Performers Announced For The Wide Open Bluegrass StreetFest September 28-29

More than 100 bands will perform on seven stages in downtown Raleigh
and inside the Raleigh Convention Center

Nashville, TN  — Organizers of this year’s International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s World of Bluegrass, sponsored by Chiesi USA and taking place September 25-29 in Raleigh, North Carolina, announced the performers and performance schedule for PNC presents Wide Open Bluegrass StreetFest as part of the largest urban bluegrass festival anywhere.

The free StreetFest brings bluegrass into the community and introduces the music to thousands of new fans every year, with more than 100 performers on seven stages along Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. Performers include a broad mix of local, national, and international talent. Stages include the Youth Music Stage – situated on the outdoor plaza at the Convention Center – and the Dance Tent, which features clogging performances, participatory square and contra dances, and late-night open dancing Friday and Saturday nights. A free festival app, sponsored by the NC Department of Transportation, available via iTunes or Google Store  (search for Wide Open Bluegrass) will offer a comprehensive guide to the festival.

In addition to StreetFest, Wide Open Bluegrass also includes ticketed performances at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater on the Wide Open Main Stage; a list of those performers can be found at the Wide Open Bluegrass website.

“In addition to being one of the largest economic drivers for the Triangle, Wide Open Bluegrass has become an iconic event for Raleigh,” said Jim Hansen, PNC regional president of Eastern Carolinas. “For the sixth year, PNC Bank is pleased to help bring great music and fun family-friendly activities to our community. There’s something for everyone, and we hope you will join us in this bluegrass celebration.”

 Some StreetFest highlights include:

●      Celebrate the music legacy of North Carolina on the Davie Street Stage. Hear masters of old-time and bluegrass music still played in the mountains and beyond. Help us kick off North Carolina’s statewide Year of Music celebration in 2019 at www.NCArts.orgBrought to you by the NC Arts Council and the North Carolina Department of Natural & Cultural Resources.

●      Youth Stages: Bands chosen through a juried process by IBMA’s Youth Council will perform in front of the Convention Center, followed by college program ensembles; additional youth bands affiliated with the Junior Appalachian Musicians program will perform on the Junior Appalachian Musicians Stage on Martin Street. Don’t miss these future stars of bluegrass!

●      There is even a “Youth Only” Zone – Meeting Room 203 in the Convention Center– both days, which include “Youth Workshop with Lonesome River Band: Arranging New Material” (Friday, 11:00 am) and “Youth Jam with Ricky Skaggs” (Saturday, 11:00 am) – complete listings will be available in the app.

●     And Rhonda Vincent will join in the fun at Wide Open, too! Fans will have a chance to meet Rhonda at 11 am on both Friday and Saturday (with a few other surprises planned – bring your instruments!) – just head for the distinctive Rhonda Vincent tour bus, across from the Dance Tent.

●     The Wide Open Expo, inside the Convention Center, features more than 100 vendors, including instruments, gear, accessories, and much more! Also inside the Convention Center, you’ll find the Masters’ Workshop Stage; and more! Workshops this year include: Pete Wernick’s Bluegrass Jam Class Friday and Saturday mornings; free bourbon tasting sponsored by Larceny Bourbon; Tony Williamson’s Vintage Instrument Tasting, and more. Complete listings will be available in the app.

●      Also near the Convention Center, the Banjostand is back, offering great photo opportunities for attendees. The popular Banjostand photo contest will be held again this year thanks to the Office of Raleigh Arts.

