Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival takes place Saturday, September 30 & Sunday, October 1 on the gorgeous beach at Sandy Point State Park along Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, MD. Highlighting the finest in regional and national bluegrass, jamgrass, and Americana music, this conservation-focused musical event was listed as a “Don’t-Miss Bay Music Festival” by Chesapeake Bay Magazine. A family friendly festival, Annapolis Baygrass anticipates drawing people from all over the country and the region to enjoy the unique beachfront destination, scrumptious local foods, and delightful cocktails and mocktails.
“The Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival was born out of our team’s love of progressive bluegrass music, the desire to generate a fun community-oriented vibe, and a passion for protecting the Chesapeake Bay,” says festival co-founder Ron Peremel. “We created a unique music festival where just by having fun you're helping the Bay. As we like to say: ‘Every Jam Saves the Bay!’"
Annapolis Baygrass will host 14 bands across two alternating stages over two days, and Annapolis Baygrass is thrilled to announce the daily schedules!
Saturday headliners are Yonder Mountain String Band (8:20-9:30pm), Railroad Earth (6-7:10pm), and Keller & The Keels (7:10-8:20pm). These three legendary bands have joined together in camaraderie for a unique tour, presented by Relix, and Annapolis Baygrass is their final stop! There will be a set by each, followed by a big jam to close out the night (All Star Jam 9:30-10pm).
Saturday daytime is full of flavor with the cinematic Jon Stickley Trio (2:30-4pm), Baltimore's own high energy The Dirty Grass Players (1-2:30pm), and Lindsay Lou will sweep you off your feet with her incredible vocals and beautiful lyrics—both with her band on Saturday (4-5:30pm), and as artist-at-large throughout the event. Baygrass House Stringband—Geraldine opens the festival (Sat 11:45am-12:45pm) and will perform the Annapolis Baygrass Theme Song “In The Water” after a Proclamation from Mayor of Annapolis—Gavin Buckley (Sat 5:30-6pm).
Sunday headliner, Melvin Seals and JGB (7:15-9pm), will be serving up a tasty mix that spans from blues to funk to rock to jazz, with a little R&B and gospel thrown in to spice things up. A powerful presence in the music industry for over 30 years, Seals is most revered for his high-spirited playing in the Jerry Garcia Band for 18 years. Melvin and JGB bring an intuitive, expressive style, soul, spontaneity, and remarkable chops to the table with John Kadlecik on lead guitar and vocals, John-Paul McLean's savory bass, Jeremy Hoenig on the drums and, of course, a heapin' helpin' of the wizard's magic on Hammond B-3 Organ and keyboards.
Sunday daytime offers an eclectic assortment of bands to rock out and dance to—each adding their own stories, harmonious vocals, and fiery fingerpickin’ to the mix—including Fruition (5:30-7pm), Cabinet (4-5:20pm), Cris Jacobs & Smooth Kentucky (2:45-3:55pm), Arkansauce (1:45-2:45pm), and the Chesapeake Bay area’s Wicked Sycamore (12:45-1:45pm) and The High & Wides (11:45am-12:45pm).
Hear music from all of the artists on the Annapolis Baygrass Spotify Playlist.
Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival has a theme song, “In The Water,” by Geraldine with special guest Cris Jacobs! The song was written by singer/songwriter/guitarist John Bolten, PhD, who is also the Chief of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Hydrological Sciences Lab—this man understands the water and why all of our actions have such a significant impact on the Chesapeake Bay. John says, “‘In the Water’ was written with all the heart and soul of the Chesapeake Bay in mind.”
