The bands come and go, but the festivals play on.

Carolina Music Festivals is a comprehensive calendar and guide to multi-act, daylong or multiple-day music shows in North Carolina. In addition to the most up-to-date information available about dates, acts and prices, we'll tell you about the festival itself - the layout of the grounds, the best way to see it, what kind of vibe to expect (these additional pages are constantly under development as we make it to more festivals each season).

Check out the master calendar below, and click on a festival's name or the month for more information, including maps to festival sites and links to festivals' websites. Photos with calendar listings link to more photos and essays (like this one) about that festival; click on the photo for more information.

Stay up to date by following us as @NCMusicFests on , or on , where we are Carolina MusicFestivals.

If we've left out your favorite North Carolina music festival (or just one you know about), please let us know!

January 2012

27 - 28All That Jazz Weekend - Asheville

February 2012

2 - 4N.C. Jazz Festival - Wilmington
3 - 4Bull City Metal Fest - Durham
3 - 4Double Barrel Benefit - Raleigh
12 - 13Heart 'n' Soul of Jazz - Pinehurst
17 - 18Neuse River Music Fest - Kinston
17 - 19Bluegrass First Class - Asheville

March 2012

April 2012

6 - 7The Darin and Brooke Aldridge Bluegrass Festival - Cherryville
12 - 14Big Lick Bluegrass Festival - Oakboro
14 - 15Carrboro Gets the HINT - Carrboro
19 - 22Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival - Silk Hope
20 - 21BBQ Cook-Off & Bluegrass Jam - Asheville
21 - 22Annual Spring Festival and Tribute to the Troops - Salemburg
21North Carolina 'Cuegrass Festival - Raleigh
26 - 28Family Style Bluegrass Music Festival - Roxboro
26 - 29MerleFest - Wilkesboro
27 - 28Annual Spring Bluegrass Festival - Stella
28All Go West - Asheville
28Triangle Beach Music Festival - Garner

May 2012

4 - 6French Broad River Festival - Hot Springs
5Carolina Rebellion - Charlotte
10 - 12Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver's Bluegrass Music Festival - Denton
10 - 13Lake Eden Arts Festival - Black Mountain
11 - 12R.evolution Beach & Music Festival - Carolina Beach
11 - 12Beaufort Music Festival - Beaufort
12Jam at the Grove - Wilmington
19Carolina Blues Festival - Greensboro
19 - 20Artsplosure - Raleigh
24 - 26Lil Johns Mountain Music Festival - Snow Camp
24 - 27The Hillbilly Hoedown - Boiling Springs
25 - 27Ole Time Fiddlers and Bluegrass Festival - Union Grove
25 - 27Beach Music Festival - Roxboro

June 2012

1 - 2Bluegrass & Old-Time Fiddlers Convention - Mount Airy
1 - 3Smilefest - Pinnacle
8 - 9Charlie Poole Music Festival - Eden
8 - 9Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival - Tryon
15 - 16Edenton Music and Water Festival - Edenton
15 - 17Rapids Jam - Roanoke Rapids
21 - 24Wild Goose Festival - Silk Hope
22 - 24State Annual Singing Convention - Benson
22 - August 5Brevard Summer Institute & Festival - Brevard
23 - July 28Eastern Music Festival - Greensboro
24Singing on the Mountain - Linville
30 - July 1Cashiers Mountain Music Festival - Cashiers
30 - July 4Red White & Bluegrass Festival - Morganton
                

July 2012

Through July 28Eastern Music Festival - Greensboro
Through August 5Brevard Summer Institute & Festival - Brevard
Through July 4Red White & Bluegrass Festival - Morganton
1 - 3GroverFest - Ferguson
1 - 30An Appalachian Summer Festival - Boone
4, 7 - 8Festival for the Eno - Durham
6 - 7MusicFest 'n Sugar Grove - Sugar Grove
18 - 29Folkmoot USA - Western North Carolina
20 - 21Dejafest - Raleigh
26 - 29Nunn Brothers Bluegrass Festival - Mount Airy
27 - 29Bele Chere Festival - Asheville
27 - 29Cape Fear Blues Festival - Wilmington

August 2012

Through August 5Brevard Summer Institute & Festival - Brevard
1Island in the Mountains Fest - Marshall
2 - 4PreddyFest Bluegrass Festival - Franklinton
2 - 4Mountain Dance and Folk Festival - Asheville
10 - 12Olla Belle Reed Music Festival - Lansing
11TRKfest 2011 - Pittsboro
16 - 18N.C. State Bluegrass Festival - Marion
24 - 25Music on the Mountaintop - Banner Elk
24 - 25Fines Creek Bluegrass Jam - Clyde
  

September 2012

TBADaniel Boone Days - Boone
Aug. 30 - Sept. 1Lil Johns Mountain Music Festival - Snow Camp
Aug. 30 - Sept. 2The Getdown Music Festival and Campout - Mebane
Aug. 30 - Sept. 2Smoky Mountain Folk Festival - Lake Junaluska
Aug. 31 - Sept. 2ProgDay - Chapel Hill
Aug. 31 - Sept. 2Historic Happy Valley Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention - Lenoir
1John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival - High Point
1Carolina Foxfire's Battle of the Bluegrass Bands - Cherryville
1 - 4Labor Day Beach Music Weekend - Asheville
2New River Blues Festival - Grassy Creek
6 - 8Hopscotch - Raleigh
6 - 8Coot Williams Road Bluegrass Festival - Cherryville
7 - 8Mountain Song Festival - Brevard
8Bull Durham Blues Festival - Durham
8 - 9Time Warner Cable BBQ & Blues - Charlotte
13 - 15Hoppin' John Fiddler's Convention - Silk Hope
14 - 15Charlotte Sunset Jazz Festival - Charlotte
15Brewgrass Festival - Asheville
15Rock the Block - Winston-Salem
16Pirates Beach Music Festival - Washington
21 - 22FarmPark Bluegrass Festival - Denton
21 - 23Dream Acres Music Festival - Pleasant Hill
23Carrboro Music Festival - Carrboro
27 - 29Signal Fest - Chapel Hill

October 2012

5 - 6Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival - Manteo
11 - 13Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival - Silk Hope
12 - 13High Country MusicFest - Boone
13N.C. Metalfest - Wilson
18 - 21Lake Eden Arts Festival - Black Mountain
19 - 20Pleasure Island Seafood, Blues & Jazz Festival - Kure Beach
20Rowan Blues and Jazz Festival - Salisbury
26 - 28MoogFest - Asheville

November 2012

9 - 10Homecoming Bluegrass Festival - Burlington
10NC Beer & Band Festival - Raleigh
10Mustang Music Festival - Corolla

December 2011

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Disclaimer: We've tried to gather the most up-to-date and accurate information available, but everything is subject to change and, for that matter, we and our sources make the occasional mistake. Early in the year, information from the previous year may be posted for certain festivals until updated plans are announced; in particular, fees may change from year to year and dates may be estimated based on the previous festival. We try to update each weekend or when notified of new information. We cannot and do not guarantee any of the artists, prices, show times, locations, maps, camping options or other information about the music festivals we refer to on this site. Please let us know about any mistakes or out-dated information you find. And, before you head out, check individual music festivals' websites for information and/or contact them via email or phone to make sure they plan to present the show you expect to see.
Carolina Music Festivals is compiled, designed, written, photographed and published by Christopher E. Nelson.


Established January 2010. We've had Free Hit Counter visitors to this page since Jan. 15, 2012.

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