Philly Bluegrass

Summer is peak season for bluegrass and roots music in the Philadelphia area. The region’s festivals draw top touring acts, and in many cases those same bands pass through area clubs and concert series on their way in and out of town. That means a steady stream of exceptional music all season long. Here are our highlights for the rest of the summer, from now through Labor Day.
And beyond these picks, the local scene is thriving all summer. Follow the Philly Bluegrass calendar so you don’t miss a thing.

July 30 to August 2: AFBA Bluegrass Festival (Wind Gap, PA)

The Appalachian Fiddle & Bluegrass Association’s 37th annual festival is four days of music, camping, workshops, and jamming at Mountain View Park in Wind Gap. This year’s lineup is loaded, with Henhouse Prowlers, The Grascals, Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass, Junior Sisk Band, DownRiver Collective, The Plate Scrapers, Wood Flower, and many more. With music workshops, kids’ activities, food and craft vendors, and late-night picking, it’s the kind of immersive festival weekend that reminds you why this music is best experienced in community. Tickets and more info.

August 1: The Asheville Mountain Boys + Midnight Flyer at Black Squirrel Club (Philadelphia)

A great traditional bluegrass double bill in one of the city’s best rooms for the genre. The Asheville Mountain Boys bring old-school bluegrass from the mountains of Western North Carolina, drawing on first-generation influences like Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Jimmy Martin. Their motto says it all: “No plugs, no pedals, only bluegrass.” Philly’s own Midnight Flyer, playing hard-driving traditional bluegrass since 2014, shares the bill. More info.

August 5: Peter Rowan with Sam Grisman Project at Longwood Gardens

A true bluegrass legend in one of the region’s most beautiful settings. Peter Rowan, bluegrass Hall of Famer, former Bill Monroe Blue Grass Boy, and founding member of Old & In the Way, brings his timeless songwriting and high lonesome voice to Longwood Gardens, joined by the Sam Grisman Project. This is a rare chance to see a living link to the first generation of bluegrass in an unforgettable outdoor setting. Tickets start at $64.

August 8: Watchhouse at Upper Merion Concerts Under the Stars (King of Prussia)

Watchhouse, the acclaimed duo of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz (formerly known as Mandolin Orange), brings their intimate, gorgeously-crafted folk to King of Prussia. Their songwriting is quiet, deep, and emotionally resonant, and hearing it outdoors on a summer evening is close to perfect. Tickets.

August 14 to 16: 63rd Philadelphia Folk Festival (Old Pool Farm)

The Philadelphia Folk Festival is one of the longest-running folk festivals in the country, 63 years and counting. This year’s lineup is loaded for bluegrass and roots fans, with Sam Bush, Leftover Salmon, Damn Tall Buildings, Dirk and Amelia Powell, and Big Richard among the performers. Three days of music, workshops, and camping at Old Pool Farm in Upper Salford. A regional institution worth experiencing at least once. Tickets.

August 19: The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys and Wood Flower at Sellersville Theater

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are the real deal, a Grammy-nominated, hard-driving traditional bluegrass band that looks and sounds like it stepped straight out of the genre’s golden age. Rising Pennsylvania band Wood Flower opens. If you like your bluegrass authentic and unfiltered, this is your night. Tickets.

August 20: Eugene Tyler Band at Secondhand Ranch (Philadelphia)

An indie-bluegrass outfit from New York’s Hudson Valley, Eugene Tyler Band has spent years on the festival circuit and shared stages with the likes of Billy Strings, Mountain Grass Unit, and The Kitchen Dwellers. Their sound blends bluegrass grit with an indie spirit, with sharp, often funny songwriting and a fast, loose energy that calls back to influences like the Clash. Catch them in an intimate Philly room. More info.

August 22: Jim Hurst at Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts (Free Show)

Jim Hurst is a guitarist’s guitarist, a two-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year (2001, 2002) known for both his flatpicking and his fingerstyle playing. His warmth and virtuosity have made him one of the most respected pickers in bluegrass. This free outdoor show at the Bryn Mawr Gazebo is presented by Rising Sun Presents and sponsored by Progressive Acoustics. Sweet Corn opens. Bring a blanket! RSVP for free.

August 28: Larry & Joe at The Colonial Theatre (Phoenixville)

Larry & Joe bring together Venezuelan harpist and singer Larry Bellorín and Appalachian multi-instrumentalist Joe Troop for a genre-crossing celebration of two folk traditions in dialogue. It’s a joyful, virtuosic, and deeply human show, with bluegrass and Llanera music proving they have more in common than you’d think. Tickets.

September 4 to 6: 54th Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival (Salem County, NJ)

A Labor Day weekend tradition for more than half a century. This year’s festival at the Salem County Fairgrounds features an outstanding lineup, including the Dan Tyminski Band, Kathy Mattea, Jason Carter & Michael Cleveland, the Travelin’ McCourys, and more. Three days of top-tier bluegrass, camping, and jamming, and the perfect way to send off the summer season. Tickets.