Spring 2022 Music Festival Preview Gear up for NC Festivals! March 28, 2022 Author: Debbie Tullos As spring arrives, the birds aren’t the only ones singin’! Some of the finest music festivals in the land are right here in North Carolina. With so many rich musical traditions all across the state, it’s no wonder there’s a festival for everyone. So, grab your lawn chairs and make your plans to check out these North Carolina music festivals: Dreamville Festival, April 2-3, 2022, Raleigh, NC The wildly popular Dreamville Festival from North Carolina-native, Grammy-winning, multi-platinum hip-hop artist J. Cole is expanded to two days this year, encompassing multiple stages on the expansive Dix Park campus. This celebration of food, culture, and art with musical performances from artists carefully curated by J. Cole himself is a showcase not to be missed. A portion of proceeds from the 2022 event will be donated to the official Dreamville Festival charity partners, the Dreamville Foundation and Dix Park Conservancy. Big Lick Bluegrass Festival, April 21-23, 2022, Oakboro, NC After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Big Lick Bluegrass Festival is back. This is the 18th year of the festival in Oakboro. A limited number of camp sites are available at Big Lick Festival Park for those who plan to make a three-day weekend of it. The single-stage is scheduled to host performances from Appalachian Road Show, Lonesome River Band, High Fidelity, Steve Dilling and Sideline, Terry Baucom’s Duke of Drive, Backline, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, and A Deeper Shade of Blue. Hip Hop South Festival, April 22-23, 2022, Chapel Hill, NC The Hip Hop South Festival from Carolina Performing Arts’ Southern Futures initiative is a celebration of hip hop across the South. Co-curated by Harvard Nasir Jones Hip Hop Fellows Christopher Massenburg (also known as Dasan Ahanu) and Dr. Regina Bradley, the festival includes performances, academic gatherings, beat and dance battles, visual art and more. Artists on the performance schedule include Rapsody, Shirlette Ammons, Carolina Waves, Big Boi, Sa-Roc, Radio Rehab, Raleigh Rockers, and The Soul Council. Merlefest, April 28-May 1, 2022, Wilkesboro, NC MerleFest is back for a springtime jam! Considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, the spring version of this festival follows a successful fall iteration this past September. Wilkes Community College campus hosts numerous artists, performing on 13 stages during the four-day event. From its beginning, MerleFest has centered on ‘traditional plus’ music, a unique mix of music based on the traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, blues, rock and many other styles. Beach Fest, April 30, 2022, Selma, NC The 9th Annual Beach Fest isn’t at the beach. This day-long festival takes place at The Farm, a venue near Selma. What’s so beachy about it? Beach music, of course! Your shaggin’ shoes will work just fine in a field, right? With performances from Jim Quick & Coastline, The Embers featuring Craig Woolard, and The Band of Oz, let’s hope so. Malpass Brothers Country & Bluegrass Music Festival, May 5-7, 2022, Denton, NC This festival was formerly known as the Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Bluegrass Festival, bearing the name of bluegrass musician Doyle Lawson for the past 40 years. Lawson’s retirement in 2021 opened the door for a change, and the country duo The Malpass Brothers stepped up to host the event at Denton Farmpark in its 41st year. Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance, May 5-8, 2022, Pittsboro, NC This festival, a collaboration between the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center and the Grassroots Festival Organization, is four days of eclectic entertainment. Many styles of music on four stages, plus art vendors, food, games, drum circles, music competitions, puppets, children’s activities…something for everyone! Donna the Buffalo is the host band for this event. Beaufort Music Festival, May 20-21, 2022, Beaufort, NC For more than 30 years, this festival has been a Beaufort community tradition, giving locals and tourists alike the opportunity to enjoy beautiful spring weather and great music. Festival organizers say they “strive to present a diverse music line-up and introduce attendees to fresh musical acts.” The festival takes place at Gallants Channel Annex, a waterfront site owned by the State of North Carolina, future home of the extended campus of the North Carolina Maritime Museum and Maritime Center. Beach Music Festival, May 21, 2022, Atlantic Beach, NC A beach music festival…at the beach! This is a day of free music on the Atlantic Beach Boardwalk with a stacked line-up of Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot, The Embers, North Tower, The Mighty Saints of Soul, and I-42 Band. Carolina Blues Festival, May 21, 2022, Greensboro, NC The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society (PBPS) has the 36th annual Carolina Blues Festival in the works, with the artist line-up announcement still to come. The PBPS not only hosts this festival each year, but also supports other local Blues events and Blues programs in schools year-round. Carl Sandburg Music Festival, May 30, 2022, Flat Rock, NC The 36th Carl Sandburg Music Festival is held at the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site, Connemara, on Memorial Day each year. Connemara is the North Carolina home of poet Carl Sandburg. The event was held virtually in 2021 but will be in-person again in 2022. The festival began in 1987 to honor Sandburg's efforts to document the history of American music in his American Songbag. He spent years interviewing musicians and singers, documenting their songs, including folk, gospel, jazz and blues. Today, the Carl Sandburg Music Festival celebrates his work and the work of modern singers and songwriters to share diverse and original American music. This festival is supported in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, administered by the Arts Council of Henderson County. While this isn’t an exhaustive list of festivals with music across North Carolina, this should get you started on your toe-tappin’ journey. Enjoy! …and don’t forget the sunscreen. This blog is related to: Come Hear NC
