Carolina Music Festivals is a comprehensive calendar and guide to multi-act, daylong or multiple-day music shows in North Carolina.
May 4 - 6 French Broad River Festival - Hot Springs
The festival focuses on the French Broad River, with a river cleanup, raft races and the French Broad River Festival Bike Race, in addition to the weekend of live music.
Artists
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, The Gourds, Sol Driven Train, Balsam Range, The Legendary Singing Stars, Eyes of the Elders, Darren Nicholsen Band, American Anodyne, Kung Fu Dynamite, I See Hawks in L.A., Blind Boy Chocolate & The Milk Sheiks, Red June, Sirius.B, Save Grand Canyon, Evergreen Multicultural Beat Ensemble, and more TBA.
Festival site: Hot Springs Resort & Spa Campground
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Three-Day pass: $65 advance online; younger than 13 free.
Camping area parking $25; raft race $40. Gates open 8 a.m. Friday. Primitive camping free with admission. Limited "deluxe campsites" and RV sites available by reservation online. |
May 5 Carolina Rebellion - Rockingham
The 2011 inaugural edition of the three-stage heavy metal festival was held at the Metrolina Expo grounds in Charlotte and sold out. The 2012 show moves to Rockingham and is to include a Friday night party.
Artists
TBA. 2011 lineup included Avenged, Sevenfold, Godsmack and 15 more.
Festival site: Rockingham Speedway
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General admission: $59.50. VIP Lounge: $125. Includes VIP parking, access to tent, cash bar, restrooms. Rebel Groupie Package: $237.50. Per person (must buy two, four or six). Includes VIP Lounge, viewing platform access, RV camping with electricity, showers access, souvenirs. Rebel Roadie Package: $275. Per person (must buy two, four or six). Includes Groupie package plus water hookup for RV. Rebel Star Package: $1,450. Per person (must buy two, four or six). Includes Roadie package with an RV provided.
Camping (two nights): $125 tents, $162.50 with VIP Lounge; $150 RVs, $187.50 with VIP Lounge. Per person (must buy two, four or six). Includes festival admission and single space for RV or tent and car, Friday night campground party. |
May 10 - 12 Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver's Bluegrass Music Festival - Denton
The bluegrass great's annual festival includes a golf tournament on Thursday and, on Saturday, a free children's area with rides and games.
Artists
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Dailey & Vincent, The Grascals, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Joe Mullins, J.D. Crowe, Paul Williams, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, Big Country Bluegrass, The Roys, Audie Blaylock, Little Roy & Lizzie, The Cumberland Highlanders, Balsam Range.
Festival site: Denton Farmpark
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Show starts at noon Thursday and Friday, 11:30 a.m. Saturday; bands play afternoon and evening sets, except Daily & Vincent, who close Thursday night.
Three-day pass: $75 until April 23, $85 after. Camping: Tents, RVs with no hookups $10, free with two-day pass. 30-amp sites $30 per night, 50-amp sites $35 per night. Early RV arrivals $10 per night with hookups, $5 without. |
May 10 - 13 Lake Eden Arts Festival - Black Mountain
| The semiannual LEAF embraces new ageism, world music and the outdoors at a mountain camp well-appointed for weekend festivals (see October schedule). Click on the photo for more information. |  |
Artists
Taj Mahal, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Corey Harris & The Rasta Blues Express, David Bromberg, The Red Clay Ramblers, King Britt presents Sister Gertrude Morgan, Pop Ferguson, Gaye Adegbalola w/ Roddy Barns, Homemade Jamz Blues Band, Cary Fridley & Down South, Captain Luke & Cool John Ferguson, Shane Pruitt Band, The Black Lilies, Nuala Kennedy Band, Town Mountain, Zansa, Msafiri Zawose, The Beast, Lift Ticket & The Horse Flies, Technophoria feat. DJ Shel-D, Feufollet, Montuno, Phil Jameson, Tony Cedras South African All-Stars, Big Nasty Jazz Band, Chikomo Marimba Band, Molasses Creek, Goldstein Family Band, Skinny Legs and All, Lemira Percussion Ensemble, and more.
Festival site: Camp Rockmont
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Four-day pass with tent camping (three nights): $142 adults, $118 ages 10-17 through January 31; $158 and $129 February-March, $169 and $139 April to May 5. Three-day pass with tent camping: $112 adults, $92 ages 10-17 through January 31; $129 and $104 February-March, $146 and $113 April to May 5. Community Pass (weekend for local residents): $73 adults, $60 ages 10-17 through January 31; $82 and $71 February-March, $94 and $79 April to May 5. Single-day passes (no camping): Friday or Sunday: $29 adults, $24 ages 10-17 through January 31; $35 and $29 February-March, $40 and $32 April to May 5. Saturday: $38 adults, $33 ages 10-17 through January 31; $45 and $40 February-March, $50 and $42 April to May 5. Age 9 and younger free; younger than 18 must be with a parent. Packages for spring and fall festivals also available. Cabins: Sleeps 9 $305; sleeps 12 $360; lodge room for five $305; lodge bunk $90. Prices for Friday and Saturday; Thursday add $55 for cabin, $35 for bunk. |
May 11 - 12 R.evolution Beach & Music Festival - Carolina Beach
In addition to local artists, the two-day event on the beach will feature open mic sessions, all-night drum circles, fire performers, belly dancers and camping.
Artists
TBA. 2011 lineup included Jahman Braham, Singlefin, Po Boyz, Galactic Nuclei and 10 more.
