Longmont's Sunflower Farm spices up Colorado bluegrass with peacock harmonies, goat bleats, rooster crows

Jul. 19—On 55 acres of sunflower-saturated farmland lies one of the most intimate — and most unique — music venues along the Front Range. While most outdoor music venues in Colorado can boast beautiful views, top-tier musical lineups and one or two tasty refreshments, Sunflower Farm in Longmont has something none of the others have: Peacocks that like to jam out to bluegrass music.

"Initially, we thought that having music might be too loud for all of the animals on the farm. But it turns out that the animals kinda like it. We have a lot of birds, namely the peacocks, who seem to really enjoy it," said Lizz Napp, farm manager and program administrator at Sunflower Farm.

In fact, those who attend a concert at Sunflower Farm this summer will be treated to an extra-special, ultra-exclusive musical duet between the performing artists and the peacocks, who evidently like to sing, as well.

"A lot of the bands that come seem to play really loudly, and yet the Peacocks are somehow louder than the music," Napp said.

From now through early October, every Wednesday, and on some Fridays, Sunflower Farm is hosting Summer Music Evenings, where guests are invited to roam about the farm, hang out with baby goats and enjoy family-friendly live musical performances by some of Colorado's latest and greatest local bands — and the most talented peafowl this side of the Mississippi.

This summer marks the third season of Summer Music Evenings, which started as most brilliant ideas these days do — during the pandemic. For Napp, the tiny, picturesque farm was the perfect place to start hosting some of Napp's musician friends and local bands who could play intimate concerts at the 100-person venue. Since then, the lineup of musicians has slowly evolved into what it is today: A bluegrass-heavy bill with a couple of other Colorado-tinged genres sprinkled throughout.

"I realized that Coloradans loved their bluegrass, and I love bluegrass too," Napp said. "So we mostly have bluegrass artists that come and play. Most of them are local, and we have a few funk bands and a few jam bands, but it's mostly in the bluegrass genre. I think in the summer, people love to hear bluegrass music. It kinda fits the whole vibe we have going on here at the farm, too."

The jam-packed summer lineup promises a performance by Front Range newgrass group Ghost Town Drifters on Friday; a backyard get down with Boulder-based Americana band Brandywine and the Mighty Fines on Aug. 9; and an evening with foothills folk unit The Sweet Lillies on Sept. 8 — just to name a few.

As if music and mammals weren't enough to entice audiences into making an appearance at Sunflower Farm this summer, guests can also look forward to a number of food trucks rolling through the venue, should they get peckish. There will also be a drink cart and Palo Coffee & Bar (a vintage horse cart turned coffee spot) will also be on site selling refreshing non-alcoholic drinks and snow cones.

To check out the entire list of performances and peep the food truck schedule, visit sunflowerfarminfo.com/summer-music. Tickets are $27 per person, and babies 12 months and under are free.

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Children keep a distance while watching chickens roam the farm...

Children keep a distance while watching chickens roam the farm during a Summer Music Evenings concert in 2021 at Sunflower Farm in Longmont. (Timothy Hurst/Staff Photographer)

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Julian Senner, 5, lets a miniature horse smell his hand...

Julian Senner, 5, lets a miniature horse smell his hand while checking out the animals with his mother Alece Kaplan during a Summer Music Evenings concert on June 30, 2021, at Sunflower Farm in Longmont. (Timothy Hurst/File photo)

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Eleanor Ramirez swings from a tree while her mother Rachel...

Eleanor Ramirez swings from a tree while her mother Rachel Horvath looks on during a Summer Music Evenings concert on June 30, 2021, at Sunflower Farm in Longmont. (Timothy Hurst/Staff Photographer)

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Holt McClenahan, right, looks out the window of a vintage...

Holt McClenahan, right, looks out the window of a vintage plane at the back of the farm while playing with older sibling Stevie McClenahan and Christopher Dziura during a Summer Music Evenings concert on June 30, 2021, at Sunflower Farm in Longmont. (Timothy Hurst/Staff Photographer)

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Peacocks are part of the fun at Sunflower Farms Summer...

Anupam Nath

Peacocks are part of the fun at Sunflower Farms Summer Music Evenings. (File photo)

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