The 15th annual Mountain Jam will not be held at its longtime host resort, according to a message posted on Hunter Mountain’s Facebook page, which reads,
This past Monday the organizers of Mountain Jam, which is now under new ownership, informed us that after 14 years the festival will not take place at Hunter Mountain in 2019.
While we are disappointed to see the festival move, we would like to extend our most sincere gratitude to the many supporters who made Hunter Mountain a successful Mountain Jam venue for more than a decade, including our loyal customers, the Town of Hunter and Greene County.
We remain excited by our 2019 summer and fall event schedule — headlined by the popular Taste of Country festival on June 7-9 — and we will provide our loyal guests with updates on new events and entertainment opportunities as they are added.
According to a not-so-subtle hint posted to social media by Mountain Jam in November, fans of the jams are going to be pleased with the lineup for the 15th annual edition of the event in 2019. “We like our PB&J with lots of Jam. How ’bout you?” the post asked, along with the hashtag “#backtothejam”.
Mountain Jam was founded by Warren Haynes, Gary Chetkof, and members of WDST/Radio Woodstockin 2005 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the local rock radio station. Named after the beloved Allman Brothers Band song, it began as a one-day event centered around jam-oriented music and continued that way for many years, hosting acts like Gov’t Mule, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Benevento/Russo Duo, Mike Gordon, Phil Lesh & Friends, Umphrey’s McGee, RatDog, Galactic, Dumpstaphunk, the Allman Brothers Band, The Derek Trucks Band, Les Claypool, My Morning Jacket, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Widespread Panic, and more. Co-founder Warren Haynes played the festival every year from its inception through 2016.
In recent years, the look—and, more importantly, sound—of the festival’s lineup has changed considerably, shifting toward more mainstream, radio-friendly rock acts. In 2017, the first year without Warren on hand, the Mountain Jam lineup was led by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Peter Frampton, and Steve Miller Band, to name a few. The 2018 lineup, led by Jack Johnson, Sturgill Simpson, and Alt-J, marked the festival’s biggest departure yet from its jam roots.
The dates and new location for Mountain Jam 2019 have yet to be confirmed, so keep an eye on the festival’s website for the new location, dates, and lineup!