Gunnison Music Cruise holds final summer event

Last Tuesday, Sept. 15, Western Colorado University and the City of Gunnison held their final Music Cruise of the season.

The Music Cruises have become a tradition over the past couple of summer seasons. The event entails a local band performing on a flatbed trailer while being towed around town. Friends, neighbors, and other Gunnison folk follow behind on bikes. 

The cruises are part of Gunnison’s Resiliency project, a collaborative effort created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic by the City of Gunnison, Chamber of Commerce, Western Colorado University, and the Community Foundation Gunnison Valley. Designed to combat social isolation and boost local morale, this project creates opportunities for public joy, civic pride, and strong social ties. Its overarching vision is to bring neighbors together safely in open-air spaces and encourage everyone to take pride and pleasure in living in our wonderful mountain community. To further cultivate neighborhood spirit, the Resiliency Project also offers $400 micro-grants to Gunnison residents to promote connection.

In the past, the music cruises have featured bands like Tiger Electric, Fuerze Cora Brazil Musical, and ensembles from the Western Music Department. 

The featured music for the season finale was provided by Girlband, an up-and-coming indie-folk, jazz, and rock group founded by two Western music students: lead vocalist Maddy Baillie and saxophonist Abby Sawicki. They were joined by fellow Western music department peers, energetic percussionist Alex Messerli and versatile pianist Francisco Little. Together, they delivered a lively set composed primarily of re-imagined classics with covers of hits from Amy Winehouse, Carole King, Billy Joel, and The Cranberries.

This month’s music cruise embarked at 5:30 P.M. from IOOF Park on Main Street, weaving through residential streets before making its way across town to Western’s Pinnacles apartments. There, the mobile stage paused for a mini concert where riders dismounted, took dance breaks, and caught up with neighbors. The procession then resumed its journey around town, culminating in a festive end-of-season after-party at the Quigley Hall Bandshell. Local DJ Skyler Matthias spun an upbeat evening set, CC’s Burgers served up some dinner, and food cart Churro Mia treated the first 200 attendees to complimentary churros.

Beyond providing an evening of entertainment, the Music Cruises have left a lasting mark on the Gunnison community. By bringing live performances directly into local neighborhoods, the event has helped strengthen intergenerational bonds and fostered a shared sense of place among students and long-time residents alike.