Carolina Music Festivals is a comprehensive calendar and guide to multi-act, daylong or multiple-day music festivals in North Carolina.
Dates and other details may be estimated based on last year's festival until confirmed by festival organizers.
August 30 - September 1 Earl Scruggs Music Festival - Mill Spring
The celebration of the defining bluegrass banjo player features about 30 bluegrass, folk and Americana acts on the main Flint Hill Stage, secondary Foggy Mountain Stage and a workshop stage. There will also be food trucks, vendors and children's activities, and the venue is an equestrian stadium and resort well-appointed with restaurants, shops and on-site lodging. In 2023, the festival presented a free show with two bands on Thursday evening as well as a variety of other free and ticketed activites, including free horse jumping demonstrations and trail rides (for a fee), during the weekend. The festival is in its third year in 2024 and is a collaboration between the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby and WNCW FM at Isothermal Community College in Rutherfordton. Click on the photo for more information.
Artists
Jerry Douglas and the Earls of Leicester, Tanya Tucker, Old Crow Medicine Show, Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Steel Drivers, Peter Rowan and Sam Grisman Project, Mighty Poplar, Lindsay Lou, Pony Bradshaw, Darrell Scott's String Band, Miko Marks, The Grascals, Darin and Brooke Aldridge, AJ Lee and Blue Summit, Chris Jones and The Night Drivers, Travis Book Band, Shadowgrass, Casey Driessen's Red Shoe Stringjam, Twisted Pine, Wyatt Ellis, Rachel Sumner and Traveling Light, Carley Arrowood, The Faux Paws, Larry and Joe, Martha Spencer and The Wonderland Country Band, Tanasi, The Wilder Flower, Warren Wilson College Bluegrass Band.
Festival site: Tryon International Equestrian Center
Gates open 8 a.m. daily.
Check in for onsite lodging 11 a.m. Thursday and Friday, with activities onsite Thursday evening for early arrivals.
General Admission (floor of arena): weekend $125, Friday $75, Saturday $75, Sunday $55.
Grandstand (covered seating): weekend $225, Friday $95, Saturday $95, Sunday $75.
Patron VIP (designated area, two meals daily, private bar and bathrooms, artists meet and greets, exclusive souvenirs): $375.
Blue Ridge VIP (balcony seating overlooking arena, gourmet food service with tables and waiters, private bar and bathrooms, artists meet and greets, exclusive souvenirs): $600.
Cabana (private tent for 8 people, waiters, private bar and food service, access to VIP level bathrooms): $5,000.
See Additional Admission Packages.
Younger than 12 free general admission with paying adult. Younger than 3 free with adult paying other admission, i.e., Grandstand, etc.
Onsite lodging, including cabins, an inn and RV and trailer sites with full hookups.
August 30 - September 1 Camp Springs Labor Day Bluegrass Festival - Elon
Organizers at the revived Camp Springs Blue Grass Park, the site of large festivals in the 1970s and sporadically until the late 1990s, have ressurected its Labor Day Bluegrass Festival, which was first held in 1969. Except for headliners, bands play afternoon and evening sets, and the campground offers hot showers, concessions, a fishing pond and more. The park also presents a Memorial Day weekend tribute to Tony Rice. The Labor Day festival is in its sixth year in 2024.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice, Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers, The Little Roy and Lizzie Show and 11 more.
Festival Site: Camp Springs Blue Grass Park
Music starts 1 p.m. daily.
Three-day pass: $100 before August 1, $120 afterward.
Daily: $40.
Younger than 16: free admission.
Primitive camping free with three-day ticket.
August 31 - September 1 ProgDay - Chapel Hill
The intimate festival of progressive rock music features artists from all over the world and typically presents club shows and/or films in addition to the weekend's daytime festival. The festival is in its 29th year in 2024. Click on the photo for more information.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Karmic Juggernaut, A Light Sleeper, Moon Letters and five more.
