Carolina Music Festivals is a comprehensive calendar and guide to multi-act, daylong or multiple-day music festivals in North Carolina.

October 2024 - North Carolina Music Festivals

Dates and other details may be estimated based on last year's festival until confirmed by festival organizers.

October 3 - 6    Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance - Silk Hope

The semiannual Shakori Hills music festival (see May schedule) presents an eclectic mix of music - from rock to jazz and Americana, Cajun and klezmer - on four stages. There are also musicians' competitions, art and craft vendors, food vendors, games, a drum circle, children's activities and more. Donna the Buffalo is the host band. Click on the photo for more information.

Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Mavis Staples, Kabaka Pyramid, Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country and about 60 more.

Festival site: Shakori Hills

Music starts 5 p.m. Thursday, 1 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday, 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Four-day pass: $114 early bird, $119 advance, TBA at gate; ages 13-15: $59, $64, TBA.
Daily: TBA.
Younger than 13 free.

Camping: tents $20 early bird, $25 advance, TBA at gate; car camping $79, $84, TBA; RVs $115, $125, TBA.

October 4 - 5    Ol' Front Porch Music Festival - Oriental

About 20 groups and solo performers play a variety of music all day Friday and Saturday in a park at the riverfront and on the front porches of several homes in the picturesque coastal village. Artisans and crafters display their wares, and local restaurants and delis sell food. The festival is in its tenth year in 2024. Click on the photo for more information.

Audience on Stallings House lawn at Ol' Front Porch Festival in Oriental, N.C.

Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Damn Tall Buildings, Driftwood, Well Drinkers and 18 more.

Festival site: Neuse Riverfont, Main Stage at South Avenue and Freemason Street, more

10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Free admission.

October 4 - 5    FabFest - Charlotte's Beatles Festival - Charlotte

Tosco Music's FabFest includes two evening concerts and a day of live music, speakers and activities, like a Beatles cover song contest, trivia contests, art contests, movies and sing-alongs. The festival also presents memorabilia vendors and a kids' area with music and crafts. FabFest has previously been held in late July. The festival is in its sixth year in 2024.

Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included BritBeat, Tosco Music Beatles Tribute, The WannaBeatles and 15 more.

Festival site: Knight Theater (map) and Central Piedmont Community College

Evening concerts: 8 p.m. Friday, 7:30 p.m. Saturday; daytime activities noon to 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Evening shows (each): $21.50 - $68.50.
Saturday daytime activities: $35; ages 5-17 50% off; younger than 5 free.

October 5    Spruce Pine BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival - Spruce Pine

The festival includes a sanctioned professional barbecue competition, live bluegrass, championship clogging teams, antique tractor and farm equipment show, kids' activities, arts and crafts and food vendors, and more. The festival is in its 12th year in 2024.

Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup was Randy Flack, Barrett Davis, Scott McKinney, Jody and Mark.

Festival site: Riverside Park

Gates open 10 a.m.

$5, younger than 13 free.

October 5    Play Dead! - Concord

The festival is a day of eclectic live music inspired by the Grateful Dead as well as visual and performing arts. There will also be local arts and crafts and food and beverage vendors. The day is a benefit to raise money for K9s For Warriors, which provides highly trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma.

Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included The Orange Constant, Cosmic Collective, Josh Daniel and two more.

Festival site: GreenLife Family Farms

Noon to 11 p.m.

$33.

Car camping $30.

October 12 - 13    Duck Jazz Festival - Duck

This free festival presents national, regional and local jazz musicians on two stages. Associated activities taking place in the park and at Duck businesses in the days before and during the festival include a jazz story and play time for children and an outdoor movie Friday evening. A festival food pavilion features several local restaurants.

Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Michael Hawkins and the Brotherhood, John Brown and the Little Big Band, The Funky Knuckles and five more.

Festival Site: Town Green and Duck Town Park

4 p.m. Saturday concert followed at 7:30 by a "live jam" at the Blue Point restaurant; gates open 10 a.m. Sunday, music starts 11 a.m.

Free admission.

October 16 - 20    Bluegrass Island Festival - Manteo

The festival brings top bluegrass acts to the Outer Banks for five days of shows and also presents vendors, fireworks and more. A two-hour cruise on Wednesday includes a lunch buffet and a Rhonda Vincent meet-and-greet, and there's another on Saturday with Breaking Grass. The festival is in its 13th year in 2024. Click on the photo for more information.

