Brendan Forrest: America 250 & Colorado 150 Celebration @ Bears Ranch

Join us for a powerful two-day community celebration honoring America’s 250th Anniversary and Colorado’s 150th year of statehood. Hosted at Bears Ranch in Durango, Colorado, this special event marks the public launch of the Home of the Brave Museum and the kickoff of the Phoenix Campaign — a national effort to rebuild and expand this historic WWII museum for future generations. Event Highlights: • Veteran recognition & patriotic ceremonies • WWII artifacts & historical displays • Live music & community gatherings • Ranch experiences & family-friendly activities • Wagon rides, pony rides & kids games • Food, drinks & local vendors • Silent auction & fundraising experiences This celebration brings together veterans, families, and the Durango community to reflect on the meaning of service and the shared history that binds us. Brendan Forrest is a Southwest Colorado-based Folk/Americana/Bluegrass artist whose music draws on bluegrass, folk, Celtic tradition, and Americana without neatly fitting into any one lane. Born into an Irish-American family on Chicago’s North Side, Forrest began on the highland bagpipe before guitar became his central instrument. His work has taken him through Chicago jazz studies, international travel, production, songwriting, and collaborations with acclaimed musicians, including Michael Cleveland, Dominick Leslie, Duncan Wickel, George Jackson, and Jake Stargel. Rooted now in San Miguel County, Forrest writes songs shaped by movement, memory, place, and tradition.