Even if you’ve never heard of Earl Scruggs, you’ve likely heard his banjo. Scruggs is perhaps best known for inventing a three-finger picking style which has since become the norm in bluegrass, and, with the Earl Scruggs Music Festival, his influence on the genre continues. Despite being only a year old, the Earl Scruggs Music Festival is already attracting such heavy hitters as Emmylou Harris and Greensky Bluegrass. Fan favorites from 2022 are also coming back for more — Jerry Douglas and The Earls of Leicester among them — promising to make the little mountain town of Mill Spring, North Carolina a destination for lovers of roots, bluegrass and Americana for years to come.
Inside the festival grounds — the appropriately folksy Tryon Equestrian Center — you’ll find two stages, a designated jamming area and a CrossFit gym equipped with pickleball courts and a yoga studio. Onsite camping is also available and ranges from primitive tent sites to luxurious three-bedroom cabins. Workshops rotate daily, but all consist of a lecture on some aspect of Scruggs’ biography, playing style or philanthropy.
What goes by the name of “roots” or “Americana” can be remarkably diverse, and contra dancers, Irish jiggers and casual listeners of A Prairie Home Companion can all find something to love in the Earl Scruggs lineup. Electric guitar shredders might want to stay home.
The Specs
- Over 3,000 people attended in 2022.
- Tickets come in five levels, with the cheapest single-day General Admission tickets priced at $50 and the most expensive VIP weekend tickets priced at $5000.
- Stretch out the weekend with our guide to the ultimate North Carolina road trip.
FAQs
Which airport is closest to the festival grounds?
The Greenville Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) is 42 miles away.
What is the bag policy?
Only clear bags made of plastic, vinyl or PVC are permitted. Bags must not exceed 14” by 17” by 6.”
Is the festival ADA accessible?
Handicap parking and seating are available in designated areas.
Which artists are on the festival lineup?
Emmylou Harris, Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters, Del McCoury Band, The Earls of Leicester, Tony Trischka’s Tribute to Earl, The Jerry Douglas Band, Della Mae, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Jake Blount, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Shawn Camp, Sister Sadie, Twisted Pine, I Draw Slow, Rissi Palmer, Jon Stickley Trio, Tray Wellington Band, Henhouse Prowlers, The Foreign Landers, Laura Boosinger & Josh Goforth, Armchair Boogie, Zoe & Cloyd, Pretty Little Goat, Into the Fog.
2023 Poster
