Moab Music Festival, Inc.

What Moab Music Festival, Inc. does

Moab Music Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization founded in 1992 in Moab, Utah by violist Leslie Tomkins and pianist/conductor Michael Barrett. It produces a two-week annual festival each September — the 34th edition is scheduled for September 2-18, 2026 — featuring approximately twenty concerts across an unusual portfolio of venues that blend chamber music, jazz, and Latin music programming with Utah's red rock landscape. Signature programming includes "Grotto" concerts in a Colorado River wilderness grotto accessible only by jet boat, open-air floating concerts on the Colorado River, guided music hikes with Canyonlands Field Institute, multi-day Cataract Canyon Musical Raft Trips operated with Sheri Griffith River Expeditions, and performances at Historic Star Hall (built 1906, National Register of Historic Places), Red Cliffs Lodge, Sorrel River Ranch, private homes, and ranches. The festival operates a year-round Winterlude series (January/February) and education programs including school assemblies, student scholarships, a Summer String Camp, Music for Seniors visits, and Musical Story Hour with the Grand County Public Library.

The organization's revenue model combines earned income from ticketed concerts (prices ranging from free community events through $85 music hikes, $195 floating concerts, $300-$500 premium benefit events, and $5,025 multi-day raft trips) with philanthropic support including tax-deductible donations, named endowments (Tomkins, Barrett), corporate sponsorships (Rocky Mountain Power, Daynes-Steinway), and foundation/government grants (National Endowment for the Arts, Utah Division of Arts and Museums, Creative West, Eccles Foundation, Quinney Foundation, Steiner Foundation, City of Moab). Ticketing runs on Tix.com, donations via Network for Good, merchandise on Zeffy, and email marketing through Constant Contact. Year-round staff of 1-10 is supplemented by seasonal hires and more than 65 volunteers.

The festival is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by incoming Artistic Director Tessa Lark (Grammy-nominated violinist) and Executive Director Mette Bryndum (appointed May 2025), with co-founders Tomkins and Barrett serving as Directors Emeriti. Brand positioning is anchored by the registered "Music in Concert with the Landscape®" trademark and recognized by the Utah Governor's Award in the Arts, ASCAP First Prize for Adventurous Programming, and consistent national coverage in the New York Times, NPR, Smithsonian, PBS NewsHour, CBS Sunday Morning, Travel + Leisure, The New Yorker, and Gramophone. Primary customer segments are cultural tourists and music enthusiasts seeking destination experiences, local Moab/Grand County residents, high-net-worth benefit-concert patrons, and adventure travelers combining rafting or hiking with live performance.

Name

Moab Music Festival, Inc.

Legal name

Moab Music Festival, Inc.

Website

https://moabmusicfest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Moab Music Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces a two-week annual September chamber, jazz, and Latin music festival in Moab, Utah, featuring approximately twenty concerts at distinctive venues including Colorado River grottoes, floating river concerts, guided music hikes, and multi-day Cataract Canyon raft trips, serving cultural tourists, local residents, and education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Festival

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local) (MPAGAEAH), Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG), Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

Keywords

• Classical music festivals
• Chamber music performances
• Outdoor concert experiences
• Music education programs
• Nonprofit arts organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Moab

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Concert Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales for approximately 20 annual concerts ranging from free community events to premium experiences like Cataract Canyon raft trips ($5,025). Ticket prices vary by event type from $30-$500 for standard concerts.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, including planned giving and named endowments such as Leslie Tomkins Endowment Fund and Michael Barrett Endowment Fund.
3. Sponsorships: Support from foundations, corporate sponsors, and local/national businesses including Rocky Mountain Power and government entities.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise sales through Zeffy platform including festival merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Moab Music Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces a two-week annual music festival (34th season in 2026) plus year-round programming, presenting chamber music, jazz, and Latin music in distinctive venues throughout Moab, Utah — including a Colorado River wilderness grotto accessible by jet boat, floating river concerts, guided music hikes, multi-day musical raft trips, historic Star Hall, and private ranches/homes. The festival also operates the Winterlude winter series and year-round educational outreach including scholarships, school assemblies, summer string camps, and senior music programs.

Product overview

Moab Music Festival is a two-week annual music festival (34th season in 2026) offering approximately 20+ concerts blending classical chamber music, jazz, and Latin music with Utah's dramatic red rock landscape. The festival operates as a multi-venue event series featuring signature Grotto Concerts (Colorado River wilderness grotto accessible by jet boat), Floating Concerts (open-air boat concerts), Music Hikes (guided canyon concerts), and Musical Raft Trips including multi-day Cataract Canyon expeditions. Year-round programming includes the Winterlude winter series and comprehensive education programs. Venues range from historic Star Hall to private homes, ranches, Red Cliffs Lodge, and wilderness locations. The festival also hosts benefit concerts, community events, and free local concerts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Music Festival Two-week annual music festival featuring approximately 20 concerts of chamber music, jazz, and Latin music performed at wilderness, outdoor, and historic venues throughout Moab, Utah, for music enthusiasts and cultural tourists.
• Grotto Concerts Premium signature concerts held in a pristine wilderness grotto along the Colorado River, accessible only by jet boat, featuring world-class chamber musicians performing against red rock canyon walls; priced at $500 per ticket.
• Floating Concerts Open-air river boat concerts on the Colorado River where patrons experience performances while floating past towering canyon walls, often including brunch; priced at $195 per ticket.
• Music Hikes Guided scenic hikes led by naturalists from Canyonlands Field Institute to secluded canyon locations where intimate concerts are performed, combining outdoor adventure with musical experiences; priced at $85 per ticket.
• Cataract Canyon Musical Raft Trip Four-day, three-night all-inclusive expedition through Cataract Canyon's Class V rapids with daily concerts, scenic flights, expert crew, and chef-curated meals by Kenji Lopez-Alt; priced at $5,025.
• Community Concerts Free outdoor concerts at venues like Old City Park featuring local and regional musicians, designed to provide free all-ages community access to live music.
• Winterlude Series Winter series held in January and February featuring educational workshops, guest artist concerts, and outreach events.
• Education Programs Year-round educational initiatives including music student scholarships, summer string camps, school assemblies for Grand County School District students, Musical Story Hour at the Grand County Public Library, and free Music for Seniors performances at the Moab Senior Center and Canyonlands Care Center.
• Private Venue Benefit Concerts Intimate benefit concerts held at exclusive private homes, private ranches, and Sorrel River Ranch for donors, including dinner and fine dining; priced from $215 to $300 with tax-deductible portions, ages 21+.
• Festival Merchandise Online festival merchandise including branded apparel and accessories sold through the Zeffy platform to support the festival.

