Carolina Music Festivals is a comprehensive calendar and guide to multi-act, daylong or multiple-day music shows in North Carolina.
Through May 2 Merlefest - Wilkesboro
(See the April calendar)
Through May 2 French Broad River Festival - Hot Springs
(See the April calendar)
May 6 - 8 Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver's Bluegrass Music Festival - Denton
The bluegrass great's annual festival includes a golf tournament on Thursday and, on Saturday, a free children's area with rides and games.
Artists
Special performances by the original Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, featuring J.D. Crowe and Paul Williams.
Thursday: Dailey & Vincent, Lost & Found, Lonesome River Band, Darin & Brooke Aldridge.
Friday: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, A Deeper Shade of Blue, Paul Williams & the Victory Trio, J.D. Crowe & the New South, Barry Scott & Second Wind, Old Friends.
Saturday: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Williams & Clark Expeditions, Seldom Scene, Grasstowne, Dale Ann Bradley.
Festival site: Denton Farmpark
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Three-day pass: $75 until April 23, $85 after. Two-day pass: $60 until April 23, $65 after. Single day: $30 until April 23, $35 after. Camping: Tents, RVs with no hookups $10, free with two-day pass. 30-amp sites $30 per night, 50-amp sites $35 per night. Early RV arrivals $10 per night with hookups, $5 without. |
May 6 - 9 Lake Eden Arts Festival - Black Mountain
The semiannual LEAF embraces new ageism, world music and the outdoors at a mountain camp well-appointed for weekend festivals (see October schedule).
Artists
Donna The Buffalo, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Duhks, Steep Canyon Rangers, Charmaine Neville, Robin & Linda Williams & Their Fine Group, Sim Redmond Band, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Akira Satake, Asheville Horns, Chirgilchin, Harper, Jamuna, Kellin Watson Band, Masankho Banda, Milt Crotts, Nightingale, Paul's Creek Band featuring Carol Rifkin, Youth at Jazz, Zulu Connection, Baaba Maal, Playing for Change Band, L.A. Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa, Bio Ritmo, Ben Sollee, Pine Leaf Boys, and more. About 70 performers are listed here.
Sunday: Ozomatli.
Festival site: Camp Rockmont
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Four-day pass with tent camping (three nights): $142 adults, $118 ages 10-17 through January 31; $158 and $129 February-March, $169 and $139 April to May 5. Three-day pass with tent camping: $112 adults, $92 ages 10-17 through January 31; $129 and $104 February-March, $146 and $113 April to May 5. Community Pass (weekend for local residents): $73 adults, $60 ages 10-17 through January 31; $82 and $71 February-March, $94 and $79 April to May 5. Single-day passes (no camping): Friday or Sunday: $29 adults, $24 ages 10-17 through January 31; $35 and $29 February-March, $40 and $32 April to May 5. Saturday: $38 adults, $33 ages 10-17 through January 31; $45 and $40 February-March, $50 and $42 April to May 5. Age 9 and younger free; younger than 18 must be with a parent. Packages for spring and fall festivals also available. Cabins: Sleeps 9 $305; sleeps 12 $360; lodge room for five $305; lodge bunk $90. Prices for Friday and Saturday; Thursday add $55 for cabin, $35 for bunk. |
May 7 - 8 Beaufort Music Festival - Beaufort
The family-friendly festival presents music on multiple stages on the waterfront, at the Beaufort Historic Site and the North Carolina Maritime Museum, and at local pubs and restaurants.
Artists
Friday: Steep Canyon Rangers, Unknown Tongues, L Shaped Lot.
Saturday: Rosebuds, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Crucial Fiya, Christobel & the Jons, Noseriders, Atomic Rhythm All-Stars, Mandolin Orange, American Aquarium.
More TBA.
Festival site: Multiple venues on Downtown waterfront
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6 to 9 p.m. Friday and 12:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday on main stages; some club shows run until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Free admission. |
May 8 Carolina Blues Festival - Greensboro
Celebrating its 24th year in 2010, the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society's Carolina Blues Festival is the longest-running blues festival in the Southeast.
Artists
Debbie Davies Band with Robin Rogers, Tinsley Ellis, Matt Walsh Band, Charlley Ward Band, Sleepy Eyed Jay & Chicago Slim.
Festival site: Festival Park
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2 to 11 p.m.
$18 in advance, $30 day of show; $20 for Piedmont Blues Preservation Society members. Join the Society and get two tickets, a family membership (usually $25), plus other stuff for $55. |
May 14 - 15 R.evolution Music Festival - Carolina Beach
In addition to local artists, the two-day event on the beach will feature open mic sessions, all-night drum circles, fire performers, belly dancers and camping.
