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Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass


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14th annual Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival set for Saturday, Sept. 12

The Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival in Mocksville, North Carolina, was started in 2011 by the Camp’s Board of Directors as a fundraiser for the Camp’s scholarship and capital development funds. It has achieved that goal, operating in the black every year thanks to careful planning and generous stewardship of the festival’s sponsors, organizational team and volunteers.

The festival has also become a way to introduce a larger community to the Camp, and to bring Camp friends and family together for a special annual event.

In 2019, Carolina Country magazine readers voted Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival the winner of the inaugural “Carolina’s Finest” award for the Best Festival in the state of North Carolina! In 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic and state restrictions prohibited us from holding the festival. We were more grateful thuan ever to gather together in 2021, and again, we were blessed to win the Carolina Country “Carolina’s Finest” award for Best Festival.

This year’s festival will feature Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, The Biscuit Eaters, Lucas Ross, Ettore Buzzini​ and Blue Diggity.

Advance tickets for the 2026 event are $20 and $25 at the gate. They can be purchased at this link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/carolina-bible-camp-14th-annual-bluegrass-festival

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19th Richmond Folk Festival kicks off Oct. 13 with Michael Cleveland, Wild Ponies, Wayne Henderson and many more

The 19th Richmond Folk Festival begins Friday, Oct. 13, and runs for three days of a variety of FREE music, food and fun, according to organizers. 

With six stages and nearly 90 performances, many people plan to spend more than one day at the festival. Add in more than 30 food vendors, a crafts marketplace, a Virginia Folklife Area and Stage and one of the most beautiful festival sites in Richmond, and we think you’ll want to go for multiple days to experience as much as possible. And the festival goes on, rain or shine, with several of the stages tented.

Essentials to enhance your visit

Festival Hours

  • Friday, Oct. 13 — 6:30 pm – 10 p.m. 
  • Saturday, Oct. 14 — Noon – 9:30 p.m. 
  • Sunday, Oct. 15 — Noon – 6 p.m.

Performers
Read up on all of the fantastic artists who will perform. With styles ranging from jazz to gospel, Irish, rockabilly, salsa and more, there’s something for everyone to love or learn about.

Performance Schedule
With six stages and more than 90 performances, you’ll want to plan ahead to make sure to get the most out of the festivals. Take a peek now so you can plan ahead!

Donations
This is a LARGE festival with a hefty budget that is supported largely by generous sponsors. However, the festival needs your help to remain FREE and sustainable! There is a suggested donation of $10 per person per day that can be made online HERE, or by finding a volunteer in a bright orange shirt carrying a bright orange bucket at the festival and making a “Drop in the Bucket!” Or, you can text FOLK to 44321 to give from your mobile phone. Thanks for your help in keeping the festival FREE!


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Bluegrass music’s biggest night is 2019 International Bluegrass Music Awards

Tonight’s the night: the biggest night of the year for bluegrass musicians around the globe. All eyes and ears will be focused on the red carpet at the Duke Energy Performing Arts Center in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, as the industry’s biggest and brightest stars head to the 30th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards.

Nominees for “Entertainer of the Year” are Balsam Range, Sam Bush Band, The Earls of Leicester, Del McCoury Band and first-time nominee Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers. The five nominees have a whopping 24 nominations among them this year. Multiple nominations for Sister Sadie, Carolina Blue, Mile Twelve, Molly Tuttle, Missy Raines and Rhonda Vincent are also notable on this year’s list of nominees.

Can’t make it the awards show in person? The show will be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio (Bluegrass Junction) at 7:30 p.m. EDT, streamed via Facebook Live and will be made available for rebroadcast by radio stations worldwide, thanks to the sponsorship of Chiesi USA, Virginia Tourism, Deering Banjos, Compass Records, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, BMI, and Boston Bluegrass Union. A special red carpet live stream will be available on IBMA’s Instagram page as well. Continue reading →