Boston Bluegrass Union

Lowell Banjo and Fiddle Contest
2025-09-06 10:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Boardinghouse Park, 40 French St., Lowell, MA, 01852, United States
At the Banjo & Fiddle Contest, we invite you to come celebrate musical heritage. The repertoire of tunes played during the Contest is what folklorists refer to as traditional music – music practiced by groups of people who share a common ethnic heritage, geographic region, or way of life.
Tunes are shared within families and communities and are passed on over generations.
Location: Boarding House Park, 40 French Street, Lowell.
Rain Location: Durgin Hall, University of Massachusetts Lowell College of Music, South Campus, 35 Wilder Street, Lowell, which is located 1.5 miles from Boarding House Park.
Directions are available at https://lowellsummermusic.org/pages/faqs
For More Info: Contact: info@lowellbanjoandfiddlecontest.org

Beginner Bluegrass Slow Jam
2025-09-08 19:00 - 21:00 | First Church Dedham – Parish House, 45 Bullard Street, Dedham, MA, 02026, United States
Beginner Bluegrass Slow Jam

When: Second Monday of each month
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
September through June

The Slow Jam is the perfect place for novice players, those just starting their Bluegrass journey, or anyone who’s a little shy about playing with others.
We create the safest possible environment to get comfortable making music with a group.
We play through simple, traditional Bluegrass songs, offering guidance and encouragement every step of the way.
All levels are welcome, and we take special care to support beginners and casual musicians.
Bring your acoustic instrument – everyone is welcome!

Location: First Church in Dedham – Parish House 45 Bullard Street, Dedham, MA 02026

Enter via Bullard Street.
Park in the lot behind the church.
Walk to the grassy quad in front.
The jams are held in the Parish House (the low building).
Upon entering, turn right and proceed down the short hallway to the dining room.

Details: Bring a song to share for some fun bluegrass jamming!
We hope to see you there!

Strung Together Festival
2025-09-12 00:00 - 2025-09-14 23:59 | Searsport SHores Campground, 216 West Main Street, Searsport, ME, 04974, United States
Strung Together: A Maine String Band Weekend
“Where the Ocean Meets the Strings”
Calling all string-players, music lovers, and contradancers!
Tune up your instruments and put on your dancing shoes for a weekend celebration of Maine folk music!
Strung Together is a unique three-day experience that includes community jam sessions, contradances, story-telling, and workshops. Strung Together is focused on various forms of Maine folk music—music brought to Maine by seafarers, lumberjacks, travelers—and homesteaders that we continue to play and love here in Maine. Come prepared to jam and fall in love with the music of Maine!
Experienced Maine folk music players—including players of Old-Time, Irish, Bluegrass, Quebecois, and Cape Breton music—and contradancers gather at Strung Together, providing opportunities for new to advanced players to participate in Maine’s rich musical heritage. Players of all instruments and levels are welcome!
Strung Together is held at one of the most beautiful places on the planet—the award-winning Searsport Shores Campground in Searsport, Maine! There is no better place to celebrate and play Maine folk music than where the woods meet the sea at Searsport Shores Campground.
Proceeds will be used for musician scholarships and to help fund the instrument lending project at the Searsport Carver Memorial Library.

FreshGrass Festival
2025-09-19 00:00 - 2025-09-21 23:59 | MASS MoCA, 1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA, MA, 01247, United States
FreshGrass features roots music traditionalists and innovators on four stages and platforms throughout the MASS Moca museum’s 16-acre campus. Festival programming also includes FreshGrass commissions and world premieres; instrument and industry workshops; pop-up performances and retail; and local Berkshire food and spirits vendors.

Newfound Grass in Loudon, NH Saturday
2025-09-20 12:00 - 15:00 | Meadow Ledge Farm, 612 Route 129, Loudon, NH, 03307, United States
Newfound Grass will be at Meadow Ledge Farm on Saturday September 20th from noon to 3.
612 Route 129, Loudon, NH
(603) 798-5860
http://www.meadowledgefarm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=newfound%20grass

“Come for the doughnuts, stay for the music” or is it “Come for the music, stay for the doughnuts”?

