IBMA World of Bluegrass includes a free street festival

IBMA World of Bluegrass, which takes place in Downtown Raleigh, is one of the biggest bluegrass events anywhere.

It includes these ticketed events:

IBMA Business Conference (September 26-28, 2023)
IBMA Bluegrass Ramble (September 26-28, 2023)
IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards (September 28, 2023)
IBMA Bluegrass Live! (September 29-30, 2023)

Fall is looking great around the Triangle, whether you’re looking for something spooky or totally kid-friendly! Check out our HUGE list of fall festivals, as well as our list of pumpkin patches, haunted trails and corn mazes! We have also put together a big list of Halloween events and Trick or Treat events!

Bluegrass Live!

Tickets for IBMA Bluegrass LIVE! range from $100 to $140. (But read on for information on the FREE street festival!)

Friday, September 29, 2023

The Del McCoury Band
Mighty Poplar
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Kids on Bluegrass

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Kruger Brothers Play Doc Watson (with special guest Jerry Douglas)
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Jake Blount
Kaia Kater & Tray Wellington
Missy Raines & Allegheny (with special guest Alison Brown)

Street Festival

However, the festival also features the FREE StreetFest, which takes place on September 29 and 30, 2023. Five blocks of Fayetteville Street, from Martin Street to the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, will be closed to traffic in Downtown Raleigh to provide space for six stages of music.

Music is scheduled on each day from 12 p.m. to around 11 p.m.

In addition, StreetFest will feature an art market, and food and beverage vendors. There will be a beer garden, as well as games and activities for the whole family.

Please remember that the official schedules are here. The schedules could change after we list them here.

Friday, September 29 StreetFest

Come Hear NC Stage

12:00-12:45: Becky Buller & Ned Luberecki
1:15-2:00: U.S. Navy Band Country Current
2:30-3:15: Hillary Klug
3:45-4:30: Gospel Jubilators
5:00-5:45: Jason Carter
6:15-7:00: Hank, Pattie & The Current
7:30-8:15: John McEuen
8:45-9:30: Henhouse Prowlers
10:00-11:00: Jim Lauderdale

City Plaza Youth Stage

12:00-12:30: Zach & Caleb McNabb
12:45-1:15: Bluegrass & Company
1:30-2:00: Stoneface Mountain
2:15-2:45: The Arizona Wildflowers
3:00-3:30: Mountain Highway
3:45-4:15: 5 South
4:30-5:00: The Loblollies
5:15-5:45: Catfish in the Sky
6:00-6:30: Ferrum College’s Orchestra Appalachia
6:45-7:15: ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band
7:30-8:00: Denison University Bluegrass Band
8:15-8:45: Warren Wilson College Bluegrass Band
9:00-9:30: Clemson University’s Tigertown Roots
9:45-10:15: UNC Greensboro Old Time Ensemble
10:30-11:00: Berklee College of Music Bluegrass Ensemble

Davie Street Stage

12:15-2:15: Kids on Bluegrass
2:45-3:30: Hubby Jenkins
4:00-4:45: Full Cord
5:05-5:50: Big Fat Gap
6:20-7:05: Never Come Down
7:30-8:15: East Nash Grass
8:45-9:30: Darin & Brooke Aldridge
10:00-11:00: Nu-Blu

Martin Street J.A.M. Stage

12:15-1:00: The Workman Brothers
1:15-2:00: The Lilly Anne Band
2:15-3:00: Newfound Gap
3:15-4:00: Roan Street Ramblers
4:15-5:00: Trakas, Moore & Jenkins
5:15-6:00: The Burnett Sisters Band
6:15-7:00: The Biscuit Eaters
7:00-7:45: Catfish in the Sky
8:05-8:50: Fair Black Rose
9:10-9:55: Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band
10:15-11:00: Sister Sadie