Spring 2022 Music Festival Preview Gear up for NC Festivals! March 28, 2022 Author: Debbie Tullos As spring arrives, the birds aren’t the only ones singin’! Some of the finest music festivals in the land are right here in North Carolina. With so many rich musical traditions all across the state, it’s no wonder there’s a festival for everyone. So, grab your lawn chairs and make your plans to check out these North Carolina music festivals: Dreamville Festival, April 2-3, 2022, Raleigh, NC The wildly popular Dreamville Festival from North Carolina-native, Grammy-winning, multi-platinum hip-hop artist J. Cole is expanded to two days this year, encompassing multiple stages on the expansive Dix Park campus. This celebration of food, culture, and art with musical performances from artists carefully curated by J. Cole himself is a showcase not to be missed. A portion of proceeds from the 2022 event will be donated to the official Dreamville Festival charity partners, the Dreamville Foundation and Dix Park Conservancy. Big Lick Bluegrass Festival, April 21-23, 2022, Oakboro, NC After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Big Lick Bluegrass Festival is back. This is the 18th year of the festival in Oakboro. A limited number of camp sites are available at Big Lick Festival Park for those who plan to make a three-day weekend of it. The single-stage is scheduled to host performances from Appalachian Road Show, Lonesome River Band, High Fidelity, Steve Dilling and Sideline, Terry Baucom’s Duke of Drive, Backline, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, and A Deeper Shade of Blue. Hip Hop South Festival, April 22-23, 2022, Chapel Hill, NC The Hip Hop South Festival from Carolina Performing Arts’ Southern Futures initiative is a celebration of hip hop across the South. Co-curated by Harvard Nasir Jones Hip Hop Fellows Christopher Massenburg (also known as Dasan Ahanu) and Dr. Regina Bradley, the festival includes performances, academic gatherings, beat and dance battles, visual art and more. Artists on the performance schedule include Rapsody, Shirlette Ammons, Carolina Waves, Big Boi, Sa-Roc, Radio Rehab, Raleigh Rockers, and The Soul Council. Merlefest, April 28-May 1, 2022, Wilkesboro, NC MerleFest is back for a springtime jam! Considered one of the premier music festivals in the country, the spring version of this festival follows a successful fall iteration this past September. Wilkes Community College campus hosts numerous artists, performing on 13 stages during the four-day event. From its beginning, MerleFest has centered on ‘traditional plus’ music, a unique mix of music based on the traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, blues, rock and many other styles. Beach Fest, April 30, 2022, Selma, NC The 9th Annual Beach Fest isn’t at the beach. This day-long festival takes place at The Farm, a venue near Selma. What’s so beachy about it? Beach music, of course! Your shaggin’ shoes will work just fine in a field, right? With performances from Jim Quick & Coastline, The Embers featuring Craig Woolard, and The Band of Oz, let’s hope so. Malpass Brothers Country & Bluegrass Music Festival, May 5-7, 2022, Denton, NC This festival was formerly known as the Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Bluegrass Festival, bearing the name of bluegrass musician Doyle Lawson for the past 40 years. Lawson’s retirement in 2021 opened the door for a change, and the country duo The Malpass Brothers stepped up to host the event at Denton Farmpark in its 41st year. Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance, May 5-8, 2022, Pittsboro, NC This festival, a collaboration between the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center and the Grassroots Festival Organization, is four days of eclectic entertainment. Many styles of music on four stages, plus art vendors, food, games, drum circles, music competitions, puppets, children’s activities…something for everyone! Donna the Buffalo is the host band for this event. Beaufort Music Festival, May 20-21, 2022, Beaufort, NC For more than 30 years, this festival has been a Beaufort community tradition, giving locals and tourists alike the opportunity to enjoy beautiful spring weather and great music. Festival organizers say they “strive to present a diverse music line-up and introduce attendees to fresh musical acts.” The festival takes place at Gallants Channel Annex, a waterfront site owned by the State of North Carolina, future home of the extended campus of the North Carolina Maritime Museum and Maritime Center. Beach Music Festival, May 21, 2022, Atlantic Beach, NC A beach music festival…at the beach! This is a day of free music on the Atlantic Beach Boardwalk with a stacked line-up of Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot, The Embers, North Tower, The Mighty Saints of Soul, and I-42 Band. Carolina Blues Festival, May 21, 2022, Greensboro, NC The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society (PBPS) has the 36th annual Carolina Blues Festival in the works, with the artist line-up announcement still to come. The PBPS not only hosts this festival each year, but also supports other local Blues events and Blues programs in schools year-round. Carl Sandburg Music Festival, May 30, 2022, Flat Rock, NC The 36th Carl Sandburg Music Festival is held at the Carl Sandburg National Historic Site, Connemara, on Memorial Day each year. Connemara is the North Carolina home of poet Carl Sandburg. The event was held virtually in 2021 but will be in-person again in 2022. The festival began in 1987 to honor Sandburg's efforts to document the history of American music in his American Songbag. He spent years interviewing musicians and singers, documenting their songs, including folk, gospel, jazz and blues. Today, the Carl Sandburg Music Festival celebrates his work and the work of modern singers and songwriters to share diverse and original American music. This festival is supported in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, administered by the Arts Council of Henderson County. While this isn’t an exhaustive list of festivals with music across North Carolina, this should get you started on your toe-tappin’ journey. Enjoy! …and don’t forget the sunscreen. This blog is related to: Come Hear NC
