Article Contributed by Dreamspider Publicity
Published on 2026-07-30
The Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival has been nominated for the 2026 International Bluegrass Music Association Industry Award for Event of the Year, recognizing the festival’s combination of world-class music, environmental stewardship, community programming, and its beachfront setting along the Chesapeake Bay.
The festival will return to Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Maryland, on Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20. Organizers have also announced an official Friday night kick-off party at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts on September 18, featuring Jammy Buffet and Cumberland Honey.
Two-day and single-day general admission and VIP passes are on sale now at baygrassfestival.com/tickets.
“I’m incredibly humbled that Annapolis Baygrass has been nominated for this prestigious IBMA Industry Award,” said festival CEO and founder Ron Peremel.
Other nominees in the category include Bluegrass in La Roche at 20 in La Roche-sur-Foron, France; Bluegrass Spartanburg in Spartanburg, South Carolina; the CBA 50th Anniversary Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley, California; and the Marysville Winter Bluegrass Series in Marysville, Ohio.
“From day one, we set out to create something more than just a great music festival in a beautiful waterfront setting,” Peremel continued. “Baygrass was built on the belief that music can bring people together to make a difference—connecting fans and artists to our mission of helping to heal the Chesapeake Bay, the nation’s largest estuary, and healing our community through music and immersive educational programming.”
“To receive this recognition in only our fourth year is truly overwhelming. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who believes in our vision and took the time to nominate us. On behalf of our entire Baygrass team, thank you for your support.”
The nomination reflects a festival model that places environmental responsibility alongside music and audience experience. Annapolis Baygrass works with Maryland-based nonprofit organizations including the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Oyster Recovery Partnership, and Watershed Stewards Academy.
In 2025, the festival raised $36,061 for those three organizations. It also diverted more than 50 cubic yards of waste from landfills and eliminated an estimated 10,000 single-use water bottles through reusable cups and water-filling stations.
“Unlike traditional live music festivals, Baygrass unquestionably has a net and ever-growing positive impact on the environment,” said music journalist and podcaster Matt Hoffman, who has covered the event for JamBase and One Beautiful Planet.
“None of this is the easy path for a festival, but Peremel and his team chose it anyway, prioritizing impact over the bottom line.”
Hoffman also praised the festival’s strong sense of community and its ability to connect its conservation mission directly to the setting.
“The Chesapeake Bay shapes the weekend, sets land against sunset over the water, and the conservation mission ties back to what’s literally in view,” he said. “They’re proving that doing a good thing and having a good time are in no way mutually exclusive.”
Dr. John D. Bolten, chief scientist for hydrology at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, has experienced Annapolis Baygrass as an audience member, performer, environmental scientist, and member of the festival’s Environmental Advisory Board.
“I can sincerely say that Baygrass provides a fun, safe, and clean family-friendly experience that I am proud to be a part of,” Bolten said.
He recalled noticing the near absence of litter across the festival grounds and beach following the final headlining set.
“This is a testament to Baygrass’ earnest approach to running a bluegrass festival—bring world-class music to a beautiful place and leave the people and land better from the experience,” Bolten said.
Kate Fritz, CEO of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, described the festival as an example of how live music can actively support environmental restoration.
“Bluegrass music has a rich, historical connection to the land, storytelling, and community,” Fritz said. “The Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival beautifully bridges this musical heritage with urgent environmental stewardship, proving year after year that ‘Every Jam Heals the Bay.’”
Festival photographer Jay Strausser Visuals has also been nominated for the 2026 IBMA Photographer of the Year award.
Now entering its fourth year, Annapolis Baygrass has grown into an eco-focused destination festival attracting fans of progressive bluegrass, improvisational jam music, and American roots music from 38 states, Canada, and Europe.
The 2026 lineup includes Little Feat, Yonder Mountain String Band, Béla Fleck: My Bluegrass Heart, Sam Bush, Mountain Grass Unit, TopHouse, Shadowgrass, SCYTHIAN, Sister Sadie, Fireside Collective, Midnight North, Jammy Buffet, Melody Trucks & The Fitzkee Brothers Band, and Geraldine.
Artists-at-large Allie Kral, Alvin Lee, and Patrick Rainey will sit in with performers throughout the weekend, creating collaborative and improvisational moments across the festival’s two alternating beachside stages.
The newly announced kick-off party will take place Friday, September 18, in the main theater at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. Jammy Buffet and Cumberland Honey will perform, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and music beginning at 7 p.m. Parrothead-themed food and drinks will be available.
Beyond the performances, Annapolis Baygrass will offer interactive music, conservation, and wellness workshops, along with beach yoga, yard and tabletop games, an artisan village, a KidZone, and a waterfront beer garden.
Food and beverage offerings will include local craft beer, cocktails and mocktails, fresh Chesapeake seafood, barbecue, and vegan and vegetarian options.
Sandy Point State Park provides the setting, with views of the Chesapeake Bay, the Bay Bridge, and the historic Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse. Festival attendees can enjoy the music from the park’s sandy beaches and grassy areas. The site is ADA accessible.
Local lodging and camping packages are available, with shuttle service planned from participating lodging locations and the Annapolis Park & Ride.
Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival
Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, 2026
Sandy Point State Park
Annapolis, Maryland
Official Kick-Off Party
Jammy Buffet and Cumberland Honey
Friday, September 18, 2026
Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts
Doors: 6:30 p.m. | Show: 7 p.m.
Two-day, single-day, VIP, and kick-off party tickets are available at baygrassfestival.com.
Additional announcements, including a new artist, workshop details, and a new “Ballad for the Bay,” are expected next week.
