We recently received a request from a “Folk Duo” out of Arizona for help with booking fairs and festivals in beautiful Colorado. Here is what our team responded to them. Hopefully it will help our COMBO members, too, if they are looking to play F&F summer of 2024 – or later!
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Hello Colorado Music, We are a Brother-Sister Folk band, we have played in many shows looking to play in Folk festivals. Can your organization please help our band?
Great facts about [the band]:
· 1) They have a lot of hustle – this band knows how to work. They have played 500 plus shows individually and together in music festivals, opening for national acts, Super Bowl Experience, and have tons of social media content.
· 2) They have performed nationally and internationally including 2 UK-London tours (the most recent was 5 shows in 5 days with 14 other bands), a Pacific Northwest tour, and performances in Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington and Tennessee.
· 3) Give back to the community, [lead singer] gives vocal lessons at teen center. [Guitarist] has been a judge in competitions.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and check out our most recent review.
Respectfully,
Manager & Promotions
Hi, Manager! Nice to “meet” you!
COMBO is a non-profit educational group that works to help musicians with the “business of music.” We are not a booking agency. However, in the spirit of helping you with the “business”, may we suggest that you start NOW looking for fairs and festivals in the area in which you would like to perform? Many of these organizations start their booking in January so you need to get on it right away.
Let’s just say you want to come to Colorado. You’ll be taking your 2-week paid vacation from your day job so you’ll have some finances to fall back on. Find a map of Colorado that lists its counties, i.e., Wed County, Adams, Pueblo, Saugache (pronounced Saw-watch), Huerfano (Where-fuh-noh). Then google in “county fair – Huerfano, Colorado.” That should pop up with the info for the Huerfano County Fair (if there is one). Look the site over real good, find out the date it’s going to be held, where, and any contact info.
Now comes the important part: start keeping a chart of this info, preferably in a computer format so you can do a search. An excel program is good; otherwise just a word format.
We would put the info in by the chronological date of the fair/festival. That way you’ll see that maybe two counties have fairs the same weekend and your map says they are close together in miles. And they happen to be during the weeks you’d like to come here. Contact them right away. Be prepared to send them an EPK, etc. Many of them are looking for acts as they’ve burned out the local guys!
Also check into STATE fairs. Festivals are a hit & run problem. They come & go like flies. Google “Festival – county” while you’re at it. Or maybe do “fairs festivals Weld County Colorado”. Colorado has a big state fair in Pueblo the last week of August/first of September – usually set to run & end over Labor Day Weekend.
Most state & county fairs/festivals offer a guaranteed pay but don’t expect much, i.e., $150, more if they book you on the weekend. You will not get a guaranteed hotel room so look up campgrounds while you’re at it. “Mom & Pop” motels are great as they are usually much less expensive and you can park right outside your motel room.
You will have more luck with the smaller fairs. Stay away from the big city ones as they have hundreds of applicants. Try the Four Corners Folk Festivals. I believe they put on two per year so you might luck out and get booked for one of them! (This is sponsored by a radio station so they might play your music as well).
Hopefully this is a start. Lots of work but keep the info you do latch onto. Wish we could help you out with the name of a booking agency but most of those want 4-set cover bands.
OH!!! Another thought. While you’re looking for fairs, google in “casino” in that area. You might be able to get them to book you AND provide a room!
Good luck!
COMBO
Want to Book Fairs and Festivals? Start NOW!!!
