About RALEIGH WIDE OPEN
Raleigh Wide Open is coming to downtown in the Fall of 2025. This new festival will feature free stages for music, food, families and fun all over downtown Raleigh.
Stages in every corner of downtown will ring out with bluegrass, folk, Americana, gospel and the best audience in the world. 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.
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Raleigh Wide Open 2025 is big news! Read some of our press coverage below:
Lineup announcement and squirrel appearance on ABC 11
Unveiled: Six Stages of Free Music for the First-Ever Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival (VisitRaleigh)
"Somehow, Fiddles and Banjos Have Become a Genuine Economic Driver": New Festival Announces Details (Indy Week)
Raleigh Announces 2025 Wide Open Music Festival (Bluegrass Today)
VOLUNTEER
Want to get involved in the 2025 Raleigh Wide Open Festival in a big way? We need volunteers to make it work! Our mighty volunteers work four-hour shifts and handle tasks such as selling merchandise, supporting craft vendors, surveying festival attendees, sharing information and directions with visitors, and much more.
Visit our portal in Volunteer Local to apply and sign up for shifts! You will be directed to fill out an application if you haven't already. Then you will be able to see and pick your shifts.
Some things to keep in mind:
- In order to volunteer with us this year, you are required to sign up for 2 shifts.
- Our volunteers must be at least 18 years old
- The festival schedule and needs may change as we are planning, so please be flexible and open to going with the flow. If we need to change your shift, we will be in touch.
- If you find you are no longer able to make your shift, please update your profile as soon as possible
WHERE TO STAY
If you're coming to the festival from out of town or need a place to recommend to your out-of-town guests, we're partnering with the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel for a great deal on rooms during the festival, just steps from all of the action. Book by Sept. 5 to get the discount.
Past Event Lineup
Each Fall the streets of downtown Raleigh bubble over with the joyful sound of friends and families coming together for music that 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
We are once again partnering with our friends at Artsplosure to curate food, art, and local business vendors for Raleigh Wide Open. Find more information and applications at raleighwideopen.com/vendors.
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!
Suggest A Band
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.
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 sara@pinecone.org or 919-664-8333.
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.)
PineCone and the City of Raleigh are committed to reducing barriers to participation in Raleigh Wide Open related to disabilities and aging. We offer a variety of accessibility accommodations and services including:
- Mobility device scooter and wheelchair rentals
- 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 an onsite.
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. Keep an eye out for the 2025 Volunteer Application (coming soon) to get involved, make a difference and enjoy great perks.
Join Us or Donate
Members and donors make this event possible. You can support 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 PineCone today and enjoy the benefits of membership, plus our gratitude for supporting bluegrass and roots music
Make a Donation - Contribute any amount to 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!