●      Accessibility: People who are blind or low vision can request to be accompanied through the festival by trained volunteer sighted guides – contact PineCone at 919-664-8333 x4. Scooters and wheelchairs will also be available to rent at the festival, and quiet spaces will be available to those who need a low-sensory break from all the activity. New this year: Recovery Communities of North Carolina will host a Wide Open for Recovery tent on the festival footprint! Learn more: wideopenbluegrass.com/accessibility                 

●     On Saturday, be sure to check out the North Carolina Pork Council’s Whole Hog Barbecue Championship, where the best whole hog barbecue chefs in North Carolina square off to become state champion. At lunch, grab your stretchy pants and buy a wristband to sample directly from 28 competitors and vote for the People’s Choice Winner–new this year!. The Whole Hog Barbecue Championship is the culmination of a qualifying series that includes more than 25 N.C. Pork Council-certified local whole hog barbecue competitions statewide. Proceeds from the wristband sales will be donated to the InterFaith Food Shuttle and the IBMA Bluegrass Trust Fund, a non-profit organization that provides assistance to bluegrass professionals experiencing financial emergencies. For advance tickets and more information: wholehogbarbecue.com.

StreetFest performers announced include:

IBMA CITY PLAZA SPOTLIGHT STAGE                         

FRIDAY, SEPT. 28                            

12:00-12:45        Cane Mill Road
1:15-2:00            Fireside Collective
2:30-3:15            Jeff Scroggins & Colorado
3:45-4:30            Mile Twelve
5:00-5:45            Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
6:15-7:15            Sister Sadie
7:45-9:00            Special Consensus
9:30-11:00          Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen                                                                                                                    

 SATURDAY, SEPT. 29                            

12:00-12:45        Danny Paisley & Southern Grass
1:15-2:00            The Davidson Brothers
2:30-3:15            Kids on Bluegrass
3:45-4:30            Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive
5:00-5:45            Kenny & Amanda Smith
6:15-7:15            Darin & Brooke Aldridge
7:45-9:00            The Lonely Heartstring Band
9:30-11:00          Alison Brown Band                                                          

DAVIE STREET                                                         

FRIDAY, SEPT. 28                            

12:15-1:00          Piney Woods Boys
1:30-2:15            Kinney Rorrer & The New North Carolina Ramblers
2:45-3:30            Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road
4:00-4:45            Hank, Pattie & The Current
5:15-6:00            Riley Baugus
6:30-7:30            ShadowGrass
8:00-9:15            Tony Williamson & Friends
9:45-11:00pm     The Kruger Brothers                            

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29                            

12:15-1:00          Zoe & Cloyd
1:30-2:15            The Burnett Sisters
2:45-3:30          Dewey & Leslie Brown & The Carolina Gentlemen
4:00-4:45            Mark Kuykendall, Bobby Hicks & Asheville Bluegrass
5:15 – 6:00          Jeff Little Trio
6:30 – 7:30          Strictly Clean & Decent
8:00-9:15            Carolina Blue Band
9:45-11:00pm     The Harris Brothers                                                                                    

HARGETT STREET                        

FRIDAY, SEPT. 28                            

12:30-1:15          Kristy Cox
1:45-2:30            Bill and The Belles
3:00-3:45            Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons
4:15-5:00            FY5
5:30-6:15            Jim Lauderdale
6:45-7:45            Donna Ulisse
8:15-9:15            Chris Jones & The Night Drivers
9:45-11:00          Town Mountain                                                         

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29                            

12:30-1:15          The Carolina PineCones
1:45-2:30            Diamond Creek
3:00-3:45            Loose Strings Band
4:15-5:00            Tommy Edwards & The Bluegrass Experience
5:30-6:15            ClayBank
6:45-7:45            Sideline
8:15-9:15            Wood & Wire
9:45-11:00          Alan Bibey & Grasstowne                                                                               

CAPITOL STAGE                               

FRIDAY, SEPT. 28                            

12:15-1:00          Amanda Cook
1:30-2:15            Johnny & Jeanette Williams
2:45-3:30            Compton & Newberry
4:00-4:45            Tim O’Brien with Jan Fabricius
5:15-6:00            Nick Forster
6:30-7:30            Amythyst Kiah
8:00-9:15            Lonesome River Band
9:45-11:00          Balsam Range                                                                                                                        