The Splinters at Portico Brewing
2025-09-20 15:00 - 18:00 | Portico Brewing, 101 South Street, Somerville, MA, 02143, United States
The Splinters, a 5 piece bluegrass band featuring sweet 3 part harmonies, plays at Oktoberfest! Come get your leiderhosen on with some groovy bluegrass!
splintersmusic.com
Come celebrate Portico’s Second annual Oktoberfest! We’ll be offering up German beers and food specials, outdoor games, live music and Steinholding competitions in our Somerville taproom. Lederhosen and drindls welcomed, nay, encouraged!
Live music starts at 3pm, food specials ‘til 8pm. Free entry!
🍻 German beers include: Bauhaus Festbier, Hurkle Durkle Dunkel, alongside mainstay Two Point Pils
🥨 Pretzels and German food specials from Taqueria El Barrio
🪕 Live Music
🍺 Steinholding competitions will be held twice throughout the day – sign up and compete to win some sweet prizes! (It’s a thing)
See you there!

The Bottom Dollars at Gardner Ale House
2025-09-24 18:30 - 21:30 | Gardner Ale House, Gardner, MA, United States
Gardner Ale House 74 Parker St, Gardner, MA 01440, USA

https://www.moonhillbrewing.com/

Grain Thief Weekly at The Burren
2025-09-24 19:00 - 22:00 | The Burren, 247 Elm Street, Somerville, MA, 02144, United States
Grain Thief and friends hold forth in the front room at the Burren every Wednesday night.
Not a concert per se, but a good hang in this cozy bar in Davis Sq listening to good music.

Cancelled this week - Bluegrass Jam at The Burren
2025-09-27 14:00 - 17:00 | The Burren, 247 Elm Street, Somerville, MA, 02144, United States
Long-running Bluegrass Jam hosted by Frank Drake. All levels welcome, but not a slow jam, per se.

Usually takes the summer off for festivals, etc. Contact Frank’s web site to get on the mailing list.

Grain Thief on the Cape
2025-09-27 19:30 - 22:00 | Cultural Center of Cape Cod, 307 Old Main St, South Yarmouth, MA, United States
House of the Dog- Country and Bluegrass by Grain Thief
Join us on Sep 27, 730pm for a performance by Boston quintet, Grain Thief, as they perform their newest work, House of the Dog, a masterful blend of country music and bluegrass. House of the Dog is a testament to perseverance, friendship, and the simple perfection found between friends, acoustic instruments, and a microphone. It is a record that unfolds with effortless grace, full of brand-new tunes you’re sure you’ve heard before, and feels as comfortable as broken-in denim. Thematically, House of the Dog continues the Grain Thief tradition by sharing deep musings on the human experience and wrapping them in everyday tales. This album is destined to take its rightful place in the canon of American music.
Tonight, Grain Thief will deliver another showstopping performance that will leave viewers wanting more. $25 Members, $30 Not-Yet-Members. For tickets, visit www.cultural-center.org or call 508-394-7100. Cultural Center of Cape Cod, 307 Old Main St., South Yarmouth.

The Roll on Buddies at Smith Orchard
2025-09-28 11:00 - 15:00 | Smith Orchard, 187 Leavitt Road, Belmont, NH, 03220, United States
The Roll on Buddies are:
Dave Shaw (banjo)
Gary Darling (mandolin)
Gary Hutchins (bass)
Tim FitzPatrick (guitar)

The Splinters at Cider Hill Farm
2025-09-28 13:00 - 16:00 | Cider Hill Farm, 45 Fern Ave, Amesbury, MA, 01913, United States
Sep 28, 2025, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT
Cider Hill Farm, 45 Fern Ave, Amesbury, MA 01913, USA
Relax on the farm this weekend. Take in free live music from 1-4 pm, visit our hard cider bar from 12 – 4 pm and grab some farm snacks at the food truck from 11 am – 4 pm. Non-alcoholic sparkling cider available.

