The Charleston Bluegrass Festival has been a staple of the genre and the music community in the Southeast since its inception in 2012. After many years at the Seewee Outpost, and then Givhan’s Ferry State Park, the festival first took place at its current home at the Woodlands Nature Reserve in 2019, offering a platform for growth in a beautiful natural setting.
While the pandemic and permitting issues meant the festival couldn’t take place there for a few years, those hurdles have been cleared, and the event is set to return to The Woodlands in 2025, hopefully for many years to come.
“The Woodlands is going to allow us to grow and kind of represent the Bluegrass Festival properly,” says Eddie White of Awendaw Green, host of the weekly Barn Jam series, and curator of the festival. “We’ve always wanted to make it camping, family-friendly, outdoor activities, in a natural setting.”
A Perfect Blend of Music and Nature
Eddie explains how The Woodlands represents the ideal blend of everything they’re looking for. This year’s event combines a powerful lineup with its location at the new North Lake area of the venue.
“It’s got a gorgeous lake and most everybody can camp around it,” Eddie says. “If you were out there for the 2023 one, you know the stages face each other. And it’s just drop-dead gorgeous.”
The setting offers kayakable lakes, lakefront campsites, and miles of scenic trails, making for an unforgettable backdrop to enjoy some of the best bluegrass music in existence. With the amplified music ending around 11pm, the festival maintains its intimate, community-focused vibe with fireside jams continuing throughout the night.
The History of the Charleston Bluegrass Festival
Eddie White started the Charleston Bluegrass Festival in 2012 with Perry Darby, then-owner of the Southern Bar & Grill, at the Seewee Outpost, also the site of the Awendaw Green Barn Jams.
“We outgrew it,” Eddie explains. “In 2018, we moved it to The Woodlands because of some personal friendships I had. We brought it back one year, and then moved it back again. I think this is our fourth or fifth year there.”
Eddie has long been a proponent of the Charleston music community, lending his locally-minded spirit and expertise to cultivate the music scene for nearly two decades. The Barn Jams began in 2007 with a community mindset, and the Bluegrass Festival is an extension of that vision.
“We just like to get people together around music so we can form a community,” Eddie says. “Bluegrass is that unique vessel that continues to inspire and connect, and people just love it.”
About The 2025 Lineup
The lineup for the 2025 Charleston Bluegrass Festival is a mix of well-known bands and emerging talent, featuring Kitchen Dwellers as headliners, playing two nights, alongside SUSTO Stringband, Sicard Hollow, and an undercard packed with local and up-and-coming artists.
“We really are looking for those emerging bands that just want to connect to the Charleston market,” Eddie explains. “Every single band is going to be a nice representation of Bluegrass and some progressive Bluegrass. We are really looking forward to it.”
Eddie also invites musicians interested in future lineups to introduce themselves:
“We want people that want to play next year to come up and introduce themselves because we want to keep the bands real fresh.”
Community-Driven Vision and Grassroots Growth
Much like his approach to running the Barn Jams, Eddie approaches the Charleston Bluegrass Festival with a community-minded, grassroots vision. He emphasizes that this philosophy is rooted in his experience with Awendaw Green’s Barn Jams, which have always been built on simplicity and community spirit:
“You can do anything once. If you do it right, you do it again. The key thing with what we do is it’s so stripped down. It’s basically me, my sound guy, and some volunteers. It’s a small monster because if you take a big bite, it’s easier to choke. But if you take a bunch of small bites, you can do it. And that’s how we’ve been able to grow.”
This grassroots philosophy keeps the festival grounded, creating an atmosphere that feels like a family reunion for bluegrass lovers. It’s a space where artists and fans can connect on a personal level, sharing music in a community-focused setting.
“There’s nothing for me better than seeing a band around a campfire, and then the next year being on the main stage, kicking the event off. That’s what we live for in this business.”
Experience the Charleston Bluegrass Festival
Tickets are on sale now for the 2025 Charleston Bluegrass Festival, a home-spun, super-connective bluegrass moment you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re a bluegrass aficionado or just love live music in a breathtaking setting, this year’s lineup promises something for everyone.
Visit charlestonbluegrassfestival.com for tickets and more information. And if you’re in the area, stop by Awendaw Green for a Wednesday Barn Jam, where the spirit of community and live music continues year-round.