Hurricane Ian forces IBMA’s World of Bluegrass festival in Raleigh indoors

Colleen Hammond

The International Bluegrass Music Association will move its weekend festival indoors as Hurricane Ian is expected to hit the Triangle area, organizers said Tuesday.

The Main Stage performances planned for Red Hat Amphitheater are moving to Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, according to a statement from Judy McDonough, an IBMA spokesperson.

All scheduled performances at the five free Street Stages and all the scheduled vendors — which were expected to be outdoors along Fayetteville Street — are moving to the Raleigh Convention Center.

Up to 7 inches of rain could hit the Triangle this weekend, The News & Observer previously reported. The rain is likely to begin on Thursday night, hours before the street festival and outdoor concerts are slated to begin.

IBMA’s World of Bluegrass starts Sept. 27 and continues through Oct. 1. The event — with its conference, awards show, concerts and free Bluegrass Live! street festival — is one of the biggest in Raleigh and routinely draws thousands of people to the area.

While IBMA Executive Director Pat Morris and Executive Producer David Brower said the event typically follows a rain or shine policy, past hurricanes have forced the event indoors throughout the 10 years it has been hosted in Raleigh.

In 2015, during Hurricane Joaquin, the entire festival moved into the Raleigh Convention Center.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Ian has been classified a Category 3 hurricane and is expected to hit Florida in the coming days. North Carolina officials are asking residents in low-lying areas to plan their evacuation route in the event it is needed.

“It’s definitely not the forecast we were hoping for but the show will go on whether Ian likes it or not,” Brower said.

Since IBMA moved its annual week of events to Raleigh, attendance continued to climb before the pandemic. In 2019, over 218,000 people came to Raleigh, generating $18.65 million in total direct economic impact, according to the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. The amount doesn’t include spending by locals.

The conference, Bluegrass Ramble and awards show already are held indoors.

Friday and Saturday is Bluegrass Live!, with scheduled performances from some of bluegrass’s biggest names. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, The Jerry Douglas Band, Sierra Hull and The Infamous Stringdusters are all set to headline shows this weekend. Shows begin at 5 p.m. each night.

Tickets purchased for reserved seating will be honored.

Over 115 vendors in the art market, Shop Local and Black Friday Market as well as the beer garden and jam tents will be moved into the Raleigh Convention Center.

Schedule for Friday and Saturday

Here is the schedule for shows at the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Show times subject to change. These shows were scheduled for Red Hat Amphitheater.

For a complete schedule of music, go to worldofbluegrass.org/festival.

Friday, Sept 30

5 p.m. Twisted Pine

6 p.m. Balsam Range

7:05 p.m. Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band

8:10 p.m. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

9:30 p.m. The Jerry Douglas Band with special guests

Saturday, Oct 1

5 p.m. Della Mae

6 p.m. The Dan Tyminski Band

7:05 p.m. Dom Flemons & Shultz’s Dream featuring B.E. Farrow, Dante’ Pope and Tray Wellington

8:10 p.m. Sierra Hull

9:30 p.m. The Infamous Stringdusters

For other information, go to worldofbluegrass.org.

From left, Patricia Oldfield and husband David Oldfield, both visiting from England and family friend Lauren Jones of Raleigh had to put up their umbrellas as they left the Raleigh Convention Center Friday afternoon, October 2, 2015 during the 2015 Wide Open Bluegrass Festival. It was held indoors due to Hurricane Joaquin.
From left, Patricia Oldfield and husband David Oldfield, both visiting from England and family friend Lauren Jones of Raleigh had to put up their umbrellas as they left the Raleigh Convention Center Friday afternoon, October 2, 2015 during the 2015 Wide Open Bluegrass Festival. It was held indoors due to Hurricane Joaquin.

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