Capitol Stage

12:30-1:15: Jerron Paxton
1:45-2:30: Zoe & Cloyd
3:00-3:45: Country Gongbang
4:15-5:00: Hubby Jenkins
5:30-7:30: Street Square Dance with The Onlies; Nancy Mamlin, caller
7:55 – 8:40: Tray Wellington Band
9:05 – 9:50: AJ Lee & Blue Summit
10:15 – 11:00: Rick Faris Band

Saturday, September 30 StreetFest

Come Hear NC Stage

12:00-12:45: Tall Poppy String Band
1:10-1:55: Jake Blount
2:20-3:05: Darin & Brooke Aldridge
3:30-4:15: Tray Wellington Band
4:40-5:25: Unspoken Tradition
5:50-6:35: Compton & Newberry
6:50-7:35: The Dukes of Drive
7:55-8:40: Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road
9:05-9:50: Stillhouse Junkies
10:15-11:00: Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley

City of Raleigh Museum Kids Area

12:00-12:45: Catch the Bluegrass Bug with Charles & Jackson Pettee
1:00-1:45: Hillary Klug (Fiddlin’ & Buck Dancin’)
2:00-2:45: Catch the Bluegrass Bug with Charles & Jackson Pettee
3:00-3:45: Hillary Klug (Fiddlin’ & Buck Dancin’)

City Plaza Youth Stage

12:00-1:15: Kids on Bluegrass
1:30-2:00: Holt & Cabe
2:15-2:45: Headin’ Home
3:00-3:30: Bluegrass Pythagoras
3:45-4:15: Cotton Pickin’ Kids
4:30-5:00: Shiloh Creek Girls
5:15-5:45: The Burnett Sisters Band
6:00-6:30: UNC’s Carolina Bluegrass Band
6:45-7:15: UNC Asheville Bluegrass Band
7:30-8:00: Colorado College Bluegrass Band
8:15-8:45: Morehead State University Mountain Ambassadors
9:00-9:30: Lawrence College Bluegrass Band
9:45-10:15: East Kentucky University Bluegrass Band

Davie Street Stage

12:00-12:45: The Price Sisters
1:15-2:00: Sister Sadie
2:25-3:10: Kaia Kater
3:35-4:20: Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band
4:45-5:30: Gail Caesar
5:55-6:40: U.S. Navy Band Country Current
7:05-7:50: Jared Payton & The Voices
8:15-9:15: Missy Raines & Allegheny
9:45-11:00: Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass

Martin Street J.A.M. Stage

12:00-12:30: Dante Flores
12:45-1:15: Karlee Hamm & Friends
1:30-2:00: Ettore Buzzini
2:15-2:45: Falling Timber
3:45-4:15: Catfish in the Sky
4:30-5:00: Sullivan Sisters
5:15-6:00: Ryn Riley & Appalachian Roots
6:15-7:00: Carson Moore Collective
7:00-7:45: Jerron Paxton
8:05-8:50: Thomas Cassell
9:10-9:55: Steve Smith & Tim May

Capitol Stage

12:30-1:15: Nixon, Blevins, & Gage
1:45-2:30: Broken Compass Bluegrass
3:00-3:45: Nefesh Mountain
4:15-5:00: Gospel Jubilators
5:30-7:30: Street Square Dance with The Earl White String Band; Nancy Mamlin, caller
8:00-8:45: Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
9:10-9:55: The Tan & Sober Gentlemen
10:15-11:00: Into the Fog

Love outdoor music? Check out our huge day by day list of outdoor music around the Triangle! Most of the shows are free.

Double-Check Before You Head Out!

We make every effort to make sure that everything on Triangle on the Cheap is 100% accurate.

However, sometimes things change without notice, and it's also possible that we can make a mistake.

Please verify all deals and events with the venue or organizer before you go.

More Outdoor Music in the Triangle

Learn all about outdoor music in the Triangle, including a description of the concert series, and a 90-day calendar, or take a quick look at some of the upcoming outdoor concerts here: