Bluegrass on the Grass Festival at Dickinson College

Bluegrass on the Grass Festival at Dickinson College Official FB page for the Dickinson College Summer Music Series featuring the Bluegrass on the Grass Festival. Seating is open. Free admission.

25th Annual Bluegrass on the Grass Festival
Saturday, July 9th, 2022
12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Dickinson College Academic Quad - 201 W. High St., Carlisle, PA 17013

Walking directions: Enter on West High Street between North College and North West Streets. The stage is on the Bosler Hall porch, facing the Academic Quad. Bike racks available throughout campus. The lawn can be accessed starting at 8:00 AM

on the day of the festival. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. A wide array of vendors will sell food ranging from french fries to BBQ to wood-fired pizza, plus non-alcoholic drinks. Restrooms will be available. Dickinson College is a smoke-free campus. Festival is held rain or shine. Bring umbrellas and get ready for great music! Encircled by Dickinson landmarks Bosler Hall and Old West, the one-day festival has become a regional event that draws over 4,000 enthusiasts. A wide variety of regional food vendors keep appetites happy throughout the festival. Bluegrass record companies and Martin Guitars provide gifts to attendees who support the festival. The festival features high-quality performers and a mix of bands that offer bluegrass aficionados a variety of styles and sub-genres. Many bands return to play year after year, including the Dismembered Tennesseans, who have performed every year since the first and become the festival’s “house band.”

“This is the largest community event that the college hosts,” says Tracy. “We draw people from New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.”

2022 Lineup

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

New Dismembered Tennesseans

Charm City Junction

Circus #9

Mile Twelve

04/13/2026

Carlisle, PA: we've added one just for you! Catch us at Bluegrass on the Grass Festival at Dickinson College on July 11th — admission is free!

Bluegrass on the Grass Festival 2026For nearly three decades, the Bluegrass on the Grass Festival at Dickinson College h...
03/27/2026

Bluegrass on the Grass Festival 2026

For nearly three decades, the Bluegrass on the Grass Festival at Dickinson College has been a beloved summer tradition rooted in community, music, and a deep love of bluegrass. What started in the 1990s as informal barn parties hosted by Dickinson staff member Davis Tracy grew into a full-scale festival in 1996, drawing just a few hundred people at first, and now welcoming thousands each year to campus.

Today, it’s the college’s largest community event, known for bringing nationally recognized bluegrass artists together with local fans for a day of live music, connection, and celebration of American roots traditions.

This year’s festival takes place July 11 (12–8 PM) on Dickinson’s Academic Quad. The lineup features:
Lonesome River Band
Tessa McCoy & The State Birds
Charm City Junction
Black-Eyed Suzies

The festival is free and open to the public, so bring a blanket or lawn chair, grab some food from local vendors, and spend the day enjoying incredible bluegrass in the heart of Carlisle.
Learn about the artists and the festival here: https://blogs.dickinson.edu/bluegrass/

We hope everyone's excited for Saturday!
07/09/2025

We hope everyone's excited for Saturday!

July 12th, 2025 – 12PM – 8PM 201 W. High St., Carlisle, PA 17013 New Dismembered TennesseansDanny Paisley and The Southern GrassFive Mile Mountain RoadThe Po’ Ramblin’ Boys 2025 Program PDF The Bands NEW DISMEMBERED TENNESSEANS Members: Don CassellLaura WalkerBob BurnsEleanor BrightBen Pedi...

Good morning everyone! We hope you're excited for a full day of free Bluegrass on the Grass!
07/13/2024

Good morning everyone! We hope you're excited for a full day of free Bluegrass on the Grass!

Good morning!Just a reminder that you can access our 2023 program at any time by going to the Bluegrass on the Grass fes...
07/08/2023

Good morning!

Just a reminder that you can access our 2023 program at any time by going to the Bluegrass on the Grass festival website. Link is below.

Here's the planned setlist times for this year's performers:

Noon- The New Dismembered Tennesseans
12:45 Tray Wellington Band
1:30 Seth Mulder & Midnight Run
2:15 Five Mile Mountain Road
3:00 Authentic Unlimited

3:45 The New Dismembered Tennesseans
4:30 Tray Wellington band
5:15 Seth Mulder & Midnight Run
6:00 Five Mile Mountain Road
6:45 Authentic Unlimited

July 8th, 2023 – 12 PM – 8 PM 201 W. High St., Carlisle, PA 17013 Authentic UnlimitedNew Dismembered TennesseansTray Wellington BandBilly Hurt and Five Mile Mountain RoadSeth Mulder and Midnight Run Printable Festival Lineup – Coming soon 2023 Program – coming soon The Bands Authentic Unlim...

07/07/2023

Happy festival eve!

We wanted to share a heads up for any out of town attendees. The college is working on the sidewalk at one of the entrances to the academic quad. It's the one on High Street in the middle of the block across from the Weiss Center. Expect this entrance to be closed and a small portion of the sidewalk on that side of the street will be closed as well.

There will still be plenty of other entrances to the academic quad, we just wanted to give everyone a heads up. We know this entrance normally sees a lot of use during the festival.

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow!

We're looking forward to next month!In case you haven't heard, here's our 2023 lineup:Authentic UnlimitedNew Dismembered...
06/09/2023

We're looking forward to next month!

In case you haven't heard, here's our 2023 lineup:

Authentic Unlimited
New Dismembered Tennesseans
Tray Wellington Band
Billy Hurt and Five Mile Mountain Road
Seth Mulder and Midnight Run

The latest information about the bands and the festival can always be found here: https://blogs.dickinson.edu/bluegrass/

See you on July 8th!

July 8th, 2023 – 12 PM – 8 PM 201 W. High St., Carlisle, PA 17013 Authentic UnlimitedNew Dismembered TennesseansTray Wellington BandBilly Hurt and Five Mile Mountain RoadSeth Mulder and Midnight Run Printable Festival Lineup – Coming soon 2023 Program – coming soon The Bands Authentic Unlim...

We're out of paper programs, but the digital version is available on the festival website
07/09/2022

We're out of paper programs, but the digital version is available on the festival website

Seating is open. Free admission. Bike racks available throughout campus. The lawn may be accessed starting at 8:00 AM on the day of the festival. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. A wide array of vendors will keep appetites happy with everything from french fries and bratwurst to Thai food and ice cre...

07/09/2022

We have a few important pieces of information to pass along ahead of the festival tomorrow.

First, a reminder that the festival will be held July 9th, rain or shine. We might have to delay the start of the festival in the event of rain, but the latest forecasts are looking promising!

Please also be aware that several blocks of West High Street will be closed tomorrow for the rescheduled Amani Festival. So be sure to factor that in to your travel plans.

Finally, here are the planned set times for tomorrow:

FIRST SETS

Noon The New Dismembered Tennesseans

12:45 p.m. Circus #9

1:30 p.m. Charm City Junction

2:15 p.m. Mile 12

3:00 p.m. Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

SECOND SETS

3:45 p.m. The New Dismembered Tennesseans

4:30 p.m. Circus #9

5:15 p.m. Charm City Junction

6:00 p.m. Mile 12

6:45 p.m. Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

Address

201 W High Street
Carlisle, PA
17013

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