Denver - Swallow Hill is pleased to present the Shady Grove Picnic Series, back at Four Mile Historic Park, every Wednesday at 6 p.m. from June 6 to August 29 (except July 4). This series presents the best of local folk and roots artists and is a great way to enjoy a nice summer evening with your family and a basket of yummy goodies, where you can sit on the grass in the park and enjoy some great music together.

Gobs O'Phun - Wed., June 6
Spontaneous mayhem and merriment for the whole family, Gobs O’Phun is the quintessential-ish Irish-Scottish folk trio whose songs tell stories with universal themes that appeal to all audiences of all ages.

Zebra Junction - Wed., June 13
A Vaudeville melting pot of deeply eclectic styles, Zebra Junction has toured nationwide and overseas to Europe to delight audiences with their creative percussion, baritone guitars, and such unconventional instruments as the banjo-ukulele, a hyper-modified Playskool tape deck used for "scratch," toy pianos, and numerous samplers and effects to morph "old school" into "no school."

WadiRum - Wed., June 20
A fusion of folk and jazz improvisation with layers of lush compositions, this five-piece band has been together for more than four years. "These guys can really play." — Riff Magazine

Danny Shafer - Wed., June 27
An acclaimed singer/songwriter who has shared the stage with acts such as Leftover Salmon, Joan Baez, and the Reverend Horton Heat, "Shafer has kept the Front Range jumping and hollering for some time." — Boulder Weekly

Stray Dog - Wed., July 11
An original brand of acoustic and traditional music, blending Irish, folk, blues, and bluegrass, Stray Dog continues to tweak the recipe with the "scratch and squeeze" of the fiddle and accordion and "trickle and plunk" of the mandolin and banjo.

Medina - Wed., July 18
Great music, friends, and an honest, organic chemistry: Medina's strength lies in crossing genres, from blues to rock, from jazz to folk, entertaining audiences from the Capitol Hill People's Fair to the acoustic intimacy of Swallow Hill's stages.

Sandra Wong - Wed., July 25
Classically trained fiddler and nyckelharpa player Sandra Wong continues on her path of adventurous musical exploration. She's also a generous artist who donates proceeds of her ticket and album sales to organizations such as the American Humane Association, Heifer International, and FINCA International.

Swallow Hill Traveling Troupe - Wed., August 1
Consisting of veteran performers Julie Davis, Ed Contreras, and Brian Mullins, the Traveling Troupe is one of Swallow Hill's most popular outreach programs—performing in schools and field trip concerts, using music to teach children about the wonderful diversity of musical self-expression around the globe—and this is a great opportunity for all Swallow Hill members and friends to enjoy a performance tailored for our picnic series.

The Mitguards - Wed., August 8
Dynamic performers, Deb and Chris Mitguard have been popular regulars at Swallow Hill, and have been carving a niche for themselves throughout the Rocky Mountain Region with their distinct hybrid blend of American roots music that includes traditional folk, country, swing, and bluegrass.

The Swingin' String Band - Wed., August 15
The Swingin' String Band is comprised of Swallow Hill faculty and friends, delivering a great program of high-energy 1930s and 40s swing, swing jazz, Texas swing, and gypsy swing.

Boulder Acoustic Society - Wed., August 22
According to acclaimed violinist Darol Anger, Boulder Acoustic Society is "the future of string band music on a silver platter." Their sound is like American roots music with the edge of punk rock and the grace of chamber music, and they're certainly catching on, as an invite to the prestigious South by Southwest and several other festivals would indicate. So enjoy them in the intimate setting our Summer Picnic Series while you still can afford the ticket!

Hudson St Salvage - Wed., August 29
Swallow Hill Board member Walter Schmidt, along with Ellen Davis and Bill Moore, make up this eclectic acoustic trio, who electrify the stage with their repertoire of witty original tunes and sparkling interpretations of songs you’ve heard before, but never quite like this.

The Shady Grove Picnic Series is made possible in part thanks to the support of The Butler Family Fund of the Denver Foundation. Tickets are available at the door only: $10/$7 members; $2 for children 12 & under. No glass or pets, please.

For more information, visit www.swallowhillmusic.org or call (303) 777-1003. This press release is also available online at www.swallowhillmusic.org/newsroom/newsmain2007.htm and also as a RSS Feed at www.swallowhillmusic.org/xml/newsroom/rss/SwallowHillNews.xml.

About Swallow Hill Music Association:
Helping people make and enjoy music since 1979, Swallow Hill Music Association is one of the largest institutions of its kind in the United States as a source for folk, roots and acoustic music. With more than 2,100 members, Swallow Hill provides a place to celebrate music that is rarely heard elsewhere in the Rocky Mountain Region. Three concert venues house more than 200 performances a year, featuring some of the world's great artists as well as up-and-coming new talent. The Julie Davis Music School at Swallow Hill provides a valuable and affordable extra-curricular educational resource to the community with more than 60 music instructors involved in more than 240 adult classes and 70 children's classes annually.

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