Festival site: Storybook Farm (below, Saturday and Sunday), Local 506 (Friday)
8 p.m. Friday, doors open 7 p.m.; music starts 10:15 a.m. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
Two-day pass: $125 in advance, $140 day of show; $65 ages 16 to 18 and students.
Daily: $80, $40 ages 16 to 18 and students.
Younger than 16: Free.
Patron Pass (parking adjacent to pavilion/stage area): $160.
Friday pre-show: $8 in advance, $10 at door.
No overnight camping.
August 31 - September 1 John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival - High Point
The Labor Day weekend festival is sponsored by The Friends of John Coltrane, which works to preserve and celebrate the life and music of John Coltrane and to enrich the lives of others through the introduction of jazz and other musical genres. The festival has also included a Friday golf tournament. The festival is in its 13th year in 2024.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Dave Koz, Yellowjackets, Terri Lyne Carrington and 11 more.
Festival site: Oak Hollow Festival Park
Gates open at 3 p.m.
Two-day pass: $130.
Daily: $75.
Premium two-day pass (seating near stage): $165.
Premium daily pass: $105.
VIP (reserved up-front seats, parking, special entrance, two drinks, access to tent with a meal): two-day $255; daily $155.
Super VIP (reserved Row 1-5 padded seats, parking, special entrance, two drinks, access to tent with a meal, commemorative lanyard): two-day $320; daily $190.
Discounts for military and students.
No coolers or any outside food and drinks (other than water) allowed.
September 5 - 7 Hopscotch - Raleigh
Hopscotch presents about 100 national and international bands from rock, hip-hop, alt-country, heavy metal, dance, punk, classical, noise, drone, folk and more at multiple downtown venues. The festival also presents bands at a series of day parties, many with free admission, happening throughout the city. For 2023, the festival added comedians to the lineup. Hopscotch is in its 15th year in 2024.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Pavement, Denzel Curry, Japanese Breakfast and dozens more.
Festival sites: City Plaza, Moore Square, Lincoln Theatre, Kings, The Pour House, Slim's, Wicker Witch, Neptunes, more
See schedule.
Ticket prices rise periodically as unspecified quantities sell out:
Three-day pass: $129 (early bird price).
Three-day VIP and club pass (priority access all shows, VIP parties, Hopscotch merch, Oak Lounge at City Plaza and Moore Square): $320 (early bird price).
Daily: TBA.
September 6 - 7 Mountain Song Festival - Brevard
The Steep Canyon Rangers host a weekend at the Brevard Music Center's open-air amphitheater. There are 1,800 permanent seats under the covered section and ample lawn seating on both sides of the venue. Proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania County. The festival is in its 18th year in 2024.
Artists
Friday: Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway, Shannon Whitworth and Woody Platt, Steep Canyon Rangers.
Saturday: Steep Canyon Rangers, Zach Top, Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, Tray Wellington Band; Hank, Pattie and the Current.
Festival site: Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium, Brevard Music Center
Gates open 3 p.m., music starts 5:30 p.m. Friday; gates noon and music 2 p.m. Saturday.
Two-day pass: $112 amphitheater, $92 lawn.
Friday: advance $56 amphitheater, $46 lawn; day of $62 and $52.
Saturday: $67 amphitheater, $57 lawn; day of $72 and $62.
All tickets general admission seating; children younger than 10 free on lawn or on lap of paying adult in amphitheater.
Camping nearby at Davidson River Campground and elsewhere in the Pisgah National Forest.
September 6 - 8 North Carolina Folk Festival - Greensboro
The North Carolina Folk Festival replaced the National Folk Festival in 2018 after it had been held in Greensboro from 2015-'17. It is free and presents musical acts on multiple stages, plus dance performances, children's activities, a folk life area, marketplace, and regional and ethnic foods. The festival also presents the Not Your Average Folk Contest, which is a band and musician competition that awards cash prizes and an N.C. Folk Festival appearance, and in 2023, a 5K run with proceeds benefiting the festival. Prior to each N.C. Folk Fest weekend, the festival presents Songs of Hope & Justice to commemorate the musical legacy and ongoing work and voices of today's freedom and justice advocates. Click on the photo for more information.
