:

• Donated funds to fire protection districts in Hot Sulphur Springs and Grand Lake for wildland firefighting and safety equipment.
• Supported the Grand County Wildfire Council and Grand Fire Protection District for wildfire awareness and education programs.
• Started a scholarship program for local high schoolers entering first responder, wildfire and environmental research fields. The 2022 and 2023 scholarships will total $23,000.
• Provided funds to the Wild Acres neighborhood in Grand Lake for mitigation and fuels reduction.
• Donated to the Upper Colorado River Watershed Group to educate the community on erosion-control and improve techniques for future revegetation of burn areas.
• Sponsored the Grand County Rural Health Network’s You Are Not Alone Hike for suicide awareness and behavioral health access.

Each year, Troublesome Fest is organized by Fire on the Mountain. The nonprofit was created by Grand Lake locals to address the impact of the East Troublesome Fire. Fire on the Mountain’s three founders are no stranger to wildfire’s destruction. Krystal Steward (who works for Grand Lake Fire), Stephanie Conners, and Morgan Colin all personally experienced loss from the fire – they have made it their mission to help their community recover and thrive.

Troublesome Fest is Fire on the Mountain’s largest fundraiser of the year. The fest’s popularity is proof that Grand County rallies after tragedy to support each other – and make their home a safer, more fire-resilient place to live.

To learn more, purchase tickets, or sign up as a volunteer, please visit TroublesomeFest.com. Please email fireonthemountainnonprofit@gmail.com if you would like to become one of the festival’s sponsors. Fire on the Mountain’s wildlife recovery efforts are led by board members Stephanie Conners (president), Shannon Schliep, Krystal Steward, Renee Valentine and Morgan Colin.