Other Festivals & Events

 

The Dulcimer Players News Festival and Workshop Guide features music festivals focused on mountain and hammered dulcimers.

This list (ordered by start date) features upcoming festivals that might be of interest to dulcimer players, including folk, bluegrass, and old-time music and dance festivals. Keep scrolling to see more events coming in 2025!

This list was last updated on December 5, 2024.
If you would like to see a festival included, please email the details to staff@dpnews.com.

 

Ongoing

 

Blue Ridge Mountain Music Trails of North Carolina

North Carolina
Assorted music and old time events

 

The Folk Project: The Troubadour Acoustic Concert Series

Morristown, New Jersey
Usually 7:30 p.m. on Fridays - check website for details and performers

 

Upper Potomac Music Weekends

Shepherdsville, West Virginia
Throughout the year

 

2025

 

Savannah Music Festival

Savannah, Georgia
March 27-April 12, 2025

 

Baltimore Old Time Music Festival

Baltimore Museum of Industry, Baltimore, Maryland
April 18-19, 2025

 

California State Old Time Fiddle & Picking Championships

Lodi, CA
TBD (was April 19th-20th, 2024)

 

Big Muddy Folk Festival

Boonville, Missouri
TBD (was April 5 - 6, 2024)

 

Bluegrass in the Gorge

Menucha Retreat and Conference Center
Corbett, Oregon
May 29-June 1, 2025
(Check out their other programs too!)

 

Blue Ridge Uke Fest

Morganton, North Carolina
TBA (was May 3-5, 2024)

 

Central Ohio Folk Festival

Lewis Center, Ohio [near Columbus]
TBD (was May 4-5, 2024)

 

Cheat River Festival

Albright, West Virginia
TBD (was May 3-4, 2024)

 

Millvale Music Fest

Millvale PA
May 16-17, 2025

 

The Ashokan Center
Music & Dance Camp Dates

Olivebridge, New York
Assorted events including the “Old Time Rollick”, May 16-18, 2025

 

Edinboro Art & Music Festival

Edinboro, Pennsylvania
TBD (was May 17-19, 2024)

 

Florida Folk Festival

May 23-25, 2025 (Memorial Day weekend)
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
White Springs, FL

 

Fire in the Mountain

Aberystwyth, Wales
Festival - May 29-June 13, 2025

 

In the Pines

Bristol, TN/VA
TBD (was June 1, 2024)

 

Mount Airy Blue Grass and Old-Time Fiddlers Convention

Mount Airy, North Carolina
June 6-7, 2025

 

Ocrafolk Festival

Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
June 6-8, 2025

 

Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival

San Francisco, CA
June 12-15, 2025

 

Bluff Mountain Music Festival

Hot Springs, NC
TBD - was June 15, 2024 - 10am - 6pm

Common Ground on the Hill (Maryland Folklife Center)

Westminster, Maryland
Traditions Weeks: TBD - was June 24-28, 2024 (virtual); July 7-12 (in-person)
Roots Music & Arts Festival: TBD - was July 13, 2024 (in-person)
Deer Creek Fiddlers’ Convention: TBD - was May 1-31, 2024 (virtual); June 2, 2024 (in-person)

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Washington, D.C.
July 2– 7, 2025

Old Songs Festival

Albany, New York
June 27-29, 2025

Great Blue Heron Music Festival

Sherman, New York
July 4-6, 2025

Fire in the Mountain

Aberystwyth, Wales
Music Camp - July 21-26, 2025

Appalachian String Band Music Festival

Clifftop, West Virginia
TBD - was July 31 - Aug. 4, 2024

Pickathon

Happy Valley, OR
July 31-Aug. 3, 2025

Musikfest

Bethlehem, PA
Aug. 1-3, 2025

 

Folk Heritage Committee: Shindig on the Green & Mountain Dance and Folk Festival

Asheville, North Carolina
Shindig on the Green: Saturday evenings in July and August, TBD 2025
Mountain Dance and Folk Festival: TBD 2025 - was August 1 - 3, 2024

 

WUMB Acoustic Music Camps

Boston, Massachusetts
TBD 2025 - was July/August, 2024

Week-long camps in July and August, and other music events throughout the year.

 

Great River Folk Festival

LaCrosse, WI
Aug. 22-24, 2025

 

Tri-State Bluegrass Music Festival

Kendalville, IN
TBD 2025 - was Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2024

 

Plumas Homegrown American Festival

Quincy, CA
TBD 2025 - was Aug. 30 - Sept. 4, 2024

 

Indiana Folk Music Society: 49th Annual Eagle Creek Folk Festival

Beach Shelter in Eagle Creek Park, Indianapolis
TBD 2025 - was Sept. 14, 2024

 

The Berkeley Old-Time Music Convention

Berkeley, CA
Sept. 17-21, 2025

 

Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival

Portsmouth NH
September 27-28, 2025
https://pmffest.org

 

Winter Creek Reunion Acoustic Music Festival

TBD 2025 - was Oct. 10-13, 2024
Bennington, Oklahoma

 

Berea College Celebration of Traditional Music

TBD 2025 - was Oct. 11-13, 2024
Berea, Kentucky

 

Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival

TBD 2025 - was Oct 11-13, 2024
New Orleans, Louisiana

 

Bluegrass Island Music Festival

Manteo, North Carolina
Oct. 16-18, 2025

 

Smokey Mountains Bluegrass Festival

Waynesville, North Carolina
Oct. 25, 2025

 

Barberville Pioneer Settlement

Barberville, Florida
Assorted events including monthly “Playing on the Porches,” the Annual Spring Frolic (TBD 2025 - was April 6 - 7, 2024), and the Annual Fall Country Jamboree (TBD 2025 - was Nov. 2 - 3, 2024)