“We’re playing acoustic music in the middle of winter on top of a mountain. It’s a little nuts, but it brings people together. The most important things are the people, the memories, and the connections we make. That’s the true fabric of everything.”

There comes a time when everyone needs a fearless escape, a moment to say yes to, an opportunity to revive your soul in a magical place. That time is nearing, because Suwannee Roots Revival is just around the bend, happening October 9–12 at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida.

The sound of banjos, fiddles, and mandolins will once again fill the air as the Hatchie Bottom Bluegrass Jamboree returns for its eighth year on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center in Brownsville. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., audiences will experience a full day of music honoring the region’s long-standing bluegrass traditions.

The relaxed, beachfront gathering that is the Ohana Festival once again rolled into Dana Point, California, on September 26, 2025, bringing three days of music and community to the sand-lined shoreline of Doheny State Beach. Now in its ninth year, the event has earned a reputation as both a labor of love and a personal calling card for its founder and spiritual anchor, Eddie Vedder.

The High Sierra Music Festival, one of Northern California’s longest-running and most beloved festivals, will celebrate its 34th year at a new location: the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, California. The move makes the festival more accessible than ever, with abundant lodging options and close proximity to the Bay Area, while preserving the traditions fans have cherished since 1991.

The Tipping Point, the benefit concert supporting scholarships at Tulane University and celebrating the spirit of the city of New Orleans, will return to the Orpheum Theater on November 14, 2025 for its ninth edition.

Two Hellman family bands—Marco and the Polos and Purple Glaze—will celebrate their debut albums and honor the legacy of their father and grandfather, festival founder Warren Hellman, with performances at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the beloved free music festival he launched 25 years ago as a gift to San Francisco.

The Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival has been on my radar for a few years. The festival is the only music event that promises “Every Jam Saves the Bay”. The annual festival is held at Sandy Point Park in Annapolis, MD, in the shadow of the Bay Bridge. The festival’s theme is a melding of a live music event and protecting, restoring & preserving our natural marine resources.

The 24th annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, produced by the nonprofit Birthplace of Country Music (BCM), wrapped up another unforgettable weekend, bringing thousands of music lovers to the charming streets of Historic Downtown Bristol, straddling the state line of Tennessee and Virginia.

After weathering the devastation of Hurricane Helene and ongoing cuts to arts funding, LEAF Global Arts is launching a $300,000 “Keep LEAF Alive” fundraising campaign as it celebrates its 30th anniversary year. The beloved organization calls on its community to help sustain its mission of connecting cultures and creating community through music, arts education, and cultural preservation.