Luke Bulla and Michael Daves
2025-09-28 19:00 - 21:30 | Groton Hill Music Center, 122 Old Ayer Road, Groton, MA, 01450, United States
at Groton Hill Music.

Town Hall Bluegrass & Old Time Country Open Mic
2025-10-04 11:00 - 16:00 | Chester Town Hall, 556 Elm Street, Chester, VT, 556 Elm Street, Chester, VT, 05143, United States
Town Hall Bluegrass & Old Time Country Open Mic
The Town Hall Bluegrass & Old Time Country Open Mic is back for the 2025/2026 season! Join us at the Chester Town Hall, 556 Elm Street, Chester, VT, for a full day of live acoustic music, community, and fun. Bring your instruments, your friends, and your love for bluegrass and old-time country music.
Season Dates:

October 4, 2025

November 1, 2025

December 6, 2025

January 3, 2026

February 7, 2026

March 7, 2026

April 4, 2026

Schedule:

Stage Sign Up & Open Jam: 11:00 am – 11:30 am

Open Mic: 11:30 am – 3:30 pm

Wrap-Up Jam: 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Details:

11:00 am – 4:00 pm

Acoustic instruments only – all musicians and spectators welcome

Homemade food, desserts, and beverages available for purchase

Admission is FREE – donations appreciated

Come play, sing, tap your toes, or just soak up the music and the friendly atmosphere. Help us spread the word so we can pack the hall and keep the music alive all season long!
Contact:📞 802-380-4106✉️ townhallbluegrassopenmic@gmail.com🌐 facebook.com/townhallbluegrassopenmic

Andrew & Noah VanNorstrand w/ Chris Sartori
2025-10-04 20:00 - 22:00 | Sadie’s Salon & Speakeasy, Winchester, MA, United States
over the past twenty years Andrew & Noah VanNorstrand have been bringing their brand of original folk music to festival stages, concert halls, dance floors and living rooms all over North America and beyond.
As teenagers, they helped define a new generation of contra dance music with their family band The Great Bear Trio and even appeared on the nationally syndicated public radio program A Prairie Home Companion.
Since then they’ve established themselves as virtuosic multi-instrumentalists and insightful songwriters, drawing from a wide range of genres including Bluegrass and Appalachian, Celtic and Quebecois, Swing and Jazz.
Andrew and Noah are often on tour with progressive folk roots band The Faux Paws but you can still occasionally catch them performing as a duo, exploring their deep repertoire and love for American folk music.

Nippo Lake Bluegrass Series
2025-10-05 18:00 - 20:00 | Nippo Lake Restaurant, 550 Province Rd, Barrington, NH, 03825, United States
Every Sunday night from 6-8 pm. Dinner reservations encouraged.
Overlooking New Hampshire’s Blue Hills mountain range, Nippo Lake Golf Club continues their Nippo Lake Bluegrass Series which runs from October to April each year.
The restaurant is open to the public, serves very good food at reasonable prices, and is conveniently located in Barrington, NH approximately 10-15 minutes north of the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH.
We hope to see you there.
Facebook Page

The Gibson Brothers
2025-10-05 19:00 - 21:30 | Groton Hill Music Center, 122 Old Ayer Road, Groton, MA, 01450, United States
There’s a reason why Ricky Skaggs pulled Eric and Leigh Gibson off the stage at the Ryman two decades ago and offered to produce their debut record. The same thing that led David Ferguson and Grammy Award winning producer and Black Keys frontman DanAuerbach to co-write and produce their 14th album “Mockingbird” (2018) and release it on his own label Easy Eye Sound alongside cultural icons such as Hank Williams Jr. and Dr. John: the Gibson Brothers are the real deal. They can pick. They can sing. And they can write a damn good country song. They’ve won about every bluegrass award you can name and released albums on almost every premier Americana label you can think of including Sugar Hill and Rounder, and, if that’s not enough, their songs have been recorded by bluegrass legends no less than Del McCoury.

Berlin OT Jam
2025-10-08 11:00 - 13:00, 2025-10-22 11:00 - 13:00 | 19 Carter, 19 Carter St, Berlin, MA, 01503, United States
2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month. Friendly old time jam at the 19 Carter community center.

