Support Us Button Widget
City

New bluegrass festival to replace IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh

Following IBMA Bluegrass Live!'s announced departure from Oak City, a new bluegrass festival from PineCone will pluck its way into Raleigh in 2025.

July 30, 2024 • 
Allie Remhof
Attendees watch a concert at Red Hat Amphitheater.

Raleigh was the fourth home of IBMA World of Bluegrass with shows at Red Hat and throughout downtown.

Photo provided by IBMA and PineCone

Piedmont-based music nonprofit PineCone announced a new bluegrass festival called Raleigh Wide Open which will replace IBMA World of Bluegrass + Bluegrass Live! in 2025.

Raleigh Wide Open will take center stage Oct. 3-4, 2025 and is named in honor of the original Oak City bluegrass festival. IBMA Bluegrass Live! will rock Raleigh one last time Sept. 27-28 with acts like Sierra Ferrell + Steep Canyon Rangers. IBMA’s festival amassed 223,000 attendees from 2017 to 2023.

During the festival’s 10th year in the City of Oaks in 2023, IBMA announced that World of Bluegrass + Bluegrass Live! would leave Raleigh — the festival will head to Chattanooga, Tennessee starting in 2025.

“The festival will certainly include bluegrass but will be much more culturally expansive,” said David Brower, PineCone’s executive director, in a 2023 press release. “Gospel, funk, blues, and old time are deeply rooted in this community and a whole lot of fun. We want to make sure this new festival both looks and sounds like Raleigh.”

More from RALtoday
RAL_TamashaAppleCocktail_OCT2025
Food
Recipe: Tamasha Modern Indian’s ‘How ‘Bout Them Apples?’ cocktail
Warm up with this spiced apple cocktail recipe, perfect for using fall produce.
October 9, 2025
 · 
Allie Remhof
Raleigh skyline
Looking back on 6 years of RALtoday
We’re blowing out the candles to celebrate six years of RALtoday — here are some of our favorite articles from over the years.
October 7, 2025
 · 
Allie Remhof
A bowl of pho from Midtown Pho.
Food
14 soup spots in Raleigh
As the weather gets colder, soup is there to keep you warm. Get cozy with a cup or bowl at some of our favorite spots for soup in Raleigh, from pozole to pho and ramen.
October 6, 2025
 · 
Allie Remhof
RAL_LutraQuiche_OCT2025
Recipe: Lutra’s roasted pumpkin and caramelized onion quiche
This quiche from Durham’s Lutra will warm up your kitchen to welcome fall.
October 2, 2025
 · 
Allie Remhof
A high-up satellite image of Raleigh from above, labeled with a blue marker. Blue lines stretch out north, east, south, and west from Raleigh across the greenery surrounding the city, stretching to the edges of the map at each side of the image.
Travel and Outdoors
Which cities share Raleigh’s latitude and longitude?
Directly north, east, south, and west of RAL, cities across the world await.
September 29, 2025
 · 
Patrick Sidwell
Front porch decorated with assorted pumpkins, colorful mums, and a fall wreath on the door. The scene conveys a festive autumn atmosphere.
Real Estate
Trending this fall: Porch pumpkins
Skip the pumpkin patch and hire these local businesses to come and spruce up your landscaping with a seasonal touch.
September 26, 2025
 · 
Haley Bartlett
A photo of two sourdough loaves, both with LF engraved in the top for La Farm Bakery. There is flour on top of the rounded loaves which are sat upon a wooden surface. The loaf in the foreground is in focus, and the one behind it is blurry.
Food
Join the sourdough revolution in Raleigh
The bread type is reaching new heights in popularity, and we’re here to help you find the best loaves in RAL, or start making your own.
September 24, 2025
 · 
Patrick Sidwell
A ton of people at the NC State Fair.
Events
Plan Ahead: 25+ October events in Raleigh
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
September 24, 2025
 · 
Allie Remhof
RAL_TGRCPrestontruck_SEPT2025
City
The Great Raleigh Cleanup turns five with a Birthday Bash
It’s time to party. With over a quarter million pounds of trash collected, thousands of volunteers, and five years of community and impact, The Great Raleigh Cleanup is hosting a birthday bash.
September 23, 2025
 · 
Allie Remhof
Three photos: Left and very right, someone sitting in the driver's seat of a Raleigh Fire Dept. firetruck; middle, two women holding certificates for completing the Raleigh Neighborhood College.
City
Why you should sign up for the Raleigh Neighborhood College
Managing Editor Cat and Newsletter Editor Allie completed the Spring 2025 Raleigh Neighborhood College cohort — bookmark this to sign up for the next one, running March through May.
September 23, 2025
 · 
Cat George