Maturity can often lead to greater perspective.
Take singer-songwriter Justin Roth, for example. While cutting his teeth in his home state of Minnesota, Roth was fixated on touring, writing songs and showcasing his unique playing style. Roth still does a lot of this nowadays, of course, but as he has gotten older, the now Colorado resident has become more in tune and in touch with his surroundings.
This is evident in songs penned by Roth in recent years, like “Shower with a Friend” and “Rise.” The former dealt with water conservation while the latter was inspired by the 2013 Colorado floods. “Rise” has netted more than $6,000 for Colorado flood relief.
It’s no surprise, then, that Roth is excited to play at this year’s Poudre RiverFest, a free, family-friendly festival set for May 30 at Legacy Park in Fort Collins.
“Maybe it’s age, but I’m becoming more aware of what’s going on in my community,” said Roth, “in the past, when I was living in Minnesota and touring all the time, I might have turned a blind eye to what was going on. But it’s been fun to participate in the scene locally and be active in my community. I’m totally looking forward to this event.”
Roth will join fellow acts 12 Cents for Marvin and The Burroughs at this year’s Poudre RiverFest, which also features a New Belgium beer garden, food trucks, kids’ activities, exhibitors from the conservation community and a whole lot more than just live music and great libations.
“It’s more than just a festival where you listen to music and drink beer,” said Teddy Parker-Renga, communications manager and festival co-organizer for the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. “That’s definitely a fun element of the festival, but the reason why we wanted to do this particular event is that it provides opportunities to learn about and restore the river, along with celebrate it.”
Poudre RiverFest runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Attendees can take part in bird banding, nature walks, a photo scavenger hunt and hands-on service projects in the morning, before Roth takes the stage at noon to kick off the celebration, followed by The Burroughs and 12 Cents for Marvin.
Visit www.PoudreRiverFest.org for a schedule of activities and to sign up for service projects.
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