About the South Fork Music Association

Keeping Music Alive — One Child at a Time!

Rhythms on the Rio is a benefit festival that provides stringed instruments and lessons to children throughout the San Luis Valley.

Rhythms on the Rio Music Festival is hosted by the South Fork Music Association (SFMA).

Rhythms on the Rio was created by SFMA as an event and a platform to fund our Children’s Music Program.

By bringing in the best local and National artists from diverse musical genres to perform at a fun and family-friendly festival, SFMA and Rhythms on the Rio have been able to provide thousands of dollars for musical instruments, materials, and instruction to children in the greater San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado.

Rhythms on the Rio spent 14 years in South Fork, Colorado, before moving in 2022 to Del Norte, Colorado.

 

The South Fork Music Association is a non-profit entity that uses its funds for staging live music concerts for the entire family and promoting music education for children in our community.

 

SFMA aims to provide quality musical events for the City of South Fork and the surrounding areas. Our organizational skills and resources related to staging live music concerts will provide many more opportunities for the diverse and abundant musical talent in the Valley.

The focus of the SFMA will be to employ local talent whenever possible and additionally attract national acts and their fans to Rhythms on the Rio.

Music is crucial to a well-rounded education; therefore, the SFMA will be supporting our younger musicians through grant-writing to provide funding for school programs, scholarships and workshops. Additionally, the SFMA will provide a proper venue for music presentations and recitals for area students.

A successful concert is dependent on many outside sources; food and refreshment vendors, venue proprietors and hospitality services are essential. Whenever possible, local businesses will be approached first to provide these various services in keeping with our goal of increased economic growth for South Fork. The industry of live music involves many other industries and these relationships will foster new-found business opportunities for all involved.

The South Fork Music Association is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and services. We are consciously and proactively inclusive of all areas of diversity including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, socioeconomic status, marital status, language, disability, or immigration status.

In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, no person shall, on the grounds of race, color or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity presented by the South Fork Music Association.

SFMA Board Members:

Scott Stecken: President

Skip Patterson: Vice President

Paul Orr: Treasurer

Dee Orr: Secretary

Ike Manobla: Director of Arts

Members at Large: Clay Roesle, Ben Billings

 

Rhythms on the Rio Music Festival donating a check to school music programs | Scott Seifert Photography