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29                            

12:15-1:00          The McLain Family Band
1:30-2:15            Nu-Blu
2:45-3:30            David Davis & The Warrior River Boys
4:00-4:45            Tatiana Hargreaves with Hoot & Holler
5:15-6:00            Nefesh Mountain
6:30-7:30            Hubby Jenkins
8:00-9:15            Front Country
9:45-11:00          Unspoken Tradition     

DANCE TENT

FRIDAY, SEPT. 28     

12:00-1:30          Square Dance with Hoot & Holler
                               Rodney Sutton calling
2:00-2:45            Dwight Hawkins & Piedmont Highballers
3:15-4:30            Contra Dance with Steamshovel
                               Beth Molaro calling
5:00-5:45            Clogging Workshop with Hoot & Holler
                               Rodney Sutton calling
6:15 – 7:00          Clogging with The Apple Chill Cloggers
                               Music by Patrick Walsh & Friends
7:30-9:00            Open Dance with Che Apalache
9:30-11:00          Open Dance with The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys                                                                                  

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29                            

12:00-2:00          Family Square Dance with Hogs & Dawgs
                               Ruth Pershing calling
2:30-3:45            Clogging (performance and workshop) with Green Grass
Cloggers, Music by Little Stony Nighthawks
4:15-5:45            Contra Dance with Steamshovel
                               Beth Molaro calling
6:15-7:00            Clogging with the Cane Creek Cloggers
                               Music by Deep Valley Drifters
7:30-9:00            Contra Dance with Rip the Calico
                               Kyle Johnston calling
9:30-11:00          Open Dance with Love Canon

YOUTH STAGE (RCC plaza)                        

FRIDAY, SEPT. 28                            

12:00 – 12:45      The Baker Family
1:00 – 1:45          Southern Strings
2:00 – 3:45          Kids on Bluegrass
4:00 – 4:45          The Arcadian Wild
5:00 – 5:45          Blue Js
6:00 – 6:45          Salt and Light
7:00 — 7:35         Univ. of Louisiana at Lafayette “Vermilion Express”
7:45 — 8:15         EKU Bluegrass Ensemble
8:25 — 9:00         Clemson Bluegrass Ensemble
9:10 — 9:45         Mountain Music Ambassadors (The Kentucky Center for Traditional
                               Music at Morehead State University)
9:55 — 10:30       Glenville College                               

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29                            

12:00 – 12:45      That Dalton Gang
1:00 – 1:45          Crying Uncle
2:00 – 2:45          Cane Mill Road
3:00 – 3:45          Dixie Jubilee
4:00 – 4:45          ShadowGrass
5:00 – 5:35          Carolina Bluegrass – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
5:45 – 6:20         Mountain Music Ambassadors (The Kentucky Center for Traditional
       Music at Morehead State University)
6:30 – 7:05          Colorado College
7:15 – 7:45          Warren Wilson College Bluegrass Band
7:55 – 8:25          Walters State Community College, The High Lonesome Senate
8:35 – 9:10          East Tennessee State University “Bluegrass Pride Band”
9:20 – 9:35         Kentucky School of Bluegrass & Traditional Music 

J.A.M. STAGE @ MARTIN STREET                        

FRIDAY, SEPT. 28                            

12:00 – 12:45      Eliza Meyer
1:00 – 1:45          Blackberry Jam
2:00 – 2:45          Sweet Potato Pie Kids
3:00 – 3:45          Henderson JAM Kids
4:00 – 4:45          ShadowGrass
5:00 – 5:45          Ella & Mary
6:00 – 6:45          Burnett Sisters
7:00 – 7:45          Cane Mill Road                                                                                    

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29                            

11:00 – 11:45      Ashe JAM Band
12:00 – 12:45      One Fret Over
1:00 – 1:45          Junior Appalachian Musicians Band
2:00 – 2:45          Possum on a Whale
3:00 – 3:45          Karlie Keepfer & Smokey Holler
4:00 – 4:45          Carl Johnson & JAM Allstars, featuring Jonah Graves
5:00 – 5:45          Carolina PineCones
6:00 – 6:45          Cane Mill Road
7:00 – 7:45          ShadowGrass

