The bands come and go, but the festivals play on.
Carolina Music Festivals is a comprehensive calendar and guide to multi-act, daylong or multiple-day music festivals in North Carolina. In addition to the most up-to-date information available about dates, acts and prices, we'll tell you about the festival itself - the layout of the grounds, the best way to see it, what kind of vibe to expect (these additional pages are constantly under development as we make it to more festivals each season).
Go to our master festival calendar below and click on an NC music festival's name for more information about that festival, including artist lineup, ticket prices, a map to the festival site and a link to the festival's website. If you're interested in what's happening during a specific month, go to its page ...
A photo with a festival listing indicates that we have more photos and an essay profiling that festival (like this one); click on the photo for more information.
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Most music festivals in North Carolina cater to families. If you haven't been to one because you have children, find a festival near you that you and the kids will enjoy.
If we've left out any of your favorite North Carolina music festivals (or just some you know about), please let us know!
| 24 - 26 | Black Notes Project - Charlotte |
| 6 - 8 | North Carolina Jazz Festival - Wilmington |
| 7 - 8 | Appalachian State Old-Time Fiddlers Convention - Boone |
| TBA | North Carolina HIP Music Festival - Triangle |
| 14 - 16 | Bluegrass First Class - Asheville |
| Feb. 27 - March 1 | Carolina Jazz Festival - Chapel Hill |
| Feb. 27 - March 1 | Carolina Jazz Festival - Chapel Hill |
| 5 - 6 | Dreamville Festival - Raleigh | ||
| 10 - 12 | Big Lick Bluegrass Festival - Oakboro | ||
| 11 - 13 | Moo, Brew and 'Que Music Fest - Charlotte | ||
| 12 | Strange Fruit Festival - Greensboro | ||
| 12 | Lucknow Music Festival - Dunn | ||
| 19 | North Carolina 'Cuegrass Festival - Raleigh | ||
| 19 | Earth Day Jam - Salisbury | ||
| 19 | RockyFest - Hiddenite | ||
| 24 - 27 | MerleFest - Wilkesboro | 
MerleFest |
|
| 25 - 26 | BrightFire Music and Arts Festival - Concord | ||
| 25 - 27 | Biscuits & Banjos - Durham | ||
| 25 - 27 | Tuck Fest - Charlotte | ||
| 26 | Beach Fest - Selma | ||
| 1 - 4 | Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance - Silk Hope | 
Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival |
| 2 - 3 | North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival - Huntersville | |
| 2 - 4 | Lovin' Life Music Fest - Charlotte | |
| 8 - 10 | Malpass Brothers Country and Bluegrass Festival - Denton | |
| 8 - 11 | LEAF Retreat - Black Mountain | 
The LEAF |
| 9 - 10 | Carolina Indie Fest - Sanford | |
| 10 - 11 | Bear Shadow - Highlands | |
Beaufort Music Festival |
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| 17 | Atlantic Beach Music Festival - Atlantic Beach | |
| 17 | Vet Jam 2025 - Fuquay-Varina | |
| 17 | Durham Blues and Brews Festival - Durham | |
| 17 - 18 | Artsplosure - Raleigh | |
| 23 - 24 | Gears and Guitars Music Fests - Winston-Salem | |
| 23 - 25 | Tony Rice Memorial Day Music Fest - Elon | |
| 30 - 31 | Good Moon - Durham | |
| May 31 - June 1 | Cold Mountain Music Festival - Canton | |
| May 31 - June 1 | Cold Mountain Music Festival - Canton | |
| 7 | Carolina Beach Music Festival - Carolina Beach | |
| 5 - 7 | Cherokee Bluegrass Festival - Cherokee | |
| 6 - 7 | Bluegrass & Old-Time Fiddlers Convention - Mount Airy | |
| 6 - 8 | Ocrafolk Festival - Ocracoke Island | 
Ocrafolk Festival |
| 6 - 8 | Cape Fear Blues Festival - Wilmington | |
| 7 | Carl Sandburg Music Festival - Flat Rock | |
| 12 - 14 | Willow Oak Park Bluegrass Festival - Roxboro | |
| 13 - 14 | Charlie Poole Music Festival - Wentworth | 
Charlie Poole Music Festival |
| 13 - 15 | High Country Jazz Festival - Boone | |
| 14 | Bluff Mountain Festival - Hot Springs | |
| 20 - 21 | Boonerang Music and Arts Festival - Boone | |
| 20 - 21 | FlushFest - Hillsborough | |
| 20 - 22 | State Annual Singing Convention - Benson | 
State Singing Convention |
| June 28 - July 26 | An Appalachian Summer Festival - Boone | |
| June 28 - Aug. 2 | Eastern Music Festival - Greensboro | |
| June 28 - Aug. 3 | Brevard Summer Institute & Festival - Brevard | |
| Through July 28 | An Appalachian Summer Festival - Boone | |
| Through August 2 | Eastern Music Festival - Greensboro | |
| Through August 3 | Brevard Summer Institute & Festival - Brevard | |
| 4 - 5 | Festival for the Eno - Durham | 
