Annual Traditional Music Festivals in the Southern Appalachians
February
Appalachian State Fiddlers Convention Boone, NC
March
Surry Old Time Fiddlers Convention Dobson, NC
April
Merlefest North Wilkesboro, NC
RockyFest Hiddenite, NC
Yadkin Valley Bluegrass Convention Yadkinville, NC
May
Union Grove Fiddlers Convention Union Grove, NC
Crooked Road Youth Music Festival Heartwood Artisan Center, Abingdon, VA
Vandalia Gathering Charleston, WV
June
Mt. Airy Fiddlers Convention Mt. Airy, NC
The Crooked Road Mountains of Music Homecoming
HoustonFest Galax, VA
Charlie Poole Festival Eden, NC…with old time contests and performances
Henry Reed Fiddlers Convention Newport, VA
Wayne C. Henderson Guitar Festival & Competition Grayson Highlands State Park, VA
Grayson County Fiddlers Convention Elk Creek, VA
July
Tazewell Fiddlers Convention Tazewell, VA
Alleghany Fiddlers Convention Sparta, NC
Ashe County Fiddlers Convention Jefferson, NC
Mountain Music School Big Stone Gap, VA
August
Appalachian Stringband Festival Clifftop, WV
Galax Fiddlers Convention Galax, VA…Oldest & Largest Fiddlers Convention in the World
Fries Fiddlers Convention Fries, VA
Johnson County Fiddlers Convention Laurel Bloomery, TN…Oldest Fiddlers Convention
September
Happy Valley Fiddlers Convention Happy Valley, NC
Rockbridge Mountain Music & Dance Festival Buena Vista, VA
Albert Hash Memorial Festival Grayson Highlands State Park, VA
Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion Downtown Bristol VA/TN
Hoppin’ John Old Time & Bluegrass Fiddlers Convention Shakori Hills (Silk Hope), NC
October
International Bluegrass Music Association’s World of Bluegrass Festival
Autumn Leaves Festival Mount Airy, NC
Other Festivals
Blue Ridge Music Guide a searchable guide to jams, festivals, concerts, and other venues featuring live traditional music along the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor in North Carolina and Virginia
Virginia Mountain Music Guide a searchable guide to jams, festivals, concerts, and other venues featuring live traditional music in Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains.
The Crooked Road Guide to traditional music sites and music-related museums in 10 Blue Ridge and Coal Field counties in Virginia
Regular Jam Sessions
Folk JAM Connection Type in a city and find a jam
Crooked Road Jams Discover all of the weekly jams along the Crooked Road Music Trail in Virginia
Smyth County Jam Monday Nights, Chilhowie, VA
1908 Courthouse Jam Wednesday Nights, Independence, VA
Fries Community Center Jam Thursday Nights, Fries, VA
Jones House Community Jam Thursday Nights, Boone, NC
Heartwood Artisan Center Jam Abingdon, VA, 1st, 3rd, 5th Thursdays of each month
Phipps General Store Jam Friday Nights, Lansing, NC
Please let us know if you find broken links! Send information to [email protected]