Each year, organizers with the Gentlemen of the Road Stopover tour search the globe for idyllic rural towns and small cities to host the multi-day, traveling music extravaganza, founded in 2012 by British chart-toppers Mumford & Sons. The one-off locales must meet a sweet set of requirements, from demographics to natural beauty, as well as a clincher that’s a bit more intangible. Call it openness and enthusiasm.

“They seem to have a cherished idea about coming into towns and getting to know the locals and really putting together the infrastructure with the town’s welcoming,” said Lori Roberts, executive director of the Salida Chamber of Commerce. “When they go into a town, if the town doesn’t adopt the idea – like, yes, we’re going to have smiles on our faces, really spruce up and really get involved in decorating and be part of the fun – they would consider not coming.”

Salida is following through on those promises to smile and spruce up (and fly the Union Jack) this weekend; the city’s Vandaveer Ranch property, a mile-and-a-half southeast of town, could see as many as 20,000 attendees – nearly quadruple the city’s population – for the two-day festival, which features close to two dozen acts, on multiple stages, topped by headliners Mumford & Sons and The Flaming Lips.

As part of the Stopover, promoters have created a downtown entertainment district over several closed-off streets, with live music performances and a shuttle to whisk concert-goers to and from the main stage area. Hand-in-hand, the Chamber and the Salida Business Alliance will host a downtown public street fair, with about 30 vendors.

“I’ve been in office since 2001 and this is the biggest thing we’ve seen,” said Roberts, whose office sponsored an “Extreme Mumford Makeover Contest” to encourage downtown business owners to theme-up their facades for the chance at VIP concert tickets. “I think we’re ready and prepared. It’s going to be something to remember and I think it’s going to be lots of fun.”

–

Stephanie Earls, The Gazette, 636-0364, Stephanie.Earls@gazettedev.gazette.com