The IBMA World of Bluegrass conference and festival is taking place this week in downtown Raleigh. After 10 years, this is the final year the conference will take place in the Triangle as it moves to Chattanooga, Tennessee in 2025. The conference and festival has made Raleigh its home since 2013 when it moved to the Triangle from Nashville.
Since Tuesday, the Raleigh Convention Center has hosted the IBMA Business Conference. This event hosts dozens of panels and workshops hosted by industry experts who have shared their knowledge on booking gigs, managing finances, and many other issues for both bluegrass music newcomers and industry veterans. The conference is also home to the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards show, which was held on Thursday at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts.
All of this culminates in IBMA Bluegrass Live!, taking place Friday and Saturday all over downtown Raleigh. Six stages are set up for free concerts from artists like Kaia Kater, Willie Watson, and Jim Lauderdale. There will also be a street festival with vendors set up selling food and crafts. Red Hat Amphitheater hosts ticketed shows both nights with performances from Sierra Ferrell, Sam Bush, Amethyst Kiah, and Steep Canyon Rangers with Chatham County Line.
David Brower is the executive director of Pinecone, who produces the music festival portion of the festivities. Speaking about the gathering, he says "for many people it’s their first, and maybe only, experience with bluegrass music for the year. You can wander and peek around every corner and you’ll see lots of great music happening and surely find something you like."
While the conference is moving to Chattanooga next year, the show will go on in Raleigh. Brower says that Pinecone will continue to produce a similar festival called Raleigh Wide Open in the fall of 2025.
"We're gonna keep all of the elements that people love. Free stages of music, lots of stuff for kids and adults alike," he said. "Mom and Dad and the kids and the grandparents can all come down to Raleigh and find something that they'll enjoy at this festival and do it in an accessible manner. There's no economic barrier."
