Skull & Roses wraps up four days of music at Ventura County Fairgrounds

VENTURA, Calif.-People of a certain age remember seeing the Grateful Dead play Ventura.

"It is hard to put into words this site the Ventura County fairgrounds is where I saw my very first Grateful Dead shows in  '80, '81. We called it the dust bowl because when you get everyone to boogie down, you get a little crunch on the air, then the show is over, and everyone heads for the ocean, " said Dave Tash.

Tash was a teen then, and now works as an audio engineer for one of the headliners.

Bands with names inspired by Grateful Dead songs and albums played their interpretation of tunes on a revolving stage.

The revolving stage led to a delay on Saturday night, but help most performers go back to back.

Many played instruments borrowed from the Dusty String Exhibit that included guitars once owners by the late Jerry Garcia.

A new generation of Deadheads, 17 and under, got in free with a full priced ticket holder.

Each night fans dressed up to match famous holiday Dead show themes.

Merchants earned money by setting up outdoor booths along a marketplace called Shakedown Street.

Skull and Roses Production Manager Mike Lazaro was in the crowd enjoying Phil Lesh and Friends on the final night.

Lazaro said, "From attending this event in 1987, to being a part of this fantastic team, what a blessing! A true healing for this community."

Longtime Grateful Dead publicist Dennis Mcnally gets plenty of credit.

"I have been working on this dang thing, show, for three years, since right out 2019 show and you know we are now being rewarded for our patience. "

When asked if Skull and Roses will return to Ventura next year, Lazaro said "100 percent we are coming back."

After the arena shows fans kept the party going watching local bands including Trivle Omdobble in the campground.

Fans say they are already looking forward to next year's Skull and Roses.