There will be a new look to the Bluegrass Festival in 2025. PineCone has plans to produce a newly reimagined Raleigh Wide Open. The 2025 version of the festival that locals simply call “Bluegrass” will include all of the things we love about Downtown Raleigh’s signature event plus a few new surprises. Save the date and plan to join the fun Oct. 3-4, 2025.
“The goal is to keep the spirit of the event intact, and that spirit and goal is to create a cultural experience that reflects the city of Raleigh,” said PineCone’s David Brower. “We consider it a success when we see a family, with the kids, parents and grandparents all enjoying the festival.”
AXIOS 07/30/24
WHAT’S UP WITH THE NAME?
We’re calling it Raleigh Wide Open. This is a name that dates back to 2008 when downtown Raleigh experienced a cultural renaissance. Fayetteville Street re-opened to traffic, the new Raleigh Convention Center was built and a year later the Red Hat Amphitheater opened.
Since that time, Fayetteville Street has been “Wide Open” for festivals bringing music, Canes fans, art and neighbors together. This festival will carry on in that tradition as we usher in a vibrant new era for downtown Raleigh.
We had a wonderful 12 years partnering with our friends at IBMA and look forward to this new chapter.
“We eagerly anticipate what our great city has planned for 2025 and beyond,” said Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin. “I look forward to a reimagined festival run by PineCone, with a continued focus on diversity and inclusion.”
PRESS RELEASE 09/27/23
THIS IS MY FAVORITE WEEKEND OF THE YEAR – WHAT’S NEXT?
The newly reimagined Raleigh Wide Open launches in October 2025. PineCone and the City of Raleigh are firmly committed to continuing to produce a world-class event that celebrates bluegrass and other musical genres rooted in community.
“The weekend festival has always been an activation of the Local Organizing Committee,” said Loren Gold of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We’re excited to put all we have learned over this past decade together to create a new homegrown festival. We’re going to work with our local partners to reimagine a new festival. It’s going to keep growing and getting even better.”
Press release 09/27/23
WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH IBMA?
On July 29, 2024, IBMA announced plans to move its annual World of Bluegrass gathering from Raleigh to Chattanooga, Tennessee. You can find details about the conference, ramble showcases, awards show and festival here.
WHAT WILL RALEIGH WIDE OPEN LOOK LIKE?
It will look and feel a lot like the street festival we produced each fall for the last 12-years. The stages will showcase music that’s rooted in community. Bluegrass, old-time, folk, Americana, gospel and so much more. In addition to the multiple stages for music Raleigh Wide Open will feature a curated art market, food and fun that three generations of a family can all enjoy together. Find out more about our vision for Raleigh Wide Open in this October 2024 article from VisitRaleigh featuring an interview with PineCone Executive Director David Brower.
HOW CAN I BE A VENDOR AT THE FESTIVAL?
We are once again partnering with our friends at Artsplosure to curate a wide variety of food trucks, artists, and local businesses offering their creations at Raleigh Wide Open. Find more info and vendor applications here.
“There’s something magical that happens when old friends get together to play music together. It’s an incredible thing to witness and is at the center of our plans for this sacrosanct weekend of music in Raleigh,” PineCone executive director David Brower said of the new event. “We’re excited for this new chapter of our region’s largest festival and look forward to dancing the late summer nights away with all our 100,000+ closest friends.”
WRAL NEWS 07/30/24
“We can broaden our cultural palate,” said Brower. “We still love bluegrass and will be fully committed, but it’s not going to be all that. We’re going to branch out…”
News & observer 09/27/23