Important note about this event, updated Sept. 27: IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC is typically an outdoor street festival. Due to forecasted weather for the weekend, all events will move indoors. Previously scheduled Street Stage performances—plus beer garden, art market, jam tents etc.—will now take place indoors at the Raleigh Convention Center. Main Stage performances previously scheduled for Red Hat Amphitheater will now take place at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

Please see this page for updated information. 

A 10th year of World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, N.C.? You better believe it!

The arrival of a toe-tappin', banjo-pickin' week of non-stop bluegrass in downtown Raleigh has been one of the most anticipated times of the year in the City of Oaks for a decade now. The International Bluegrass Music Association brings their business conference, along with the world's most talented bluegrass musicians, to Raleigh during this week. Those musicians then perform in clubs, on street corners and in hotel lobbies—anywhere they can find a jam session, scheduled or impromptu—for an entire week.

The Bluegrass Ramble is a mid-week affair of bluegrass takeovers across several downtown Raleigh music venues, and the "biggest night in bluegrass"—the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards—is held on Thursday night at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

The week is then capped off with downtown Raleigh's biggest annual event, IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC, a two-day, free street festival that sets up five stages of music, a dance tent, beer garden, tons of art vendors and much more. The ticketed Main Stage at Red Hat Amphitheater will feature Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway, The Jerry Douglas Band with special guests, Sierra Hull, The Infamous Stringdusters and more of the genre's biggest stars (a limited amount of free seating is available at Red Hat Amphitheater; reserved seating is also on sale now).

World of Bluegrass was first announced as coming to Raleigh in May of 2012, after IBMA conducted a search for a new home for their convention and awards events. It was reported that in Nashville, where the event had taken place since 2005, approximately 16,000 visitors were in attendance for the 2011 showcase. In 2019, record-breaking attendance numbers were set in downtown Raleigh with 218,000 fans taking part in the festivities (banjos are a big deal here). We hope you'll join us for World of Bluegrass week this year, Sept. 27-Oct. 1! 

What and when is the Bluegrass Ramble?

The Bluegrass Ramble is a series of more than 75 scheduled bluegrass performances on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings (Sept. 27-29), taking place at Lincoln Theatre, The Pour House Music Hall, Vintage Church, Jimmy V's Osteria + Bar and the Raleigh Convention Center.

The Bluegrass Ramble is a ticketed event—it's $25-$30 to get access to all performances for one day, or $50-$60 for all performances for the three-night jam. 

Are the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards open to the public? 

Yes. The 33rd Annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards presented by Yamaha will take place on Thurs., Sept. 29 at 7:30pm at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. The awards recognize outstanding achievement and pioneering efforts in the genre, and feature special collaborations by some of bluegrass' biggest stars, plus memorable moments like the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame induction ceremonies (there are three inductees for 2022!).

The event is open to the public, and tickets are on sale now starting at $40.

When does the free street festival, IBMA Bluegrass Live!, take place? 

IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC takes place on Fri., Sept. 30 and Sat., Oct. 1.

Music kicks off at noon on both days, with five free stages of music plus two jam tents in full swing until 11pm. 

Music on the Main Stage at Red Hat Amphitheater starts at 5pm both days. 

Is the Main Stage at Red Hat Amphitheater ticketed? Or free? 

Both. There is a limited amount of free, general admission seating available at Red Hat Amphitheater on Friday and Saturday. 

Tickets for reserved seating is available for purchase. A one-day pass is $60 for the general public, or a two-day pass starts at $120.

Who is performing on the Main Stage? 

Twisted Pine, Balsam Range, Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, The Jerry Douglas Band with special guests, Della Mae, The Dan Tyminski Band, Dom Flemons & Shultz’s Dream: featuring B.E. Farrow, Dante’ Pope and Tray Wellington, Sierra Hull and last but not least The Infamous Stringdusters.

You can see the full music lineup with performers, stages and times for the entire festival here.

Is food and beer available? Is there a festival map?

Yes, food trucks and beer sales will be available within the festival footprint. A new beer garden area will be setup near the Come Hear NC Stage on the southern end of the festival (towards far right of the map).

Where should I stay? What are my hotel options? 

Hotels in downtown Raleigh are filling up quickly. See this page for information on hotels in downtown Raleigh.

You can find all the information you need about IBMA Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC—the world's largest urban bluegrass festival—at worldofbluegrass.org.

More upcoming events in Raleigh, N.C.

• Nas and Wu-Tang Clan, Sept. 17
• Farm Aid 2022, Sept. 24
• Downtown Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo, Sept. 25
• Alice In Chains and Breaking Benjamin, Sept. 27
• Triangle Oktoberfest, Sept. 30-Oct. 1
• Hum Sub Diwali, Oct. 8
• North Carolina Theatre presents Sister Act, Oct. 11-16
• Carolina Hurricanes opening night, Oct. 12
• N.C. State Fair, Oct. 13-23
• Carolina Ballet presents Dracula, Oct. 13-30

^{Header photo by Todd Gunsher; Ramble and Awards photos by Willa Stein; Red Hat Amphitheater photos by Todd Gunsher and Dan Schram}