June
Appalachian Uprising June 2-4 — Scottown, Ohio This grassy throwdown takes place in the Appalachians of Ohio and features Sam Bush, Infamous Stringdusters, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Del McCoury, David Mayfield Parade, and the Steep Canyon Rangers.
Wakarusa June 2-5 — Ozark, Ark. This huge jam gathering in the Ozarks will feature Ben Harper, Thievery Corporation, STS9, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Mumford & Sons, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and many more.
Western Maryland Blues Festival June 2-5 — Hagerstown, Md. This annual fest serves up a huge batch of gritty down home blues, this year featuring the Tommy Castro Band, Bernard Allison, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, and Phil Wiggins and Corey Harris.
Blue Plum Festival June 3-5 — Johnson City, Tenn. Join 80,000 people gathering over seven city blocks in downtown Johnson City for three days of roots music, great food, and regional art.
Roots Picnic June 4 — Philadelphia, Pa. Hip-hop’s greatest live act, The Roots, hosts a one-day festival in their hometown at Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia. Acts joining the picnic include Nas, Wiz Khalifa, Dismemberment Plan, and more.
Starscape Festival June 4 — Baltimore, Md. Electronic grooves are in full effect at Fort Armistead Park. Dance to Bassnectar, Lotus, Infected Mushroom, and many more by the Chesapeake Bay from the afternoon until sunrise the following day.
Vintage Virginia June 4-5 — Manassas, Va. Two days of delicious food and wine with tunes provided by soul songstress Bettye LaVette and others at Bull Run Park.
Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival June 10-11 — Tryon, N.C. The heart and soul of the Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival is the barbecue cook-off event, as teams from around the country compete for big prize money. Other than that it’s all about sampling the region’s best BBQ, listening to great music, and checking out local crafts.
Seedtime on the Cumberland June 10-12 — Whitesburg, Ky. This annual down home fest in Eastern Kentucky brings together storytellers, musicians, artisans, and writers of the highest order.
Virginia Blues & Jazz Festival June 10-12 — Hot Springs, Va. Hear some hot blues and jazz in the Western Virginia Mountains. Scheduled to appear is Chris Potter Underground with many more to be announced.
Riverbend Festival June 10-18 — Chattanooga, Tenn. The annual summer street festival along two miles of Tennessee River shoreline packs more musical bang for the buck than any festival in the South with a nine-day pass going for $40. Bands on the bill include Huey Lewis and The News, Miranda Lambert, the Beach Boys, Los Straitjackets, Acoustic Syndicate, Lubriphonic, and many more to be announced.
Rapids Jam Music Festival June 16-18 — Roanoke Rapids, N.C. If you dig country music, you better get down to Roanoke Rapids for this blowout featuring Sugarland, Lady Antebellum, Willie Nelson, and Darius Rucker.
Campout East June 17-18 — Crozet, Va. David Lowery from Cracker hosts this brand new roots music bash at Misty Mountain Campground with help from Sons of Bill, Futurebirds, and Those Darlins.
World Beer Festival June 18 — Richmond, Va. Craft beer paradise converges on Brown’s Island for a full day of all the suds you can drink.
Music in the Mountains Bluegrass Festival June 22-25 — Summersville, W.Va. This hard-line traditional bluegrass festival takes place at the Summersville Music Park. Features: Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, Dailey & Vincent, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, and many more.
ROMP: Bluegrass Roots & Branches Festival June 23-25 — Owensboro, Ky. The International Bluegrass Music Museum throws this high-profile pickin’ celebration that includes many generational variations of the high lonesome sound. Catch comedian Steve Martin playing his banjo with the Steep Canyon Rangers, Tony Rice with Mountain Heart, The Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile, Emmylou Harris, and Carolina Chocolate Drops.
