Wintergrass 2022 Festival FAQ
What is Wintergrass?
Wintergrass is a four-day, family-friendly bluegrass and acoustic music festival, with concerts and dances on five different stages. There are also music education programs for kids and adults, workshops, impromptu jams, and a chance to see and hear some great music.
Where is Wintergrass Located?
Wintergrass takes place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel located at 900 Bellevue Way NE in Bellevue, WA and the adjacent Westin Hotel (accessible via skybridge) at 600 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue. The Hyatt has plenty of jamming space and room for four stages. The Westin has one stage for evening performances. Rooms at the Hyatt generally sell out months in advance.
What is your COVID policy?
Thank you to everyone who attended Wintergrass 2022 and did every little thing we asked of you to keep everyone safe and healthy.
In 2023 we will continue to abide by King County and CDC recommendations at the time of the festival. We all know COVID has been a slippery little devil, so we will continue to pay attention. We’ll be as generous and open as health recommendations allow.
We will not be restricting capacity in 2023 as we did in 2022. However, all seating areas will feature more generous space.
When do I get my ticket?
Eventbrite is the Wintergrass ticket vendor. You will receive a receipt from Eventbrite immediately after you purchase your ticket. Your receipt can either be printed or downloaded to your phone. We’ll scan you in at festival registration. If you lose or forget your receipt we can easily look you up. In fact, really do not worry about either a download or a printed ticket. Looking you up takes seconds.
Click here to view Eventbrite tickets.
Where are the events located?
Wintergrass 2023 will take place at both the Hyatt Regency and the Westin hotels. The Westin is just across the skybridge from the Hyatt. All Youth Education programs will take place at the Westin on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Evening shows will be presented Th-Sat at the Westin.
As always, workshops, dances and shows will take place at four stages and multiple meeting rooms at the Hyatt.
Click here to see a floor plan of the Hyatt Regency’s function spaces.
Where do I park and how much does it cost?
Hyatt self-parking is free on weekends or if you leave after 8PM on a weekday. If you stay at the hotel you will be charged for parking. The best info on parking in Bellevue is at the Parkopedia Web Site. This link will show you parking lot locations and fees close to the Hyatt.
How long is Wintergrass?
Wintergrass is a four day event. People begin gathering for the weekend as early as Wednesday night and stay through Monday.
What times are the shows?
Festival registration opens at 8:30am on Thursday for the Youth Education program and Intensive students ONLY. All others may start checking in after 10am. Shows begin at 5:30pm on Thursday. Workshops begin at 8:30am on Friday. Shows begin on Friday on the Grand around 1:40pm and on the remaining stages after 6pm. Workshops start at 8:30am on Saturday, with shows on most stages starting up as early as 1pm. Shows start at 10:30am on Sunday and end by 5pm.
What type of music is played at the Festival?
While Wintergrass is primarily a bluegrass music festival, you’ll hear plenty of other styles of acoustic music including Gypsy jazz, Celtic music, Americana, 0ld-time, Swedish polskas and many more types of acoustic string music. Jam sessions reflect the diversity of styles with young and old alike participating in every nook and cranny. Don’t be shy! Don’t leave home without your instrument. The festival maintains a convenient Instrument Check room so that you can safely stash your instrument while you enjoy shows.
What are workshops / intensives (and do I have to pay extra)?
Festival workshops are those happening on Friday and Saturday and are included in the price of admission. They cover a variety of topics and are designed for all levels of ability. Workshops are generally an hour in length.
Intensives are in-depth workshops with limited capacity and are held on Thursday. In 2023 a wide array of full day and half day Intensives are available. Instructors include: Darrell Scott, Brittany Haas, Natalie Haas, Dominick Leslie, Jordan Tice, Paul Kowert, Tray Wellington, The Henhouse Prowlers, Bob Evoniuk, Joe Craven, and Miles & Karina. The cost for each three hour session is $65. Intensives are not included in the price of a festival ticket.
NEW in 2023!!! Can I buy a ticket to see a specific artist?
YES! The addition of the Westin to the Wintergrass footprint allows us to offer single show tickets for the first time ever. On Friday and Saturday, you may purchase a Wintergrass Sampler ticket to see one of three shows each night at the Westin. Each show is 75 minutes long. Your Sampler ticket will buy you a specific seat to a specific show. When the show ends, you are welcome to enjoy the hallway jams and exhibitors at the Hyatt Regency.
Do you have Reserved seating?
The jury is still out on this one. Although we have offered this type of seating in the past we are uncertain about bringing this option back.
What is your refund policy?
Wintergrass does not issue refunds. The only exception is for medical or family emergencies. Issuing refunds for any other reason would seriously damage the financial integrity of the festival, limit the number of performers for each year, and negatively impact our youth educational offerings.
No refund requests of any kind will be processed, responded to or otherwise acknowledged from the third week in February through the second week in March. We simply do not have the bandwidth during this time period to work on refunds. Please respect this.
If I don't use my ticket for this year, can I "roll it over" to use at next year's festival?
No.
I've never been to Bellevue before. Where can I get information on the city?
Here are two fine resources for info about Bellevue:
Are there any good restaurants in the area?
There are a lot of restaurants within easy walking distance of Wintergrass. Really, a lot. Many of them serve food well past midnight. Almost all also do take-out or delivery. There are also several great grocery stores all within blocks of the hotel. Bellevue is a very busy place. We suggest making dinner reservations before you even arrive in town. As festival time approaches check back to this page for more detailed information about parking, transportation, special deals for festival-goers and more.
Wintergrass is a production of Acoustic Sound, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. EIN: 91-2103544
all photos copyright Maria Camillo