December 28, 2018 The Big Horn Mountain Festival planning committee has recently learned from the internet that the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce has scheduled and announced that the 2019 Longmire Days will be July 18-21, the same dates as the scheduled Big Horn Mountain Festival. The two events on the same weekend causes severe negative impacts on the Big Horn Mountain Festival by competing for available motel rooms, vendors, sponsors, volunteers, and ticket purchasers. The committee has looked at alternative solutions, such as moving the date, moving to another location away from Johnson County, or trying to have the festival on the same weekend as Longmire Days. None of these options are viable. With a heavy heart the committee, therefore, has made the carefully considered decision to cancel the 2019 Big Horn Mountain Festival. • The Big Horn Mountain Festival requires many tens of thousands of dollars to implement. It is funded by the small Big Horn Mountain Festival committee, primarily by sponsorships, ticket sales, merchandise sales, and some grants. The festival must recoup costs to continue offering the festival. History has shown that conflict with Longmire Days will prevent recouping costs. o Primary costs are band fees, band housing, sound production, fairground rental, advertising, insurance, and sanitation and security. • The committee is proud that for 14 years the Big Horn Mountain Festival has been an important benefit to the community by providing a premier musical event in Wyoming and by attracting some of the nation's most outstanding performers. In addition to the great outdoor concerts, pickers from all over gathered to make their own music and the community gathered together for fellowship. It benefited businesses and provided cultural experiences that are characteristic of a viable, energetic community and encouraged many, young and old, to take up or continue making music. The committee thanks the generous sponsors, hundreds of volunteers, and the community that has worked so hard to keep the festival alive. • Out of the festival grew the Bighorn Bluegrass Camp that provides musical instruction and significant musical experiences for young people, age 8 - 18. It is a separate organization from the festival committee. The committee hopes that the community and the loyal and generous sponsors will support this important camp in 2019 and beyond. As information about this year’s camp becomes available we will provide it here so look for future updates. This new development may provide an opportunity to restructure and reschedule the Bighorn Bluegrass Camp. Paul Jarvis Lisa Griffith Lynn Young Charles Shipley

Past Performers

We are happy with our ability to continually present great performers at the Big Horn Mountain Festival in Buffalo from 2005 to 2018. Click for a list of previous performers at past Big Horn Mountain Festivals.