Festival Site: Freeman Park
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The undeveloped end of the island north of Carolina Beach is known as Freeman Park. Vehicles are allowed on the sands, and camping will be allowed for the festival.
4 p.m. to midnight Friday, 1:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday. The festival is free. |
May 11 - 12 Beaufort Music Festival - Beaufort
The family-friendly festival presents music on multiple stages on the waterfront, at the Beaufort Historic Site and the North Carolina Maritime Museum, and at local pubs and restaurants.
Artists
TBA. 2011 lineup included Chatham County Line, Justin Townes Earle, Jeanne Jolly, Tony Williamson, and more than a dozen more.
Festival site: Multiple venues on Downtown waterfront
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6 to 9 p.m. Friday and 12:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday on main stages; some club shows run until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Free admission. |
May 12 Jam at the Grove - Wilmington
Presented by Weatherwood Music, a Wilmington live sound services, studio, recording and event promotion company, along with Art Soup, a nonprofit art events and education organization in the Port City.
Artists
TBA. 2011 lineup was The Casserole, Jon Senna, Brooke Campbell, Devils Dove, A Few Good Liars, Mike Blair & The Stonewalls.
Festival Site: Poplar Grove Plantation
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2 to 10:30 p.m.; gates open at 12:30 p.m.
$30. All ticket sales are in advance at weatherwoodmusic.com; none at the gate. |
May 19 Carolina Blues Festival - Greensboro
Celebrating its 26th year in 2012, the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society's Carolina Blues Festival is the longest-running blues festival in the Southeast. A festival kick-off show featuring local bands will be held May 11 at The Clubhouse, 435 Dolley Madison Road, Greensboro.
Artists
TBA March 8. 2011 lineup included Ronnie Baker Brooks, Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin, Candye Kane Band and six more.
Festival site: Festival Park
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1:15 to 11 p.m.
$18 in advance, $30 day of show; $20 for Piedmont Blues Preservation Society members. Join the Society and get two tickets, a family membership (usually $25), plus other stuff for $55. |
May 19 - 20 Artsplosure - Raleigh
The Artsplosure street festival draws large crowds for performances by one or two national acts plus several local and regional bands, alongside visual art displays at and around downtown Raleigh's Moore Square. Juried art and craft vendors line the streets around and near the square, and the festival has two or more performance stages on the lawn, along with many children's activities.
Artists
TBA. 2011 lineup included Average White Band, Spyro Gyra, Devon Allman's Honeytribe, Trampled Under Foot and 11 more.
Festival Site: Moore Square
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11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Two stages. The festival is free. |
May 24 - 26 Lil Johns Mountain Music Festival - Snow Camp
| John and Natalie Maness carry on the tradition of his late father, John D. Maness, founder of the Bass Mountain Boys and proprietor for more than 30 years of the Bass Mountain Music Festival. The re-named family-oriented bluegrass show on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends (see the September schedule) offers top names in bluegrass plus several vendors, and their full-service campground has a fishing pond and hot showers. Click on the photo for more information. |  |
Artists
Dailey & Vincent, J. D. Crowe & The New South, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Grascals, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, James King Band, Don Rigsby & Midnight Call, Darrell Webb Band, Snyder Family, Volume Five, Passin' Thru, Lil John's All Stars.
Festival site: Cane Creek Campground & RV Park
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Three-day pass: $60 until May 5, $75 after. Thursday $25, Friday $30, Saturday $30. Ages 11 and younger free. |
May 24 - 27 The Hillbilly Hoedown - Boiling Springs
Artists
TBA. 2011 lineup included George Hatcher Band, Preacher Stone, D.B. Bryant Band and four more.
Festival site: Circle J Music Park
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Weekend pass: $20 in advance, $25 at gate, includes camping. $5 off for police, fire, EMS, military personnel. $10 Thursday, $20 Friday or Saturday, free Sunday. "BYOB event" with beer-run vans provided. |
May 25 - 27 Ole Time Fiddlers and Bluegrass Festival - Union Grove
The oldest continuously run old-time fiddlers' competition in North America presents 50 traditional bands in old-time and bluegrass divisions (Junior and Senior categories) to vie for the coveted Fiddler's Grove band championships. Winners in each of the fiddle categories play for the Fiddler of the Festival award - the highlight of the festival.
Artists (In addition to competitions)
TBA. 2011 lineup included Laura Boosinger, Josh Goforth, The Cockman Family, Robin Warren & Spirit Fiddle and six more.
Festival site: Fiddler's Grove Campground
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Opens 6 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. Saturday for competitions on four stages and workshops begin 10:30 a.m. Saturday evening performances and award announcements start 5:30 p.m., Sunday performances start 10 a.m.
Three-day pass: $35, ages 10 to 15 $15 until May 8; $50, ages 10 to 15 $25 after. |
Camping (per night): No hookups $15 per family (two adults and children), $7 per additional adult in tent, $9 per additional adult in RV.
RV with water and 15-amp electricity: $25 for family, $9 per additional adult; water and 30 to 50 amps: $35 for family and $9 per additional adult.
May 25 - 27 Beach Music Festival - Roxboro
The new campground-based festival will present bands each afternoon/evening plus a dance floor and DJs playing between live performances.
Artists
Friday: Band of Oz
Saturday: The Attractions Band, Jim Quick & Coastline.
Sunday: Gospel beach music.
Festival site: Willow Oak Park
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Three-day pass: $30 before May 19, $35 at gate. Friday: $15 Saturday: all day $25; 7 p.m. to midnight $15. Sunday: free with Friday or Saturday ticket. Special package for $100 (before May 19) includes two weekend passes and an RV site with electricity for two nights. |
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