Quantifiable outcome

• 34 consecutive annual festivals since 1992
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Canyonlands Field InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for guided scenic music hikes to secluded wilderness locations around Moab. Canyonlands Field Institute provides naturalists who guide hikes to distinctive canyon sites and majestic open spaces chosen for their beauty and acoustics.
• Sheri Griffith River ExpeditionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial concessionaire of Canyonlands National Park providing river outfitter services for Cataract Canyon Musical Raft Trips. Handles all logistics including safety gear, tents, meals, and expert crew for multi-day river expeditions.
• From the TopcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNPR-distributed platform celebrating young musicians. Partnership features young rising classical stars in Floating Concert II performances and connects festival to national broadcast audience through From the Top's robust platform.
• Red Cliffs LodgeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner overlooking Colorado River with towering red rock walls. Home to Castle Creek Winery and Cowboy Grill restaurant. Festival tent set up on lawn beside river for outdoor concerts.
• Sorrel River Ranch Resort and SpaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerResort venue situated on Colorado River with sweeping vistas. Festival events held in open-sided pavilion with views of red mesas and sunsets.
• Easy Bee FarmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Supported Agriculture farm in Spanish Valley providing scenic setting for roaming concerts. Farm produces fruits and vegetables for local co-op and restaurants.
• Historic Star HallcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHistoric venue built in 1906, listed on National Register of Historic Places since 1993. Seats 300, intimate size with excellent acoustics for chamber music. Downtown Moab location.
• Grand County School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYear-round education partnership reaching all children in Grand County Schools annually with music assemblies, scholarships, and Summer String Camp in collaboration with BEACON String Program.
• Moab Senior Center and Canyonlands Care CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic for Seniors program providing live performances and free tickets for elders at long-term care facilities regardless of income.
• Grand County Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Musical Story Hour events reading musically-themed stories with live demonstrations for families with young children (newborn to early elementary).
• Daynes-SteinwayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPiano sponsor providing Steinway instruments for festival performances including Model B transported by jet boat to grotto concerts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aspen Music Festival and School: Major summer classical festival and music school in a destination mountain town combining ticketed concerts, education programs, and donor-supported operations. Highly comparable on chamber music focus, education integration, and premium destination audience.
• Ravinia Festival: Long-running summer festival presenting classical, jazz, and pop performances across outdoor pavilion and lawn venues near Chicago. Most directly comparable to Moab on the combination of ticketed outdoor concert programming, premium pricing tiers, and donor-supported nonprofit structure.
• Bravo! Vail Music Festival: Summer destination classical music festival pairing international orchestras with outdoor mountain venues. Directly comparable outdoor-destination, premium-ticketing model with similar education-outreach emphasis.
• Ojai Music Festival: Annual destination chamber music festival known for adventurous contemporary programming under rotating artistic directors. Directly comparable to Moab's ASCAP First Prize for Adventurous Programming and willingness to feature living composers.
• Music Academy of the West: Summer festival and music school in Santa Barbara combining ticketed performances with education programs. Comparable nonprofit structure, summer destination model, and education/outreach integration.
• Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival: Multi-week summer chamber music festival in a destination city (Santa Fe) operating as a nonprofit with ticketed performances, educational programs, and tourism-driven audience. Same destination-festival model with comparable classical-and-adjacent programming philosophy.
• Spoleto Festival USA: Multi-disciplinary performing arts festival spanning opera, chamber music, jazz, and theater held in a single destination city over roughly two weeks. Same multi-genre, destination-festival nonprofit model with comparable ticketing and donor support structure.
• Chamber Music Northwest: Summer chamber music festival presenting ticketed concerts plus education/outreach programs. Comparable on nonprofit chamber-music programming, education partnerships, and donor-supported operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Tanglewood (Boston Symphony): Iconic summer classical music venue operated by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Larger-scale incumbent in the outdoor classical festival space; relevant benchmark for programming scale and audience development.

Emerging players

• Tippet Rise Art Center: Art center in Montana combining world-class classical chamber music with outdoor sculpture and wilderness landscape. Closest comparable on the wilderness-meets-chamber-music positioning; smaller and newer operation with similar adventure-music premium experiences.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/moabmusicfest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/moabmusicfestival
• Facebookfacebook.com/MoabMusicFest
• Instagraminstagram.com/moabmusicfest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moab-music-festival-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Moab Music Festival, Inc.