MASTERS’ WORKSHOP STAGE    (RCC)

FRIDAY, SEPT. 28                            

12:00                Jim Lauderdale & Dori Freeman – Art of Songwriting
1:00                    Clawhammer Banjo – Jens Kruger, Uwe Kruger, Joe Newberry and Joel Landsberg
2:00                    The Bakers – Practicing as a Family Band (Main Lobby Stage)
2:00                    Loose Strings – Sustaining Traditions
3:00                    Mandolin Workshop – Alan Bibey, Nick Dumas and Aaron Ramsey
4:00                    Bass Workshop – Dan Eubanks, Edgar Loudermilk and Zac McLamb
5:00                    Vocal Workshop – Johnny & Jeanette Williams
6:00                    Bluegrass Karoake with Flatt Lonesome –  Want to sing a song with Flatt Lonesome as your back up band? Sign up, pick a song of your choice, name the key and be ready!                                                                                                                       

SATURDAY, SEPT. 29                            

12:00                 Banjo – Greg Cahill, Alison Brown, Russ Carson
1:00                    Guitar –  Rick Faris, Kenny Smith, Stephen Mougin, Jeff Autrey
2:00                    Dobro – Brad Hudson, Logan Hembree
3:00                    #MASHTAG 2018 – Feat. Wyatt Harman, Maddie Denton, Zach Top, Zion Napier & Calib Smith
4:00                    Love Cannon: Transforming Music – One Genre to the Next
5:00                    Fiddle –  Mike Barnett, Hunter Berry, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

PNC returns, for the sixth year, as the presenting sponsor for the two-day Wide Open Bluegrass festival.

For the fourth year, Chiesi USA, Inc.-the Cary, North Carolina-based specialty pharmaceutical companyis the principal sponsor of the World of Bluegrass event.

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that last year’s World of Bluegrass events generated $11.7 million in direct visitor spending for that region, with total attendance for the week’s activities estimated to be a record-breaking 221,000 people. Over 220 acts performed throughout the entire week of World of Bluegrass.

Sponsors of the Wide Open Bluegrass street festival, presented by PNC, include: Stella Artois; Lone Rider; Ron and Nancy McFarlane; NC Arts Council; NC Education Lottery; NC Department of Transportation; Central Carolina Chevrolet Dealers; WakeMed; Carvana; Boone; Lowes Foods; Thompson Automotive Group; Pepsi Bottling Ventures, LLC; Cheerwine; Sparkling Oh!; Martin Guitar; Carolina Hurricanes; Parker Poe Law Firm; Leaf Filter; Stanley Martin Homes; Camp Gladiator; and Our State Magazine.

Media sponsors include: WRAL; WRAL.com; CBS 17; WTVD; 94.7 QDR; 96.1 BBB; WPTF News Radio 680; KIX 102.9; Just Right Radio; and 919 Magazine.

The Youth Stage is made possible this year thanks to Buckstove; North Carolina 4-H; NC by Train; and 919 Magazine.

The StreetFest is brought to you by collaboration among the City of Raleigh, Raleigh Convention Center, IBMA, PineCone, the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, and a local organizing committee.

Single day general admission for performances at Red Hat Amphitheater during Wide Open Bluegrass are still available, and start as low as $60 for the general public and $50 for IBMA members, with children under 12 attending for free when accompanied by an adult. Wide Open Bluegrass is the principal fundraiser for the Bluegrass Trust Fund, which provides direct financial assistance to bluegrass artists and other industry professionals in times of emergency need. (To date, the Trust Fund has given more than $800,000 in direct aid.)

Additional details and pricing information – including member discounts – for Red Hat Amphitheater performances, Bluegrass Ramble Showcase passes, IBMA Business Conference registration, IBMA Award Show tickets and hotel reservations are available at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass website, WorldofBluegrass.org.

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