​The Inaugural San Juan Songwriters Festival Brings Hit Songwriters to Intimate Venues Across Downtown Durango, Colorado

An intimate, multi-venue experience in downtown Durango, CO, September 24 – 27, 2026. Featuring acclaimed songwriters Rivers Rutherford, Matraca Berg, Kara DioGuardi, and Marti Frederiksen and many more.

TICKETS/INFO

Festy GoNuts’ Take:

Durango, CO in September is an amazing getaway, and San Juan Songwriters Festival adds just another great reason to visit this fantastic Colorado town.

Songwriters’ festivals are generally very different than the music fests we typically cover.  Songwriters’ festivals prioritize the craft of writing, focusing on intimate storytelling, acoustic performances, and the “behind-the-scenes” stories of how hits are made.

San Juan Songwriters Festival is bringing in some heavy-hitting Nashville songwriting stars.  These aren’t household names – these are the folks who wrote the songs for those names!  This is a unique opportunity to hear the stories behind these songs and see them performed as they were truly meant to be.

Plus, San Juan Songwriters is bringing in a great roster of local and regional talent to pair with the Nashville cats. Some familiar Front Range names include Andrew McConathy of Drunken Hearts and Denver’s Ryan Dart.

All of this will take place in venues across downtown Durango – walkable and intimate.

Put this on your radar, get your tickets and plan a visit to Durango, CO in September!

👇 READ ON 👇

From San Juan Songwriters Festival:

The Inaugural San Juan Songwriters Festival Brings Hit Songwriters to Intimate Venues Across Downtown Durango, Colorado

An intimate, multi-venue experience, September 24 – 27, 2026, featuring acclaimed songwriters Rivers Rutherford, Matraca Berg, Kara DioGuardi, and Marti Frederiksen

Durango, Colorado –  This September, a new kind of music festival is coming to the mountains of Southwest Colorado—one that strips music down to its essence and brings audiences face-to-face with the stories behind the songs.

The inaugural San Juan Songwriters Festival, taking place September 24–27, 2026, will bring together legendary songwriters, chart-topping hitmakers, and rising voices for a multi-day, multi-venue event set throughout historic downtown Durango. Designed to feel more like a series of conversations than a traditional concert, the festival offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience the music they love in its most raw and personal form.

Set against the backdrop of the San Juan Mountains, the festival offers a walkable, immersive experience that blends world-class songwriting with the character and charm of one of Colorado’s most vibrant mountain towns.

Headlining the festival are acclaimed songwriters Rivers Rutherford, Matraca Berg, Kara DioGuardi, and Marti Frederiksen, whose songs have shaped the soundtracks of generations. In rare, up-close performances, these artists will share not only their music, but the stories, inspiration, and moments behind the hits.

“When a songwriter shares the story behind a song—and then plays it the way it was originally written—it’s a very unique experience,” said Kerry Sprick, founder of the San Juan Songwriters Festival. “It’s raw, it’s personal and it stays with you. You leave the event a different person.”

Festival experiences include: 

• Intimate Songwriter Rounds across multiple small venues in downtown Durango
• Evening Headliner Performances
• VIP Experiences 

Produced by iAM MUSIC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the San Juan Songwriters Festival reflects a broader mission to support music, the next generation of musicians and storytellers, and meaningful community connection.

Blending world-class songwriting, mountain culture, and a spirit of authenticity, the San Juan Songwriters Festival is poised to become a signature cultural event in the Southwest—drawing music lovers, travelers, and creatives from across the country.   

For more information about the festival, visit www.sanjuansongwritersfestival.com 

About iAM MUSIC

iAM MUSIC is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting independent artists, cultivating the next generation of musicians and songwriters, and creating meaningful connections through live music experiences. Through festivals, educational programming, and community initiatives, iAM MUSIC works to elevate voices and bring people together through the power of music.

For more information on iAM MUSIC, please visit www.iammusic.us.