Musical Artists
Los Lonely Boys, The Psycodelics, Olive Klug, Colin Cutler and Hot Pepper Jam, Elias Alexander, Holler Choir, more TBA.
Festival site: The Carolina Theater (Wednesday), Downtown Greensboro (weekend)
5 p.m. Friday, noon Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday.
Songs of Hope & Justice: $30, $35, $40.
Weekend festival: Free admission.
September 8 New River Blues Festival - Grassy Creek
This Sunday afternoon in the mountains features acclaimed artists performing in a picturesque setting on the banks of the New River. The King Bees are the festival hosts. The festival is in its 22nd year in 2024.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Jeffrey Scott, Git Shorty, DieDra and Keithen Ruff and three more.
Festival site: River House Inn
1 to 6 p.m.; gates open at 12:30 p.m.
$35 limited advance tickets, $50. Limited number of tickets available by phone at 336-982-2109.
Food, beer and wine will be on sale; no coolers allowed "on lawn."
No camping onsite; camping nearby at New River State Park.
September 9 - 14 Antlers & Acorns: The Boone Songwriters Festival - Boone
The festival presents about 35 singer/songwriters in bars, restaurants, cafes and theaters throughout the mountain college town. In addition to a variety of concerts and special shows, organizers promise good food, great drinks and lots of interaction with the songwriters and musicians. The festival is in its third year in 2024.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included John Paul White, Mary Gauthier, James McMurtry and 31 more.
Festival sites: Appalchian Theatre and other venues.
Show times vary.
Individual shows prices vary (about $35).
Limited VIP tickets (preferred seating for all headliner shows, "best seats" at theater shows, access to VIP/songwriter lounge, multiple meet-ups with artists, more): $300.
September 12 - 14 Hoppin' John Old-Time and Bluegrass Fiddlers' Convention - Silk Hope
Shakori Hills presents musician showcases and hosts competitions that award cash prizes in Old Time Fiddle, Bluegrass Fiddle, Old Time Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Folk Song, Bass, Youth Musicianship, Dance and Youth Dance categories. There are also square dances, musicians' workshops, a hoppin' john cookoff, hay rides, cake walks, musical crafts and arts and crafts, musical instrument and food vendors. The festival primarily takes place on the Grove Stage and in the Dance Tent (see our Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance page). The festival is in its 17th year in 2024.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Phil Wiggins, Hubby Jenkins, Women in Old-Time Music, featuring Erynn Marshall, Gail Gillespie, Molly Stouten, Alice Gerrard and Tyler Hughes, and six more.
Festival site: Shakori Hills
7 p.m. Thursday, 4 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday.
Three-day pass: $22 in advance, $25 at gate; competitors $18 in advance, $20 at gate.
Thursday free; Friday $10 in advance, $12 at gate; Saturday $11 in advance, $14 at gate.
Dogs: $10 per day (each). (Says the website: "Bringing your dog is HIGHLY discouraged.")
Camping: one vehicle and up to two tents $18 in advance, $20 at gate; RVs $26 in advance, $30 at gate; 110 volt electric hookup $20 (limited number). Saturday only: $10, $15 per large vehicle/RV.
Outdoor hot showers available. Early camping available.
September 13 - 14 Blue Bear Music Fest - Todd
The campground-based show features side-by-side stages on a 155-acre mountaintop site. Admission includes two days of live music, two nights of camping, "nightly free beer truck," weekend parking and local vendors. Previously, attendance has been limited to 500 people.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Big Daddy Love, Damn the Banjos, David Childers Band and three more.
Festival site: Blue Bear Mountain Campground
Ticket prices TBA. Website says phone (828) 406-4226 for tickets; no online orders.
September 14 Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival - Mocksville
Proceeds from the day benefit the CBC Scholarship Fund and the CBC Development Fund. The Carolina Bible Camp and Retreat Center hosts summer camps for youths from across the Southeast. The bluegrass festival, which is in its 12th year in 2024, also features sales of pulled pork, barbecue chicken and a variety of side dishes.