Nora Brown - Narrow Center for the Arts
2025-10-18 20:00 - 22:00 | Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan St, Fall River, MA, 02721, United States
Saturday, October 18, 2025
$31 Advance | $33 Day of Show
[all-in pricing, no additional fees]
Doors 7pm | Show 8pm
Nora Brown was introduced to traditional music by chance as a six year old. What her parents assumed would be standard ukulele lessons were an inconspicuous window to the world of old-time music. From his tiny studio apartment in Brooklyn, the late Shlomo Pestcoe, a historian and old-time musician taught Nora old time tunes on the ukulele and through his continued instruction other traditional instruments– the fiddle, mandolin, guitar and banjo.
Nora now plays traditional Appalachian music with a focus on banjo playing from Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee. Along with mentors in the northeast like the late John Cohen she also has traveled and learned directly from master musicians including Alice Gerrard, George Gibson and the late Lee Sexton.

Mike Marshall house concert
2025-10-22 19:30 - 21:00 | MA
Mike Marshall, an early member of David “Dawg” Grisman’s N-tets, and Psychograss, is playing a house concert with mandolinist Caterina Lichtenberg in Woods Hole MA at 7:30 PM on October 22. Details and tickets at https://ticketstripe.com/mike-cat-2025

Inspiration, Process & Craft: Songwriting Workshop with bluegrass musician Rachel Sumner
2025-10-25 15:00 - 16:30 | Winchester Community Music School, 407 Highland Avenue, Winchester, MA, 01890, United States
Winchester Community Music School is offering a special opportunity for bluegrass enthusiasts: a songwriting workshop with award winning singer-songwriter Rachel Sumner. This 90-minute workshop is for any musician who wants to explore songwriting for the first time or expand on their existing songwriting skills. Rachel will offer participants a look into her own creative process: where she finds inspiration, how she transforms a creative spark into a song, and more. Participants will also learn specific strategies for editing, deep listening, and using familiar songs as jumping-off points for their own original compositions. Open to ages 14 and up. Workshop fee: $15. For more information or to register, visit www.winchestermusic.org or call 781-721-2950. 407 Highland Avenue, Winchester.

Sam Grisman Project at Rockport Music
2025-10-25 19:30 - 22:00 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
The music that Sam Grisman’s father, David Grisman, and his close friend, Jerry Garcia, made in the early 90s (in the house that Sam grew up in) is not only some of the most timeless acoustic music ever recorded, it also triggers Sam’s oldest and fondest musical memories. What Sam finds most inspiring about this material is the way their camaraderie and their love and joy for the music simply oozes out of each recording. It is also impressive how deeply they get beneath their favorite songs—whether they are originals, covers, or traditional/old time tunes—and how expertly that material was curated.

The Del McCoury Band
2025-10-25 20:00 - 22:00 | Groton Hill Music Center, 122 Old Ayer Road, Groton, MA, 01450, United States
Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del McCoury stands alone. From the nascent sound of bluegrass that charmed hardscrabble hillbilly honkytonks, rural schoolhouse stages, and the crowning glory of the Grand Ole Opry to the present-day culture-buzz of viral videos and digital streams, Del is the living link. On primetime and late-night television talk shows, there is Del. From headlining sold-out concerts to music festivals of all genres, including one carrying his namesake, there is Del. Where audiences number in the tens of thousands, and admirers as diverse as country-rock icon Steve Earle and jamband royalty Phish count as a few among hundreds, there is Del.

