Red, White
and Bluegrass Festival
Morganton, N.C.

  

The Red, White and Bluegrass Festival in Morganton each June 30 to July 4 is another well-run festival that is deservedly a point of pride for the City of Morganton. It is a single-stage show held on festival grounds at the city’s large Catawba Meadows Park.

A highlight of the festival is a huge Independence Day fireworks presentation after the music concludes July 4.

The festival actually grew out of the city's 4th of July fireworks show in the 1980s. Music was added to the event and it became a two-day festival in 2004, a four-day festival, then, since 2010, a five-day festival, including a free show the first night. The festival also presents a kids' bluegrass camp for young musicians.

The fairgrounds has designated areas for rows of camp chairs in front of the stage (see below) and open space farther back. And because it's July, even though it's in the foothills, it's plenty hot out in the sun. It was at least when we were there for the 2010 show.

The rear of the field is shaded (above), and there is a tent available for seniors (below left). At right below is the stage view looking from the back of the seniors' tent.

In addition to the amenities of the park - which include four miles of greenway on the Catawba River, a playground, picnic shelters, batting cages, volleyball courts, zip line, climbing wall and an 18-hole disc golf course - the music festival brings some inflatables in for the kids. There are also several food vendors, as well as performers' tents for selling music and souvenirs.

That's Cia and Sandy of Cherryholmes at right below selling CDs to fans.

You can meet the stars at their vendor booths and it's simple to walk to the front and get performance photos, as at below left with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver on stage in 2010. Below right, looking back at the crowd from in front of the stage.

Catawba Meadows Park has plenty of parking and opens to campers for the festival. Golf-cart shuttles run between parking lots and festival gates during the festival.


View Catawba Meadows Park in a larger map


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