General Admission
$78
Pavilion floor, field kitchen, and the west-ridge light walk. Standing and lawn.
- Both nights
- Field kitchen
- Light walk
612 of 900 remaining32% held
Mesa festival · September 18–19, 2026
Cinnabar
Two nights of sound, conversation, and light on the Boulder mesa.
Doors Friday 4:00 PMRed Mesa Pavilion, Boulder, Colorado
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Tickets
Three ways onto the mesa.
Holds are free. Payment is collected at North Gate. After Hours is gone — join the waitlist if a late tent seat opens.
216open of 1,400 weekend places
Mesa Deck
Limited$145
Raised west deck, reserved sightlines, and Friday after-hours access.
- Reserved deck
- Both nights
- Friday late set
38 of 160 remaining76% held
After Hours
Sold out$220
Saturday 10:00 PM–1:00 AM in the late tent. Second bar, closed guest list.
- Late tent
- Second bar
- Closed list
No places left100% held
Lineup
A slow Friday. A full Saturday.
Talks in the pavilion, walking light on the ridge, electronics after dark. Times are mountain.
Friday
September 18
Gates
North GateWristbands at North Gate. Mesa Market opens on the field.
Welcome
PavilionA short orientation to the grounds, the quiet hours, and the light walk.
Dryland Cities
PavilionAsha Venn reads new essays, then a moderated conversation.
Table Mesa, for dusk
PavilionMira Solano, small ensemble and tape as the range goes dark.
West Ridge Walk
Light WalkJonah Rhee opens the lantern sequence. Self-guided, 40 minutes.
Night One
Mesa DeckDiego Márquez, live electronics from the west deck.
Saturday
September 19
Field Kitchen
FieldLunch service from the mesa hearth. Vegetarian by default; ask for fire plates.
Temporary rooms
PavilionAsha Venn and Jonah Rhee on building for two nights and leaving no trace.
Community sets
Mesa DeckOpen deck for short local sets. Sign-up at the north desk by 1:00 PM.
Reprise
PavilionMira Solano returns with a shorter cycle written for Saturday wind.
Night Two
Mesa DeckDiego Márquez closes the official program from the Mesa Deck.
After Hours
Late tentLate tent, Mesa Deck and After Hours holds only. Last call at 12:40 AM.
Speakers
Four people holding the weekend.
Composer, light, words, and sound. Short sets, long conversations, nothing on a click track.
Composer
Mira Solano
Writes long-form night cycles for small ensembles and tape. Her 2025 work Table Mesa was scored for dusk and wind.
Light
Jonah Rhee
Builds temporary light architectures from scrap aluminum and theater lamps. At Cinnabar he opens a walking sequence along the west ridge.
Words
Asha Venn
Essayist and host of the Field Notes series. She reads new work on dryland cities, then takes questions under the pavilion.
Sound
Diego Márquez
Live electronics and percussion. Closes both nights from the Mesa Deck with a set built on Front Range field recordings.
Venue
Red Mesa Pavilion, Table Mesa.
Fifteen minutes south of downtown Boulder. One gravel lot, one north gate, a ridge path you walk after dark.
1North Gate
2Parking
3Field Kitchen
4Light Walk
5Pavilion
6Mesa Deck
- 1
North Gate
Wristbands, bag check, and rideshare pinch.
- 2
Parking
Gravel lot. 280 cars. Overflow on Table Mesa.
- 3
Field Kitchen
Hearth service, water, and shade.
- 4
Light Walk
Lantern path along the west ridge. Opens Friday 9 PM.
- 5
Pavilion
Talks, ensemble sets, and the main floor.
- 6
Mesa Deck
Raised west deck and late electronics.
Address
4800 Table Mesa Drive
Boulder, Colorado
Arrive
RTD Table Mesa. Rideshare at North Gate only. No overflow inside the fence.
Access
Pavilion and deck are step-free. Ridge path is packed earth. Write us in the RSVP notes.
RSVP
Hold a place. Pay at the gate.
Tell us who is coming and which tier you want. If After Hours is your hope, pick waitlist — we email released seats seventy-two hours out.