Sincere appreciation goes to Leonor McCall-Rodriguez and Dean McCall, members of the Rotary Club of Conifer, for their assistance in contributing to this month’s column on a unique event taking place in Conifer next month.

A once-in-a-century public health crisis can disrupt the best laid plans.

When Conifer Rotarians began discussing the logistics of a day-long music festival at Beaver Ranch Park last year as part of their fundraising programs, they envisioned a new event to launch in the Summer of 2020. The Festival would become a funding source for grants to community nonprofits, assisting youth literacy programs, and funding high school seniors’ college scholarships.

However, no one could have predicted that our mountain communities, the nation and the world would have to deal with the isolation and social distancing headaches of COVID-19.

As of early March, Conifer Rotarians sought a new medium to stay active and connected, and they shifted their weekly meetings to an online platform. Attendance grew and members began to brainstorm possible solutions to reinvent the music-centered fundraiser. It was also clear that a family friendly event would be a welcome respite for local communities.

Though many nonprofits across Colorado and the country were continuing to cancel fundraisers, the big question remained: How could Rotary host a safety-minded music festival?

Genuine creativity and research brought answers. Successful drive-in theater events in Fort Collins and other locations helped the working group refine the vision for the new event. This, in turn, led to many conversations between Foundation President Wes Paxton and local officials. As Rotarians continued to reimagine and plan, Coloradans adopted behaviors that helped drive down new infection rates over the spring months.

The outcome of this process is the upcoming Conifer Festival, a drive-in music experience and fundraiser presented by Conifer Rotary Foundation at Beaver Ranch Park on Foxton Road, August 15, 2020.

The event will be limited to 100 vehicles. Pursuant to Jefferson County COVID-19 event safety guidelines, this outdoor mountain festival will showcase talented bands as attendees stay in their vehicles. Please bring your masks. Food will be available for online/phone ordering and delivered directly to vehicles. Attendees may also bring their own food and drinks. Attendees will be required to stay in their vehicles at this event.

Buy your early bird tickets now as prices will increase in August.

Gates will open at 3:30 pm and opening acts will begin performances at 4 pm. Headliners will take the stage from 5 pm to 8 pm. The specific performing artists are being lined up at the time of this writing. Keep an eye on the website for information about the schedule of events.

Have fun to the beat and join Conifer Rotary in raising funds for this year’s programs in Colorado mountain towns. For more information about the event, visit ConiferFest.com. You will find information about this drive-in music experience, safety guidelines and ticket availability. Click “The Event” and “Tickets.”