About RALEIGH WIDE OPEN (2025)
The Raleigh Wide Open Bluegrass Festival is coming to downtown in the Fall of 2025. Formerly known as IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC, the event will feature free stages for music, food, families and fun all over downtown Raleigh.
Bluegrass will always have a home in Raleigh - and the best audience in the world, too. Save the date and plan to join the fun Oct. 3-4, 2025.
Find a set of FAQs about the new festival here. And keep an eye on this space for updates. Sign up to receive PineCone's weekly email newsletter below to get announcements about Raleigh Wide Open and all of PineCone's programming and activities supporting roots music in the Triangle.
About IBMA BLUEGRASS LIVE! (2024)
The final IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC was September 27-28, 2024, and featured Sierra Ferrell, Chatham County Line, Sierra Hull, Sam Bush, Rhonda Vincent & the Rage, Danny Paisley, and Amythyst Kiah plus dozens more in Red Hat Amphitheater and along Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. For 12 years, the annual event was produced as a partnership between the International Bluegrass Music Association, the City of Raleigh, and PineCone, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music.
Most of the event was free and open to all. However, tickets were required for access to the Red Hat Amphitheater.
The 2024 festival included a contest stage honoring the 100th anniversary of the Union Grove Old Time Fiddlers' Convention. Thanks to all the pickers who participated! Find the list of winners here.
Past Event Lineup
Each Fall the streets of downtown Raleigh bubble over with the joyful sound of friends and families coming together in song. The music is deeply rooted in community and traditionally shared across generations. This large, free community built festival features multiple stages for performance, a spectacular show at Red Hat Amphitheater, an art market, food and jamming.
Highlight Videos
Frequently Asked Questions
Metered spaces downtown have a fee from 8am till 6pm. Monday through Friday, but are free on weekends and after 6pm. It’s useful to go ahead and download the Passport Parking app, which most meters use. There are also multiple Parking Decks and Lots downtown, just make sure to follow the instructions on the way in.
The StreetFest footprint runs along Fayetteville Street from W. Morgan St. at Capitol Square to W. Lenoir St., one block north of the Performing Arts Center and is closed to vehicle traffic. Convenient locations for Rideshare drop-off include the ADA Accessible drop-off zones.
There are 3 ADA Accessible drop-off zone locations surrounding the Festival Footprint:
- In front of the Raleigh Convention Center (500 S. Salisbury St.)
- On E. Lenoir St. at the corner with Fayetteville St. (555 Fayetteville St.)
- On Salisbury St. at the corner with W. Martin St. (16 W. Martin St.)
IBMA, PineCone and the City of Raleigh are committed to reducing barriers to participation in Bluegrass Live! related to disabilities and aging. We offer a variety of accessibility accommodations and services including:
- CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER: Mobility device scooter and wheelchair rentals
- DELAYED DUE TO WEATHER: Sensory friendly KultureCity quiet space
- Sighted Guide services for low-vision attendees
- Accessible viewing areas at each general admission StreetFest stage area
- Ticketed accessible seating at the Red Hat Amphitheatre main stage
- Assisted Listening Devices at the Red Hat Amphitheatre main stage
More information can be found here as well as onsite at the Welcome Table at the Raleigh Convention Center.
PineCone has a sighted-guide program for blind and low-vision fans looking for trained assistance at the festival.
Volunteers have been trained as sighted guides and are eager to help.
To arrange for a sighted guide please contact Lynda Dawson at [email protected] or 919-664-8333.
Raleigh has a wide variety of hotels spread across the area, so you will be able to find a place that suits your needs and comfort for your stay. Downtown hotels are perfect for a close home-base, but they will fill up fast, so you can also find spots near the airport or in mid-town. You can find pet-friendly hotels, LGBT-friendly stays, or campgrounds too!
The 2024 IBMA Bluegrass Live Festival will feature a contest stage to honor the 100th Anniversary of the Union Grove Old Time Fiddlers Convention started in 1924 by H.P. Van Hoy, and the contributions of H.P. Van Hoy, Harper Van Hoy and their families to traditional music in North Carolina. On Friday and Saturday afternoons during the festival there will be contests that are designed to be inclusive and welcoming to all. Contestants will have five (5) minutes to play two (2) instrumental tunes, one fast, one slow. Contestants may be accompanied by one additional instrument and are encouraged to pick tunes from the standard bluegrass and old time repertoire. Register on pinecone.org!
You will also find spots for open jams, busking and an instrument petting zoo for curious people of all ages who want to try out a string band instrument.
Suggest A Band
Vendors
Our festival brings thousands of people from across the world to the streets of Downtown Raleigh for music, food & beverage, arts & crafts, family fun and the best people watching anywhere. Fayetteville Street is closed off through the heart of downtown on Friday and Saturday and is filled with stages for music, vendors and fun activities.
The Art Market on Fayetteville Street is presented by our friends at Artsplosure. It’s a showcase event that celebrates our rich art community and features artists and makers from across the United States.
Support Us
Volunteer at This Year’s Festival
Volunteers are critical to a successful event! Whether you are a seasoned returning volunteer or a new talent, join a stellar team of folks working to make this year’s festival happen. Complete our 2024 Volunteer Application while slots are still available to get involved, make a difference and enjoy great perks.
Join Us or Donate
Members and donors make this event possible. You can support IBMA and/or PineCone by joining or making a one-time donation. Any amount of support is greatly appreciated and helps keep the festival open for all to enjoy.
Become a Member - Join IBMA or PineCone today and enjoy the benefits of membership, plus our gratitude for supporting bluegrass and roots music
Make a Donation - Contribute any amount to IBMA or PineCone to help support the festival and keep roots music alive in and for our community.
Spread the Word
Tell your friends, make a plan to meet up on Friday or Saturday at the festival, and share a link to the festival page on socials. Bluegrass is music of the people and the more folks you can tell about this event the better. Thanks for helping us get the word out about our favorite weekend of the year!