DellaValla Trio At Stone Mountain
2025-11-01 19:00 - 20:30 | Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, ME, 695 Dugway Road, Brownfield, ME, 04010, United States
The DellaValla Bluegrass Trio is made up of siblings Molly (guitar) Joseph (banjo) and John (fiddle), playing in and around our neck of the woods and beyond. Growing up playing music, they have a unique togetherness that only family bands can master. And don’t let their youthful faces fool ya … they are all pro and blossoming. They have recently started branching out into other genres making it a special night for all kinds of fans.
Click to Order Your Ticket Securely Online

Faculty Concert: “Fiddle Traditions”
2025-11-02 16:00 - 18:00 | Winchester Community Music School, 407 Highland Avenue, Winchester, MA, 01890, United States
Join Winchester Community Music School for a celebration of toe-tapping fiddle tunes! WCMS faculty member Molly Tucker<https://www.winchestermusic.org/faculty/molly-tucker/> and guest artist Casey Murray will present a concert of original and traditional fiddle tunes in the New England, Celtic, and Old Time styles. As dance musicians, they will share music that inspires movement and joy, in addition to songs they love and original compositions.
Free admission—all are welcome. A suggested $20 donation supports our concerts and performers. Presented live in Nichols Performance Hall at WCMS and also streamed live on our YouTube<http://www.youtube.com/user/WCMSVideo> and Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/winchestermusicschool> channels. For more information, visit www.winchestermusic.org<http://www.winchestermusic.org> or call 781-721-2950. 407 Highland Avenue, Winchester.

Tray Wellington Band - Taffeta Music Hall
2025-11-06 20:00 - 22:30 | Taffeta Music Hall, 110 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
with The Cody Sisters and Jean-Baptiste Cardineau
Thursday, November 06, 2025, 8:00pm
122 Western Ave, 140, Lowell, MA, 01851, US
Banjo player Tray Wellington’s approach to the quintessential American instrument is all about looking forward. An International Bluegrass Music Association Award winner, Wellington is critically acclaimed not only for his technical prowess, but also for leveraging his unique point of view to craft a one-of-a-kind voice on the instrument. It’s a feat that’s all too rare in these roots genres that seem to value emulation and regurgitation over all else. Instead, Wellington has time and time again reasserted that his playing style, and all of the many varied and disparate parts that combine within it, is wholly his own – and it’s unconcerned with tradition.
Taffeta Music Hall – Lowell, MA

Fiddling Workshop with Molly Tucker
2025-11-07 18:15 - 19:45 | Winchester Community Music School, 407 Highland Avenue, Winchester, MA, 01890, United States
Are you a string player who is curious about the art of fiddling? Whether you’re brand new to fiddling or have explored this art form before, this workshop is for you! In this 90-minute session at Winchester Community Music School, teaching artist Molly Tucker will lead participants through learning a fiddle tune and exploring what styling can make your playing sound like fiddle playing. The group will also explore chordal and rhythmic ideas to bring the tune to life in their own way.
This workshop is open to all intermediate-to-advanced string players. Free for WCMS students; $15 for the general public. For more information or to register, visit www.winchestermusic.org or call 781-721-2950. 407 Highland Avenue, Winchester.

Damn Tall Buildings
2025-11-07 20:00 - 22:00 | Groton Hill Music Center, 122 Old Ayer Road, Groton, MA, 01450, United States
Damn Tall Buildings is a celebrated folk-bluegrass band known for their soulful melodies and intricate instrumentals. Based in Brooklyn, this seasoned trio—Max Capistran, Sasha Dubyk, and Avery Ballotta — has spent over a decade honing their craft through dedicated touring and recording. With a distinctive sound that weaves heartfelt lyrics into thoughtful fiddle, guitar, and bass arrangements, they embody a unique blend of Americana roots and contemporary style. From intimate local venues to larger global stages, their captivating performances leave a lasting impression on audiences around the globe.

Bluegrass Jam at Winchester Community Music School
2025-11-08 15:00 - 16:30 | Winchester Community Music School, 407 Highland Avenue, Winchester, MA, 01890, United States
Join us at Winchester Community Music School for an afternoon of spontaneous, relaxed bluegrass playing! Open to all ages; participants should be able to play simple chords in time. You’ll get an introduction to the world of bluegrass jamming and learn about the kinds of songs you’ll encounter in your local jam scene. Limited to 12 participants, advance registration required. Acoustic only. Free admission. Hosted by Aiden Schnell, Guitar & Contemporary Music Department Chair. For more information, visit www.winchestermusic.org or call 781-721-2950. 407 Highland Avenue, Winchester.