Artists
Wednesday: The Goodwin Brothers, Backline, The Wildwoods. Late night: Bluegrass Jam with Rhonda Vincent.
Thursday: Scythian, Donna the Buffalo, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, East Nash Grass, Drive Time. Late night: Drive Time, The Goodwin Brothers.
Friday: The Brothers Comatose, Shadowgrass, The Cleverlys, Gary Nichols Band, Remedy Tree. Late night: Remedy Tree.
Saturday: The Infamous Stringdusters, Breaking Grass, Appalachian Road Show, Henhouse Prowlers, Sideline. Late night: Breaking Grass.
Sunday: Authentic Unlimited.

Festival site: Roanoke Island Festival Park (map), George Washington Creef Memorial Park (Wednesday), Pioneer Theater (late nights, Sunday)

4 p.m. Wednesday; Gates open 11 a.m. Thursday - Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.

Three-day pass: $225.
Daily: $75.
VIP Pass (reserved chair in front of stage, reserved parking at venue, early entry, dinner at kick-off event, souvenirs): $400.
Backstage Pass (VIP perks plus onstage covered seating, backstage access with restrooms, snacks and heavy appetizers): $600.
Sunday show: $45. Cruises: $100. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

All non-VIP parking is at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, where a $5 shuttle (all-day pass) is available.

October 17 - 20    The LEAF - Black Mountain

The semiannual LEAF - Lake Eden Arts Festival - embraces world music, new ageism and the outdoors (see May schedule). The weekend includes a lot of activities, especially for kids, and it's held at a mountain camp well-appointed for weekend festivals. Click on the photo for more information.

Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Son Rompe Pera, Halluci Nation (formerly A Tribe Called Red), The Dan Tyminski Band and 35+ more.

Festival site: Camp Rockmont

Ticket prices in several combinations increase periodically or as limited numbers available at each tier are sold out. These are previous final-tier prices for ages 10-17 and adults:
Weekend pass (with tent camping, three days, two nights): $150-$180.
Weekend Plus (with tent camping, three and a half days, three nights, i.e., Thursday): $190-$215.
Community Pass (weekend for local residents): $105-$120.
Friday or Sunday: $45-$55.
Saturday: $60-$65.
Age 9 and younger free; younger than 18 must be with a parent. Packages for spring and fall festivals also available.

Car camping: $90 per 20x20 spot (one vehicle per spot).
RV Parking: $175 per spot (for larger vehicles that do not fit within the 20x20 vehicle camping spots).
Cabins: Sleeps 9 $470; sleeps 10 $490; sleeps 12 $516; sleeps 11 and has bathroom $616; lodge room for five $470; lodge bunk $188; shared 16-bunk room with half bath $1,355. Prices for Thursday through Saturday.
More options at website.

Parking: $8 advance, $10 at festival.

October 18 - 20    Queen City Jam Session - Charlotte

The festival put on by MaxxMusic and NoDa Brewing Company presents an eclectic mix of local, regional and national acts along with food trucks, art vendors and NoDa beer. Proceeds benefit Drumstrong, which supports cancer survivorship, education and research. The festival is in its third year in 2024.

Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Anders Osborne, Leftover Salmon, Bully and to more.

Festival site: NoDa Brewing Company

Doors 4 p.m., show 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, doors 2 p.m., show 3 p.m. Sunday.

$25 - $40 Friday, $40 - $70 Saturday, $55 - $100 Sunday.

Bags (purses, etc.) brought in must be 12" x 12" or smaller clear bags.

October 26    Sleepy Fest - Saxapahaw

Sleepy Fest is an all-ages celebration of local music and collaboration featuring artists from "in and around" the roster of Sleepy Cat Records in Carrboro, N.C. There will also be an "art and makers" market with local artisans and small businesses, yard games, two fire pits and a kids' zone with nature activities. Sleepy Fest is in its 46th year in 2024.

Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Dante High, Joseph Decosimo and Friends, Dunums and five more.

Festival site: Haw River Ballroom

Doors open 11 a.m., music noon to 10 p.m.

$45. Donor tiers: $55, $65 ("extra funds will allow us to pay artists more than our tight budget could support otherwise," the website says).
Ages 6 to 12: $17.50.
Younger than 6: Free.

Parking: $5.



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