Festival for the Eno |
| July 4 - 6 | Ocean City Jazz Festival - North Topsail Beach | |
| 11 - 13 | Black Mountain Blues - Black Mountain | 
Black Mountain Blues |
| 18 - 19 | Doc and Rosa Lee Watson MusicFest - Sugar Grove | |
| 25 - 26 | DownEast Music Festival - Rocky Mount | |
| 25 - 26 | Hillbilly Jam - Maggie Valley | |
| 25 - 26 | Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers - Jefferson | |
| Through August 2 | Eastern Music Festival - Greensboro | |
| Through August 3 | Brevard Summer Institute & Festival - Brevard | |
| 1 - 3 | Mountain Dance and Folk Festival - Swannanoa | |
| 1 - 3 | AVL Fest - Asheville | |
| 14 - 16 | N.C. State Bluegrass Festival - Marion | |
| 16 | NC Beach Blast - Kings Mountain | |
| 21 - 23 | The Big What? - Pittsboro | |
| 28 - 31 | Earl Scruggs Music Festival - Mill Spring | 
Earl Scruggs Music Festival |
| 29 - 31 | Camp Springs Labor Day Bluegrass Festival - Elon | |
| 30 | Sonark Harvest Festival - Chapel Hill | |
| 30 - 31 | ProgDay - Chapel Hill | 
ProgDay |
| 30 - 31 | John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival - High Point | |
| 31 | New River Blues Festival - Grassy Creek | |
| 3 - 6 | Hopscotch - Raleigh | |
| 5 - 6 | Mountain Song Festival - Brevard | |
| 5 - 6 | Boomtown Arts and Heritage FestAVL - Asheville | |
| 5 - 6 | Blue Bear Music Fest - Todd | |
| 10 - 13 | Antlers & Acorns: The Boone Songwriters Festival - Boone | |
| 12 - 14 | North Carolina Folk Festival - Greensboro | 
North Carolina Folk Festival |
| 11 - 13 | Hoppin' John Old-Time and Bluegrass Fiddlers' Convention - Silk Hope | |
| 12 - 14 | Idlewild Music Fest - Zebulon | |
| 13 | Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival - Mocksville | |
| 19 - 20 | Carolina Indie Fest - Sanford | |
| 20 | Creedmoor Music Festival - Creedmoor | |
| 20 | Groove Jam - Greensboro | |
| 20 | Mira Music Fest - Pinehurst | |
| 26 - 27 | Breakaway Carolina - Concord | |
| 27 - 28 | Carrboro Music Festival - Carrboro | |
| 2 - 5 | Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance - Silk Hope |
Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival |
| 3 - 4 | Ol' Front Porch Music Festival - Oriental | 
Ol' Front Porch Music Festival |
| 3 - 4 | FabFest - Charlotte's Beatles Festival - Charlotte | |
| 3 - 4 | Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival - Mars Hill | |
| 4 | Spruce Pine BBQ Festival - Spruce Pine | |
| 11 - 12 | Duck Jazz Festival - Duck | |
| 16 - 18 | Bluegrass Island Music Festival - Manteo | 
Bluegrass Island Festival |
| 16 - 19 | LEAF Global Arts Festival - Black Mountain |
The LEAF |
| 25 | Sleepy Fest - Saxapahaw | |
| 7 - 9 | Mantrabash - Prospect Hill |
| 5 - 7 | Balsam Range Art of Music Festival - Lake Junaluska | 
Art of Music Festival |
 Cayamo Singer-Songwriter Cruise |
 French Quarter Festival 2012 |
Search for your favorite band, festival or location (i.e., "Boone")
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Disclaimer: We've tried to gather the most up-to-date and accurate information available, but everything is subject to change and, for that matter, we and our sources make the occasional mistake. We try to update each weekend or when notified of new information. Information from the previous year may remain posted for certain festivals until updated plans are announced; in particular, fees may change from year to year and dates may be estimated based on the previous festival. Festivals come and go; we work through websites, Facebook, email, mainstream media sources and the occasional phone call. If a festival's listing has not been updated and it's close to the festival date, it may not be happening this year. We tend to err in favor of the festival happening, and keep festivals listed on the site as long as seems reasonable.
We cannot and do not guarantee any of the artists, prices, show times, locations, maps, camping options or other information about the music festivals we refer to on this site. Please let us know about any mistakes or out-dated information you find. And, before you head out, check individual music festivals' websites for information and/or contact them via email or phone to make sure they plan to present the show you expect to see.
Carolina Music Festivals is compiled, designed, written, photographed and published by Christopher E. Nelson.
Established January 2010. We've had visits to this page since this counter re-set itself on Oct. 22, 2012.
Carolina Music Festivals and Carolina Outdoors Guide are publications of PC Nelson Communications, LLC.