Artists
Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, The Kody Norris Show, Martha Spencer, None of the Above.
Festival site: Carolina Bible Camp
10:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
(2023 prices)
$15 in advance, $20 at gate.
Younger than 12 free.
RV camping with full hookups, $50 per night (Friday and Saturday).
No alcohol, no coolers, no pets.
September 20 - 21 Carolina Indie Fest - Sanford
The free festival presents independent artists performing original music from a variety of genres. There will also be food trucks and local arts and crafts vendors. The festival is in its fourth year in 2024, with one also held in May.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Skylar Gudaz, The Cliff Wheeler Band, Reese McHenry and seven more.
Festival site: VanHoy Farms
3 p.m. Friday, 10:15 a.m. Saturday.
Two-day pass: $70.
Daily: $45.
Younger than 16 free.
Daily parking: $10.
Camping: $20 for weekend, $10 per night.
September 20 - 21 High Point Music Festival - High Point
The festival in downtown High Point debuted in 2023 with a lineup of tribute bands on the plaza between the city's minor league baseball stadium and a food hall with 12,000 square feet of restaurants and take-away counters.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Who's Bad (Michael Jackson), Beggar's Banquet (Rolling Stones), Cowboy (Kid Rock) and four more.
Festival site: Stock + Grain Assembly Food Hall
Gates open 4 p.m. Friday, music at 5 p.m.; gates 2 p.m. Saturday, music 3 p.m.
Early-bird tickets: $20 (two-day or daily; limited availability).
Two-day pass: $60.
Daily: $30.
Table for four: $200.
September 21 Creedmoor Music Festival - Creedmoor
The street festival presents music from local and regional artists, including school choirs and marching bands, on two stages. There's also more than 100 food and craft vendors and free children's activities. It is in its 31st year in 2024.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Grace Lee, Tim Cifers, Nathan Pope and five more.
Festival site: Main Street
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free.
September 21 Groove Jam Music Festival - Greensboro
This annual event is a fundraiser and food drive for Greensboro Urban Ministry, a local food bank and homeless shelter. In addition to hosts Rich Lerner and the Groove plus several other Greensboro area bands, there will be a variety of vendors, food trucks, and games. The festival is in its 13th year in 2024.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Midnight Sun, Wristband, The Mighty Fairlanes and eight more.
Festival site: DooDad Farm
2 to 11 p.m.
Suggested donation of at least $15 plus nonperishable food items for local food bank.
Younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
September 21 Emerald Isle Beach Music Festival - Emerald Isle
The festival was revived in 2016 to recapture the fun had at the festival in the 1990s and '80s. The free event is held on the beach with food trucks in the adjacent parking area.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included The ToneZ, The Tams, The Embers and two more.
Festival site: Western Ocean Regional Access
10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Free.
Beer and wine brought to festival (no onsite sales) permitted on beach but not in Access area. No liquor.
September 21 Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival - Mars Hill
Regional musicians and dancers remember Bascom Lamar Lunsford, a musician and folklorist who dedicated his life to collecting and promoting the music of the Southern Appalachians. The festival presents performances, workshops and a community dance. The festival website says the "precise performer roster for the ballad swap is fluid and casual."
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Sara Nell Chase, Bayla Davis and Cary Fridley, Josh Goforth and 16+ more.
Festival site: Mars Hill University
Performance 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., workshops 1 p.m., ballad swap 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., dance 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Free.
Workshops: $10, $5 younger than 18.
September 23 - 28 IBMA World of Bluegrass - Raleigh
The International Bluegrass Music Association's World of Bluegrass annual convention, awards show and fan festival relocated from Nashville to Raleigh in 2013 and ends its run here in 2024. It presents newgrass, jamgrass, traditional bluegrass, old-time and more by about 200 acts in IBMA Bluegrass Live! at the downtown amphitheater and a free street festival put on by the City of Raleigh on Friday and Saturday, and three days of Bluegrass Ramble showcase performances at downtown clubs and the Convention Center. New for 2023 was the International Pavilion staged in the World of Bluegrass exhibit hall where more than a dozen bands played. The convention also includes a business conference, music expo, workshops and more. The IBMA Awards show, which is also a part of the weekend, requires separate tickets (see below). Click on the photo for more information.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Del McCoury Band, Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway (with special guest Jerry Douglas), Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper and scores more.
