Media Contact:

 Claire Molle, Claire@visitestespark.com

Heidi Barfels, Heidi@visitestespark.com

 

ESTES PARK, Colo., Feb. 18, 2023 – With the inaugural Frozen Dead Guy Days (FDGD) in Estes Park rapidly approaching, the live entertainment lineup for the festival has been announced, featuring a stellar selection of both national and local acts, ranging from electronic dance music to bluegrass (and yes, there will be a Grateful Dead tribute band!).

Taking place over St. Patrick’s Day weekend on March 17-19, 2023, the reborn Frozen Dead Guy Days will feature live music and entertainment at the Estes Park Events Complex and The Stanley Hotel, with satellite events occurring around town. Favorites like the iconic Blue Ball and competitive Coffin Races will return alongside new additions like the Deadman Fashion Show and the Bands & Bloodys Sunday Brunch.

The frigid FDGD fun kicks off on Friday, March 17 with an Irish Wake at Cousin Pat’s Pub & Grill and an Icebreaker event at Bond Park featuring music from Chain Station and A-Mac & The Height. These events are followed by the iconic Royal Blue Ball at The Stanley Hotel, featuring Grandpa Bredo and Ice Queen costume contest. The live entertainment lineup for the Royal Blue Ball includes:

  • The Polish Ambassador: This San Francisco-based EDM artist rocks more than just a trademark jumpsuit, bringing technicolor vibes to his thrilling performances.

  • Eddie Roberts & Friends: A funk & soul supergroup led by the front man of The New Mastersounds, Eddie Roberts.

  • Evanoff: A staple in the Colorado music scene, this guitar driven live-electronic trio is defined by a bold live show full of sonic exploration.

On Saturday, the party continues with a FDGD bash at the Estes Park Events Complex, including the Coffin Races, Brain Freeze Contest and the new Deadman Fashion Show. Live entertainment throughout the festival includes:

  • Break Science: Pioneers of Colorado’s electronic music explosion, the Denver-based Break Science brings together East Coast hip hop and futuristic sounds.

  • Kyle Hollingsworth Band: As a member of acclaimed jam masters The String Cheese Incident, Kyle Hollingsworth is revered by both peers and fans for his ability to write and perform in a mosaic of styles, from rock to classical, ragtime to bebop.

  • Magic Beans: Funk, soul, live electronica, and even bluegrass music all find their way into this Colorado band’s eclectic live experience.

  • Bill & Jillian Nershi featuring Jason Hann: Founding member of jam-grass faves The String Cheese Incident, Bill Nershi teams up with Jillian Nershi and Jason Hann for adventurous Americana.

  • A-Mac & The Height: Colorado’s premiere Reggae Rock band, known for fusing their adventurous jam band spirit with an empowering and positive message.

  • Toubab Krewe: This Asheville, NC-based instrumental powerhouse fearlessly fuses the music of Mali with classic southern rock.

  • Cycles: A Denver-based power trio, Cycles masterfully fuses an eclectic blend of genres (everything from hip hop to funk to rock) to produce a truly original sound.

  • Tenth Mountain Division: This Colorado group revives the soul, spirit and eclectic intersection of influences that birthed rock’n’roll, afresh for the modern ear.

  • Drunken Hearts: Evolving out of an acoustic trio, Drunken Hearts have evolved into an electric five-piece that captivates audiences across the country

  • Shakedown Street: One of the greatest Grateful Dead tribute acts in the world, Shakedown Street is a perfect fit for Frozen Dead Guy Days.

  • Tejon Street Corner Thieves: Hailing from the Colorado Rockies, this band plays an exciting mix of outlaw blues and “trash-grass.”

  • Banshee Tree: Combining the sounds of electric & acoustic instruments with a diverse blend of dance, jam and jazz, Banshee Tree creates a frenzied, earthy music.

  • Brothers of Brass: The only New Orleans brass band in Colorado, Brothers of Brass bring a Big Easy party with them wherever they go.

  • Flash Mountain Flood: A five-piece Boulder-based psychedelic rock n' roll jam band Flash Mountain Flood is committed to preserving American roots music.

  • The Pamlico Sound: Bringing the funk wherever they perform, The Pamlico Sound have been electrifying Colorado’s Front Range for more than a decade now. 

  • Living Room Band: A lively, Colorado-based band that covers everything from classic rock to reggae to funk. 

Local band lovers can catch live music all over town throughout the weekend and at the Bands & Bloodys Brunch on Sunday. 

FDGD tickets can be purchased NOW at FrozenDeadGuyDays.com for just $39. Tickets give access to all music, events and activities of the weekend except for the Royal Blue Ball and Coffin Races ($98 per team), tickets for which are sold separately. Visit Estes Park and The Stanley Hotel have committed to donating all proceeds from ticket sales that surpass operational costs to the area’s recently established workforce housing and childcare funding mechanism.

Attendees can warm their weekend up with great Frozen Dead Guy Days hotel packages and offers:

  • The Stanley Hotel, FDGD’s official hotel, is featuring a package with accommodations, a buy-one-get-one-free offer for the VIP Royal Blue Ball and an invitation to a hotel guests only afterparty on March 17.

  • YMCA of the Rockies is celebrating the arrival of the Frozen Dead Guy Days Festival with a special lodging rate of $89/night in honor of the event’s founding in 1989.

  • Take advantage of the Don’t Wake The Dead special at the Cabins at Rams Horn Village Resort — book two nights and get 13% off regular rates.

Not familiar with the Frozen Dead Guy Days saga? To make a long story short, the event celebrates an unusual turn of events that brought the frozen body of a deceased Norwegian man to a Tuff Shed in Nederland, Colorado. Bredo Morstøl, or Grandpa Bredo, as Frozen Dead Guy Days devotees fondly refer to him, passed away in 1989, but his family cryogenically froze his body and shipped it to the U.S. Over the next decade, his legend grew amongst Nederland residents, and a winter festival was born to pay tribute to Grandpa Bredo with quirky events and activities. It caught on in a big way; and by 2022, Frozen Dead Guy Days attracted approximately 20,000 attendees.

See the full schedule of events and stay up-to-date on the latest news related to the festival by visiting frozendeadguydays.com. 

FDGD image assets can be found here, credit Visit Estes Park/John Berry. 

 

About Visit Estes Park

Visit Estes Park is the official Destination Marketing Organization for Estes Park, Colorado. A Destinations International (DI) accredited DMO, Visit Estes Park's mission is to drive sustainable year-round economic growth by encouraging visitor demand. Estes Park, just 90 minutes from Denver, is the basecamp for Rocky Mountain National Park offering outdoor experiences, activities, dining, shopping and an environment that is welcoming and approachable. Known for world-class adventure, resident wildlife and scenic beauty, Estes Park is Colorado’s quintessential mountain town. To learn more, go to visitestespark.com.