At Old Time Music festivals, the emphasis is people playing music together, rather than enjoying performances all day. Festival-goers gather in small groups to jam traditional fiddle music, and it is generally self-regulated. At our festival, we gather folks in three hosted jams throughout the weekend, a Welcome Jam, a Beginner Slow-Jam and a Farewell Jam. Other than that, campers are on their own to host jams at their campsites and meet new friends to play with. This is the culture of Old Time Music festivals - we are always learning new tunes from one another, and welcome new people into our jams.

Yes! There is always music in the air at Old Time Music festivals. Jams are happening with morning coffee, and go late into the wee hours of the morning. Bring a chair and wander around the festival to listen to a jam. And, on Saturday we have programs for non-players: we host a Family Dance in the morning and a Saturday Evening Concert.

However, as the festival grows, we will be keeping an eye on our ratios of players vs non-players and may limit non-player tickets to keep the spirit of the festival in tact.

Absolutely. One of the most fun aspects of Old Time Music festivals is that festival-goers host jams, workshops, meals or knitting circles at their campsite. In 2027, we'll have a whiteboard to share what you're hosting and when. Hosted events can be musical, or non-musical! At one old time festival, a camper hosts an annual "Rock-em Sock-em Robot" tournament that has become a big hit.

If you have an idea but aren't sure if it's a good fit, contact us!

Collins Lake Ranch is a 300-acre property in Cleveland, New Mexico. There are three areas that the festival takes place in, Upper Camp, Mid Camp, and Lower Camp. Upper Camp is uphill from Lower Camp, and about a 7-10 minute walk depending on your speed. All tent camping spots are dispersed, allowed in Upper and Mid Camp. Lower Camp is reserved for RVs and people camping out of their vehicles. Late night jamming tends to be concentrated in Upper Camp; we recommend light sleepers to set up in Mid or Lower Camp. Bring a flashlight to help you navigate the paths late at night. Flush toilets and sinks are located in both Lower and Upper Camp; showers are located in Upper Camp. The Kitchen Yurt and fire pit are located in Upper Camp. The Welcome Tent, playground and lake access is in Mid Camp. Vehicle Parking is in Lower Camp.

Collins Lake is available for all non-motorized recreating: canoeing, SUPing, swimming, kayaking. The birds are plentiful - bring binoculars! Anglers are welcome, though we are told not a single person has ever caught anything in the lake. If you are fishing, please stay away from the dock area to avoid swimmers.

Collins Lake Ranch has some canoes, kayaks, and lifejackets available for use. Please return boats, oars and lifejackets to their storage areas when you are done using them for the day. All recreating on the lake is at your own risk. There is no lifeguard on duty. All children must be supervised by an adult.

We do not recommend you bring your dog. The property has a pack of ranch dogs who roam freely and who are not supervised by their owners. If you do bring your dog, you must be comfortable breaking up any potential altercations.

The ranch dogs are very sweet with people, especially kids, and work all night to make sure the bears and coyotes stay away from the ranch (and our food).

The Kitchen Yurt is located in upper camp and has a stove, refrigerators, grills, sinks, microwaves, pots & pans, plates, cups and utensils that are all available for our use. Everyone is responsible for their own clean-up if they use the kitchen facilities. There is no cleaning crew on site for the weekend.

The Upper RV Area is close to the showers and Kitchen Yurt. Parking is along the road; no parking is allowed on the dirt or grassy areas. The Lower RV Area is in a field next to the lake, with access to flush toilets and sinks. There is limited shade in both parking areas, RV campers should be prepared for full sun during the day. The Lower RV Area is a 7-10 minute walk from the Upper RV Area. We will prioritize folks who have lower mobility to park in the Upper RV Lot, so they have access to the ADA bathroom.

RV. The property owner does not want vehicles parking outside of the designated spots to protect the landscape. Anyone camping in or on top of a vehicle is considered an RV.

Yes! We have a variety of volunteer shifts throughout the weekend from helping with parking to welcoming folks as they arrive, to keeping an eye on the cleanliness of the bathrooms and kitchen. A few weeks prior to the campout, we'll send a link to sign up for a volunteer shift. If you have a specific idea for volunteering, contact us!