One of the Best Weekends of the Year is (finally) here: IBMA Bluegrass Festival

Can you hear it? It’s the happy sounds of bluegrass music all over downtown Raleigh this week. If it’s your first time or your 10th time, IBMA week is always a good time around downtown and quite possibly our favorite weekend of the year in Raleigh. Here are a few of our favorite things to do during IBMA weekend: 

• Get in on the jams. Bring your instrument to the Bluegrass Jam Class from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday at the Raleigh Convention Center main lobby and join Pete Wernick and Gilbert Nelson for a little jam session.

• Shop the Art Market. You don’t want to miss the giant IBMA festival along Fayetteville Street on Friday and Saturday, where you can shop for bluegrass-inspired art and snack on tasty treats from the food trucks. When you’re ready for a break, sip on some local brews at the Raleigh Times Bar (14 E. Hargett St.) or a specialty cocktail at The Foundation (213 Fayetteville St.)

• Hit the Ramble. For $50, buy a three-day ticket that gets you into the IBMA Bluegrass Ramble, which features more than 200 live bluegrass performances in clubs and venues throughout downtown, from the Raleigh Convention Center to The Pour House. You’ll get to see some of bluegrass's newest talent before anyone else!

• Pop in on some pop-up music. You’ll find the pop-ups all over downtown, but we’re especially excited for Eliza Meyer, who will be part of the pop-up performance Friday from 6-6:30 p.m. at the Morning Times (10 E. Hargett St.) as part of a collaboration with the N.C. Museum of History.

• Go see Hank and Pattie. That is, Hank, Pattie & the Current, who are always one of our favorites. We can’t wait to see them on the Come Hear NC Stage near City Plaza on Fayetteville Street Friday from 6:15-7 p.m.