And they trudged through a rainy July 27, through the town of Lyons and into the mouth of the North St. Vrain Canyon, where Planet Bluegrass has hosted RockyGrass for the past 15 years. For some, it was the end of a cross-country journey; for others, a walk across town.

For most it feels like home, and for many in the town, the festival and music scenes are what make it home. For there is little doubt that RockyGrass and Folks Fest and the presence of Planet Bluegrass have changed the town dramatically over the last 15 years. Much of that is evident in the sheer number of musicians who live in a town of about 1,700 people.

"Like a lot of people, I'd been through Lyons on my way to Estes (Park) or something a few times, but the first time I really came here was for a festival," said Brian Eyster, who now does marketing for Planet Bluegrass.

"I just fell in love with the town," Eyster said. "A lot of people will tell you there's just this warm glow over the town during the festivals that led us to look at moving here."

Eyster was a software engineer working at a water resources division of the University of Colorado's School of Civil Engineering, but after he moved to town in 2001, he soon began working more as a musician and putting together a series of shows at the town's Rogers Hall.

Similarly, Caleb Roberts, the mandolin and vocalist from Open Road, was working as an electrical engineer, before his band began to work steadily. He and his family lived about four miles outside of Lyons until they moved into town about five years back. Which was about the time Lyons, Colo., was becoming known as the town with the shortest possible distance between jams.

"The festivals were certainly part of the reason for that, ... but it seems to have reached a density (of musicians) that the sheer gravitational pull has increased (attracting more musicians)," Roberts said. "There's a block across town of rock and roll guys - very professional players who do studio work and tour with major acts. My block has a number of professional musicians who tour, at least regionally," he said.

"There are a lot of musicians here from almost every genre, ... not to mention the other artists," Roberts continued. "We might not see each other all that much, because a lot of us are out working."

Town Manager Gary Cinnamon, who grew up in Lyons, has no doubt that the festivals changed the way in which the town grew over the last 15 years. While some longtime residents don't want anything to do with the festivals, he said most people look at it as a very positive effect.

"There's no doubt it's had a dramatic effect," Cinnamon said. "With all these musicians, there's something going on every week ... There's a huge arts community now in town, too."

Proceeds from the renting out Meadow and Bohn parks every year contribute about $40,000 a year to the operations and maintenance budgets for town parks - about half the annual budget. Without that money, Cinnamon said, the town would not have the excellent upkeep of its parks and new amenities, such as the kayak course in Meadow Park.

About 5 percent of the town's annual sales tax comes from increases during the festival season, making two weeks in August a second Christmas for downtown merchants.

Initially, it wasn't that easy when founders Craig Ferguson and Steve Szymanski - who were already running the Telluride Bluegrass Festival - found the property, an historic stage stop that was attempting to become a wildflower preserve. One of the board members of the wildflower reserve was Jerry Moore, who was also partners with Szymanski and Ferguson.

"We just didn't know if we could afford it," said Ferguson about the $500,000 price tag on the property. In fact, RockyGrass, then known as the Colorado Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival, was held in Lyons for two years, 1992 and 1993 with the promoters renting the property and securing a special use permit for the town. The first four years of the Folks Fest, 1991 to 1994, were held in Estes Park.

Today, Ferguson looks back and notes there was no other place where his company could have been so successful.

"During the second year we were here we pried open one of the barn doors, and inside we found 100 old-style theater seats," he said. "We took it as a sign that we had to be here."

In 1994, Planet Bluegrass took an option on the property and approached the town for a zoning change.

The town board initially turned down a zoning request, but former Lyons Recorder Publisher Walter Kinderman sought, and got, a second vote on the issue.

"I think there was some interests on the town board that wanted that property developed," Kinderman said.

And there are still some bumps in the road. For instance, there was some opposition to the opening of the new Wildflower Pavilion, although Planet Bluegrass officials note that ambient noise from smaller concerts will now be reduced.

"The town had to create a new zoning for Planet Bluegrass in the beginning," Cinnamon said. "But every year it gets easier. Planet Bluegrass sits down with the sheriff and us every year after the festivals and we iron out the little things that went wrong.

"You really couldn't ask for a more courteous and friendly bunch of people to visit your town every year."

17th Annual Rocky Mountain Folks Festival

When: 11:15 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Aug 17, 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Aug. 18, 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Aug. 19.

Where: Planet Bluegrass grounds, north of the intersection of U.S. 26 and Colorado 7 in Lyons.

Highlights: 9:00 - 10:30 - Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, 9 t o 10:30 p.m. Aug. 17. Judy Collins: 7:15 - 8:30 p.m., Aug. 18. Richie Havens 7:15 - 8:30 p.m. Aug. 19. Chris Isaak 9:00 - 10:30 p.m. Aug. 19

Tickets: Three-day pass, $105, in advance; Friday festival pass , $40; Saturday festival pass, $45, Sunday festival pass, $45.

Ticket purchasing information here.

Here's a link to a Google map of the festival grounds