Rock & Rails concert series cancelled

Organizers of Niwot's award-winning summer concert series, Rock & Rails, pulled the plug on the 2020 season after holding out hope that gathering restrictions would be relaxed.

"We took it month by month," Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) president Biff Warren said. "We held out hope that restrictions would ease up as the number of COVID-19 cases declined in Boulder County, but after an early decrease, the rate of positive tests began to increase, especially after the Memorial Day weekend."

Warren, along with Vicki Maurer and Dan Hawk, are the co-managers of the event for the NCAA and the Niwot Business Association (NBA). They stayed in touch with the members of the organizing committee, including Satir Demarco (bands), Tom Smathers (food vendors), Holly Dapolito (non-food vendors), Bill Whitener (set-up and take-down), Jill Whitener (compost and recycling gargoyles), Kathy Trauner (sponsors), Jenn Porter (gate volunteers), Chris Teta (security), Alyson Bell (advertising), and Michelle Henzel (finances) as the summer progressed. But in the end, it became clear that size restrictions would not go away soon.

"Based on the square footage of Whistle Stop Park, we would be allowed to have 156 people attend, counting volunteers and band members," Warren said. "We asked Boulder County about the possibility of expanding the liquor license area into the vacant field at Niwot Children's Park, but we never got an answer. Even then, the capacity would have only increased slightly. We would have had to gather contact information from people attending, and we're not set up to do that."

Several long-time volunteers indicated that they would not be comfortable working at concerts this summer, which also impacted the decision. The cancellation impacts the entire community as the concert series generated over $90,000 for the community last year. That included fund-raising for 18 different non-profit organizations who received an average of $1,200 per concert last year from the tip jar.

It also removed the major source of funding for maintenance costs of Niwot Children's Park. "Last year the NCAA spent over $14,000 maintaining the Children's Park," Warren said. "Most of those funds came from Rock & Rails. We are fortunate to have almost a year's worth of expenses in reserve, and people have stepped up to donate to the park as well."

"In the end, the NCAA and the NBA decided to cancel the series because it's the right thing to do to keep our community safe," Warren said. "We have over 100 volunteers each summer, and we just didn't see a way we could make it happen safely this year."

Musicians have also been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Warren said the NCAA and NBA are devoting efforts to support live music on a smaller scale near businesses in town, such as the NBA's recent sidewalk sale, until large events are safe again.