Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Everclear and The SteelDrivers are among the more than 160 artists that will take over Boulder later this month. It’s all part of Tulagi, the event formerly known as Boulder Roots Music Fest, which returns to the city’s downtown on August 27–30.
With performances spread across more than 20 walkable venues, the newly rebranded gathering will forgo a traditional field setting. Instead, Tulagi will turn the downtown area and Pearl Street Mall into its festival grounds, with performances unfolding in theaters, clubs, restaurants, bars, galleries, outdoor stages and community spaces.
The 2026 Tulagi lineup spans an array of genres, including rock, funk, bluegrass, electronic, indie, soul, hip-hop and beyond. In addition to local heroes Big Head Todd and the Monsters, 1990s alternative rock favorites Everclear and Grammy-winning bluegrass outfit The SteelDrivers, notable festival acts run the gamut of musical styles.
From Afro-Cuban funk performer Cimafunk and Denver’s own avant-garde collective itchy-O to homegrown electronic DJ Maddy O’Neal and The Centennial State’s own jamgrass quartet Magoo, Tulagi has something for everyone.
Among the locations hosting performances are Boulder Theater, Boulder Bandshell, eTown, KGNU and the Museum of Boulder, along with more than a dozen additional venues throughout downtown. And with 160 confirmed acts, music lovers will have numerous opportunities to shift between venues throughout the weekend.
A night might begin with a nationally touring act at the Boulder Theater before continuing down Pearl Street to catch an emerging local artist at one of the festival’s smaller participating venues.
The format is part of Tulagi’s larger evolution. After debuting just last year as Boulder Roots Music Fest, organizers decided to grow beyond the event’s original concept. As the festival expanded into a broader celebration of Boulder’s creative community, it adopted the Tulagi name — a nod to the legendary University Hill club whose history is deeply intertwined with Boulder’s live-music culture.
Tulagi first opened its doors in 1948 and eventually hosted the likes of The Eagles, ZZ Top, The Doobie Brothers, Bob Seger and George Thorogood in the 1970s. In later years, before closing for good in 2003, the venue put on shows by then-ascending stars Jack Johnson, Death Cab for Cutie, Spoon and Fall Out Boy.
Music, however, is only part of the Tulagi equation. This year’s festival also boasts visual artists, live painters, comedians, immersive performances, interactive experiences and community programming, bringing more of Boulder’s creative scene into the fold.
With its combination of established touring acts, local artists and a venue-hopping format, Tulagi offers a distinctly Boulder alternative to the conventional summer festival experience: four days of music where the streets, clubs, theaters and cultural spaces of the city become the stages.
Tulagi takes place August 27–30 in downtown Boulder, Colorado. 4-day passes and single day tickets are currently available here.
