Mega Raffle tickets and Acoustic Kids Showcase sign ups begin Feb. 1

Music lovers, listen up: There is no better way than to catch the magic of MerleFest (and many other music festivals) than to volunteer! You get to listen to a slew of fantastic artists for FREE plus you get free parking and even a discount on camping for a few hours of your time.

MerleFest Volunteer applications are now open. As a volunteer, participants will receive free entry to the festival for the entire day of their shift, free parking, and shuttle, and 10% off camping at River’s Edge Campground. Most importantly, volunteers will be supporting a major fundraiser for Wilkes Community College.

Please visit merlefest.org/volunteer to sign up before the April 13 deadline.

MerleFest, presented by Window World, will celebrate its 36th year in 2024. This spring, organizers intend to showcase MerleFest’s long history of fundraising for Wilkes Community College, in addition to 4 days of music, moments and memories. As always, MerleFest will also celebrate the festival’s diverse, genre-crossing line-up of artists by presenting unique moments and collaborations where performing artists will take the opportunity to honor the festival’s founding legends, Doc and Merle Watson. For over three decades, MerleFest continues to draw fans from all over the world to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to this annual bucket list event. Along with recognizing MerleFest’s 36-year commitment to honoring and preserving the musical legacies of Doc and Merle Watson, the festival will also celebrate its founding mission to raise funds for Wilkes Community College. MerleFest is Wilkes Community College’s primary fundraiser and to date has given back over 19 million dollars to the college and its students. Contributions from MerleFest directly support student scholarships, building improvements, emergency funds for students, and so much more. WCC’s student organizations, as well as other local civic organizations and clubs raise over $400,000 annually by selling food or volunteering their time at the festival. Since its inception in 1988, supporting these organizations has been an integral part of what makes MerleFest so vital to its community year after year.

The Wilkes Community College Foundation will host its fourth annual MerleFest Mega Raffle to support scholarships at WCC. Over $140,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded. ONLY 3,000 tickets will be sold, and you do not have to be present to win. The Mega Raffle drawings will be held during the festival on Sunday, April 28, 2024, at the Raffle/Silent Auction Tent at 2:00 p.m. Winners will be announced during the live drawings and notified via email and phone to confirm the prize. Raffle tickets are $100 each and include two entries to the MerleFest Mega Raffle drawings. Mega Raffle Tickets go on sale February 1, 2024.

MerleFest is proud to once again welcome its 2024 Acoustic Kids Showcases with Andy May. Since 2001 the Acoustic Kids program has given young musicians of any skill level the opportunity to perform on festival stages in a supportive environment. Beginner through pro, all musicians 18 or younger are welcome to participate and share their music with the MerleFest audience. Each year, we host three 1.5-hour showcases and a half-hour Acoustic Kids Ambassadors set. Pre-registration is required to participate in Acoustic Kids and is open from February 1 through March 20 (or until all showcases are full, whichever comes first). Register early to hold your spot! Online registration, showcase schedules, and FAQs are available at https://andymay.com/acoustic-kids-registration-merlefest/, and detailed registration instructions are at https://andymay.com/acoustic-kids/registration-instructions/. School Day and Outreach– MerleFest School Day hosts students and their teachers from area middle and high schools on Friday to enjoy the festival free of charge. Over 2,300 school children from Wilkes and surrounding counties attend MerleFest annually through the MerleFest School Day program. In addition to welcoming students to MerleFest, the MerleFest Outreach program brings MerleFest to the students. The MerleFest Outreach program enhances regional education by showcasing performances from festival artists in 17 public elementary and middle schools, giving many students who may otherwise not be able to attend a face-to-face encounter with the artists and their craft. This program reaches 5,900 students annually. MerleFest 2024 tickets are available now. For general admission passes, as well as patio seating, reserved seating, camping, parking, and more, please visit merlefest.org/purchase.