Residents near Tico Time River Resort north of Aztec complained last year about loud music at the resort’s festivals. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)
Jerry McBride
Neighbors complained of noise, trespassing and nudity last year
The owner of the Tico Time River Resort in Aztec will provide San Juan County commissioners with an update on plans for upcoming music festivals on Tuesday.
Owner Rob Holmes must give a presentation about the resort, an RV and camping business less than a mile south of the Colorado state line between Aztec and Durango. The property on the Animas River has ponds, waterslides, paddle boards, and zip lines. Tent, RV and car camping is also offered.
Last year, the station held weekends of special events, including an electronic dance music festival, a reggae festival, a sober festival and a Christian retreat.
But residents of the nearby neighborhood of Riverside filed complaints with county officials, saying the music was too loud and some visitors were naked.
“Since Tico Time opened its concert hall with its festivals every other weekend, it has become hell,” said Judy Bryson. The Herald of Durango. “The music starts around 10 during the day, and it’s not that bad during the day, but as the day goes on, it gets louder and louder as people get drunk or whatever what they are doing there.”
Bryson said she and her husband have raised their concerns with county commissioners countless times, Bryson said.
Rob and Jenny Holmes are the owners of Tico Time north of Aztec. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)
Residents south of Tico Time River Resort, left to right, Lynn and Judy Bryson, Grace Shindledecker, Gary Hout and Bob Shindledecker, stand on their property across from the resort’s primitive campsite along the Animas River north of Aztec. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)
Jerry McBride
Robert Shindledecker, who owns property opposite a “primitive” campsite, complained of trespassing, defecation and nudity.
“I understand that we are disturbing the neighbors,” said Tico Time editor Tammie Carter. Herald.
She said the owner installed banners and noise-cancelling pads behind the stage to absorb reverberation, limited music volumes at certain times and moved the fireworks display to an earlier time.
The dispute between neighbors came to a head after The River of Souls festival from May 20-22, 2021. Residents complained to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, according to the Farmington Dailythen attended the San Juan County Commission meeting on May 25 to complain.
This year, the resort offers a full plate of festivals, starting with Tico Time’s Sangha Fest, May 5-8. “Sangha Fest celebrates wellness, community, spiritual growth and personal development through yoga, breathwork, music, meditation, movement, art, dance, nature, ceremony and Game”, Tico Time website said.
The other scheduled festivals are:
- Tico Time Bluegrass Festival, May 12-15.
- Tico Time Reggae Fest, May 19-22.
- Four Corners Jam Festival, August 4-6.
- 4 Corners Christian Celebration, August 18-21.
- Tico Time Country Festival, August 25-28.
- Unison Festival, from September 8 to 11.
- Serenity Festival, from September 15 to 18.
- Four Corners Reggae Festival, September 22-25.