Festival site: Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh Convention Center, The Architect Bar and Social House, Lincoln Theatre, Pour House Music Hall, Vintage Church, Fayetteville Street
Bluegrass Ramble shows begin 6 p.m., street festival starts noon Friday and Saturday, main stage IBMA Bluegrass Live! shows start 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, International Pavilion (and exhibit hall) open to the public 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
IBMA Bluegrass Live!: Two-day pass: reserved seats $140, $120 and $50 ($120, $100 and $50 IBMA members); lawn seats $30.
Daily: reserved seats $70, $60 and $25 ($60, $50 and $25 IBMA members); lawn seats $15.
Bluegrass Ramble (Tuesday-Thursday): $25-$75 (three-day, single day, discounts for IBMA members).
Street festival: Free.
IBMA Awards Show: $45-$110.
Bluegrass Ramble tickets are separate but are included with business conference registration.
Camping: N.C. State Fairgrounds (about 5 miles away with a shuttle available) $30 per night for tents, campers or RVs with full hookups and wi-fi (50 sites available).
September 27 - 28 Carolina Jubilee - Harmony
The festival is a fund-raiser for the Carolina Farm Trust, which buys farm land and puts it into a protective trust to lease back to new and existing farmers. In addition to music, there are fund-raising 5K and 10K runs and a 40-mile bike ride, and several Carolina microbreweries, wineries and farm-related vendors showcase their products and educate the community. The festival is in its eighth year in 2023.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Cosmic Collective, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, Tan and Sober Gentlemen and eight more.
Festival site: VanHoy Farms
3 p.m. Friday, 10:15 a.m. Saturday.
Two-day pass: $70.
Daily: $45.
Younger than 16 free.
Daily parking: $10.
Camping: $20 for weekend, $10 per night.
September 27 - 28 Breakaway Carolina - Concord
Breakaway Festivals, a multi-city festival of hip-hop, electronica and dance music, presented 24 acts at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2023, its third year in the Carolinas. There were also vendors serving food all day, as well as "plenty of bars" serving nonalcoholic beverages in addition to beer and liquor.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Illenium, Deadmau5, Tiesto and 21 more.
Festival site: zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway
4 to 11 p.m.
Ticket prices rise as tiers with limited numbers available sell out. Prices below may be outdated.
Two-day pass: $99.
Daily: TBA.
VIP (express entry lane, private bar, private restrooms, lounge, commemorative laminate, exclusive merch tent): $174.
Ultra VIP (everything listed with VIP plus complementary drinks and merchandise, unlimited water, special stage viewing areas, guest lounge, private entance): $999.
September 28 Mira Music Fest - West End
This afternoon of music and gathering of regional food trucks, breweries and arts and craft vendors is a benefit for the Mira Foundation USA, which provides guide dogs at no charge to visually impaired American children ages 11-16.
Artists
Scythian, Justin Clyde Williams with special guest Matt Parks.
Festival site: Rubicon Farm
Gates open 3 p.m., music 3:30 to 7 p.m.
$22 advance, $28 at gate.
VIP (reserved seating at table, charcuterie board, premium parking more): $100; $750 for table of eight.
Younger than 13 free with adult.
September 29 Carrboro Music Festival - Carrboro
The festival presents about 100 acts from around the Triangle in all sorts of genres at about 20 indoor and outdoor venues all day and into the night. In 2023, the festival added a series of free workshops about synthesizers, recording, accordions and more. And it's all free.
Artists
TBA. 2023 lineup included Boom Unit Brass Band, Django Haskins, Saludos Compay and dozens more.
Festival site: Downtown Carrboro
Shows start at 1 p.m.
See the website above for a sortable Excel version of the performance schedule.
Free.
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