Artists
Friday: Damn Pajama Band, Dubtown Cosmonauts, SingleFin.
Saturday: Gary Redd & The Ends, The Clams, Jake Dubbulas, more.
Festival Site: Freeman Park
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The undeveloped end of the island north of Carlina Beach is known as Freeman Park. Vehicles are allowed on the sands, and camping will be allowed for the festival.
4 p.m. to midnight Friday, 1:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday. The festival is free. |
May 15 - 16 Artsplosure - Raleigh
The Artsplosure street festival draws large crowds for performances by one or two national acts plus several local and regional bands, alongside visual art displays at and around downtown Raleigh's Moore Square. Juried art and craft vendors line the streets around and near the square, and the festival has two or more performance stages on the lawn, along with many children's activities.
Artists
Saturday: Tinsley Ellis, The Iguanas, The Pimps of Joy Time, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Gregg Gelb Jazz Quartet, Maurice Brown Effect, Sharon Little, Allen Mask.
Sunday: Charlie Musselwhite Band, The Explorers Club, Sachal Vasandani Quartet, Mel Melton & The Wicked Mojos, Mariachi Los Galleros de Mexico, JJ Wilkins & Voices of Wake Chapel Church.
Festival Site: Moore Square
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11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Two stages. The festival is free. |
May 21 - 23 Smilefest - Pinnacle
Smilefest has been held in several locations in what will be 10 years with the 2010 show. It presents a variety of alternative and jam-band acts in a friendly atmosphere. New for 2010 is no ticket sales at the gate.
Artists
Michael Franti and Spearhead, Keller Williams (solo), MaGraw Gap, Acoustic Syndicate, Jeff Coffin Mu'tet, Acoustic Manner, Pimps of Joytime, The Mantras, Cadillac Jones, David Via and Corn Tornado, Josh Phillips Folk Festival, Josh Roberts and the Hinges, Keller and the Keels, Jackass Flats, more.
Festival Site: Jomeokee Campground
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No tickets at the gate; the event is by "invitation only." Ask to be invited at smileagain4@gmail.com.
3 to 10 p.m. Thursday for VIP ticket holders only; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 pm. Saturday.
$90 for the first 1,000 tickets or until April 5; $105 for the next 500 tickets or until May 1. VIP tickets $200 include backstage pass, artist meet-and-greet, reserved camping, private bathrooms, T-shirt, poster, etc.
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May 27 - 29 Lil Johns Mountain Music Festival - Snow Camp
| John and Natalie Maness carry on the tradition of his late father, John D. Maness, founder of the Bass Mountain Boys and proprietor for more than 30 years of the Bass Mountain Music Festival. They re-named family-oriented bluegrass show on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends (see the September schedule) offers top names in bluegrass plus several vendors, and their full-service campground has a fishing pond and hot showers. Click on the photo for more information. |  |
Artists
Thursday: Dailey & Vincent, Bluegrass Brothers, Lil John's All Stars, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice.
Friday: Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Steep Canyon Rangers, Spring Creek, Bradley Walker, Lost & Found.
Saturday: Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Steeldrivers, Balsam Range, Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain, Danny Paisley & Southern Grass.
Festival site: Cane Creek Campground & RV Park
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Three-day pass: $50 until May 10, $75 after. Includes primitive camping. Thursday $25, Friday $30, Saturday $30. Ages 11 and younger free. |
May 28 - 30 Ole Time Fiddlers and Bluegrass Festival - Union Grove
The oldest continuously run old-time fiddlers' competition in North America presents 50 traditional bands in old-time and bluegrass divisions (Junior and Senior categories) to vie for the coveted Fiddler's Grove band championships. Winners in each of the fiddle categories play for the Fiddler of the Festival award - the highlight of the festival.
Artists
TBA (2009 festival presented Laura Boosinger, Josh Goforth, Trantham Family, Sally Spring, The Shiver Show, Cockman Family, Robin Warren, Spirit Fiddle, Cane Creek Cloggers and Green Grass Cloggers, in addition to competition participants).
Festival site: Fiddler's Grove Campground
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Opens 6 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. Saturday for competitions on four stages and workshops begin 10:30 a.m. Saturday evening performances and award announcements start 5:30 p.m., Sunday performances start 10 a.m.
Three-day pass: $35, ages 10 to 15 $15 until May 8; $50, ages 10 to 15 $25 after. |
Camping (per night): No hookups $15 per family (two adults and children), $7 per additional adult in tent, $9 per additional adult in RV.
RV with water and 15-amp electricity: $25 for family, $9 per additional adult; water and 30 to 50 amps: $35 for family and $9 per additional adult.
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Go to June Music Festivals or to April Music Festivals