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 festivals 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 an NC music 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.

Most music festivals in North Carolina cater to families. If you haven't been to one because you have children, find a festival near you that you and the kids will enjoy.

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

If we've left out any of your favorite North Carolina music festivals (or just some you know about), please let us know!
 
New - U.S. music festival posters! Get the lineups for music festivals around the country.

January 2013

18 - 20Big Band and Swing Dance Weekend - Asheville
25 - 27All That Jazz Weekend - Asheville

February 2013

1 - 2Bull City Metal Fest - Durham
1 - 2Double Barrel Benefit - Raleigh
7 - 9N.C. Jazz Festival - Wilmington
9Appalachian State Old-Time Fiddlers Convention - Boone
15 - 16Neuse River Music Fest - Kinston
15 - 17Bluegrass First Class - Asheville

March 2013

April 2013

5 - 6BBQ Cook-Off & Bluegrass Jam - Asheville
11 - 13Big Lick Bluegrass Festival - Oakboro
12Darin and Brooke Aldridge Music Fest - Kings Mountain
15 - 20NCCU Jazz Festival - Durham
18 - 21Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival - Silk Hope
20North Carolina 'Cuegrass Festival - Raleigh
20Earth Day Jam - Salisbury
25 - 27Family Style Bluegrass Music Festival - Roxboro
25 - 28MerleFest - Wilkesboro
26 - 27White Oak Shores Bluegrass Festival - Stella
27Triangle Beach Music Festival - Garner
27All Go West - Asheville

May 2013

3 - 5French Broad River Festival - Hot Springs
4The Sensational Spring Fling - Marion
4 - 5Carolina Rebellion - Concord / Charlotte
9 - 11Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver's Bluegrass Music Festival - Denton
9 - 12LEAF - Black Mountain
10 - 11Beaufort Music Festival - Beaufort
11North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival - Huntersville
17 - 19FoxFest - Randolph County
17 - 19Bikers for Bikers Foundation Spring Rally - Silk Hope
18Carolina Blues Festival - Greensboro
18Music at the Mills - Union Mills
18 - 19Artsplosure - Raleigh
19Mustang Spring Jam - Corolla
23 - 25Lil Johns Mountain Music Festival - Snow Camp
24 - 26Beach Music Festival - Roxboro
24 - 26Fiddler's Grove Festival - Union Grove

June 2013

Through August 1An Appalachian Summer Festival - Boone
May 31 - June 1Edenton Music and Water Festival - Edenton
1Carolina Beach Music Festival - Carolina Beach
1Green Swan Music Fest - Swannanoa
7 - 8Bluegrass & Old-Time Fiddlers Convention - Mount Airy
7 - 9GroverFest - Catawba County
7 - 9Ocrafolk Festival - Ocracoke Island
13 - 15Cherokee Bluegrass Festival - Cherokee
14 - 15Charlie Poole Music Festival - Eden
14 - 15Blue Ridge BBQ & Music Festival - Tryon
15Bluff Mountain Festival - Hot Springs
21 - 22Siren Mountain Jam - Boone
21 - 22Uptown Charlotte Jazz Festival - Charlotte
21 - August 4Brevard Summer Institute & Festival - Brevard
22 - 23State Annual Singing Convention - Benson
22 - July 27Eastern Music Festival - Greensboro
23Singing on the Mountain - Linville
June 30 - July 4Red White & Bluegrass Festival - Morganton
                

July 2013

Through July 27Eastern Music Festival - Greensboro
Through August 1An Appalachian Summer Festival - Boone
Through August 4Brevard Summer Institute & Festival - Brevard
June 30 - July 4Red White & Bluegrass Festival - Morganton
4 & 6Festival for the Eno - Durham
4 - 6The Big What? - Prospect Hill
12 - 13MusicFest 'n Sugar Grove - Sugar Grove
17 - 28Folkmoot USA - Western North Carolina
26 - 27Barnstock - Huntersville
26 - 28Bele Chere Festival - Asheville
26 - 28Cape Fear Blues Festival - Wilmington
28 - 31Nunn Brothers Bluegrass Festival - Mount Airy

August 2013

Through Aug. 4Brevard Summer Institute & Festival - Brevard
1 - 3PreddyFest Bluegrass Festival - Franklinton
1 - 3Mountain Dance and Folk Festival - Asheville
2 - 3August Jam - Mooresboro
8 - 11Wild Goose Festival - Hot Springs
9 - 11Olla Belle Reed Music Festival - Lansing
10 - 11Activation Music and Arts Festival - Ferguson
15 - 17N.C. State Bluegrass Festival - Marion
22 - 24Clear Mountain View Music Festival - Polkville
23 - 24Fines Creek Bluegrass Jam - Clyde
29 - 31Lil Johns Mountain Music Festival - Snow Camp
29 - Sept. 1Mantrabash Music & Art Festival - Ferguson
30 - 31Smoky Mountain Folk Festival - Lake Junaluska
30 - Sept. 1Historic Happy Valley Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention - Lenoir
31John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival - High Point
31Carolina Foxfire's Battle of the Bluegrass Bands - Cherryville
31 - Sept. 1ProgDay - Chapel Hill
  

September 2013

1New River Blues Festival - Grassy Creek
5 - 7Hopscotch - Raleigh
5 - 7Coot Williams Road Bluegrass Festival - Cherryville
13 - 14Mountain Song Festival - Brevard
13 - 14Bull Durham Blues Festival - Durham
14Brewgrass Festival - Asheville
14Charlotte Sunset Jazz Festival - Charlotte
19 - 21Hoppin' John Fiddler's Convention - Silk Hope
20 - 21Dailey Vincent Fest - Denton
20 - 22FoxFest - TBA in Triad
21Rock the Block - Winston-Salem
27 - 28World of Bluegrass / Wide Open Bluegrass Festival - Raleigh
27 - 29H Blast Jungle Freak - Locust Hill
28French Broad Fall Fest - Hot Springs
28Dream Acres Music Festival - Pleasant Hill
29Carrboro Music Festival - Carrboro

October 2013

4 - 6Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival - Manteo
53B Music Festival - Union Grove
5Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival - Mars Hill
10 - 13Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival - Silk Hope
11 - 12Mustang Music Festival - Corolla
12 - 13Pleasure Island Seafood, Blues & Jazz Festival - Kure Beach
17 - 20LEAF - Black Mountain
18 - 19Time Warner Cable BBQ & Blues - Charlotte
19Rowan Blues and Jazz Festival - Salisbury
19Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit - Asheville

November 2013

9Homecoming Veteran's Day Weekend Bluegrass Festival - Maiden
9Clayton Shindig - Clayton

December 2013

27 - 28North Carolina Music and Arts Festival - Lexington

Other Festivals We've Seen

Click on the photos for pages about festivals outside North Carolina we have been to. They are not part of the calendar.

Cayamo 2013
 
French Quarter
Festival 2012

Search for your favorite band, festival or location (i.e., "Boone")
on Carolina Music Festivals:

Google
 

Ask us about the broad reach and low cost of advertising with Carolina Music Festivals.

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 this counter re-set itself on Oct. 22, 2012.

Visit Our Sister Sites

Carolina Outdoors Guide   This Land, Your Land   The Medium, The Message