The 3 Sisters Music Festival returns to Chattanooga’s waterfront for its 19th year this Friday and Saturday, October 2 and 3. This event is a rare free bluegrass festival featuring performances by top names in contemporary and traditional bluegrass.
Headlining this year’s festival on Friday, October 2 is the Grammy Award-Winning band The Travelin’ McCourys at 9:15pm. A 3 Sisters Festival favorite, this band features brothers Ronnie and Rob McCoury, on mandolin and banjo respectively, and are sons of bluegrass legend Del McCoury. They have multiple IBMA awards, including last year’s award for "Instrumental Group of the Year” in recognition of their excellence in bluegrass music.
Preceding The Travelin’ McCoury’s will be award-winning multi-instrumentalist Dan Tyminski, well known as a former member of Alison Krauss & Union Station and for his iconic performance of "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" from the film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" playing as the Dan Tyminski Band at 7:55pm. East Nash Grass, East Nashville’s supergroup of musicians and 2024 winner of IBMA’s New Artist of the Year will perform at at 6:35.
Opening the festival at 5:30pm is the host band, The New Dismembered Tennesseans, a group of much-loved local musicians who continue the 75-year musical legacy of the Dismembered Tennesseans, founded by Fletcher Bright and his McCallie school buddies, and now featuring Fletcher’s granddaughter Eleanor Bright. This festival takes its name from Fletcher Bright’s three daughters.
Saturday’s music schedule will begin at noon with a performance by Randy Steele and High Cold Wind, one of Chattanooga’s well-loved local bluegrass bands. Following them is Bronwyn (formerly known as Bronwyn Keith-Hynes), a two-time IBMA "Fiddler Player of the Year" now in the spotlight of bluegrass, Americana and roots music at 1:00pm.
A 2:00pm performance by Appalachian folk, soulful acoustic, rhythm and bluegrass artist Mason Via, formerly of Old Crow Medicine Show, and Big Richard, an all-female quartet that blends bluegrass, old time, country, and pop with virtuosity and four-part harmony at 3:00pm.
At 4:20pm Appalachian Road Show, celebrating the musical traditions and spirit of Appalachia will take the stage. Highlights of the evening will include performances by the Americana and indie folk band The Last Revel at 5:40pm and the “Queen of Bluegrass” Rhonda Vincent and The Rage at 7:00pm.
This bluegrass-packed weekend will close out with a performance at 8:40pm by the legendary mandolinist, fiddler, and singer Sam Bush, known as the "Father of Newgrass” for pioneering progressive bluegrass music.
Food options from 18 local food trucks will be lined up and ready to serve everything from traditional corn dogs to Thai food. Local brews and spirits will also be well represented as well as non-alcoholic drink concessions. A full selection of this year’s 3 Sisters and artists’ merchandise will be sold, including the option of live screen printed shirts and sweatshirts by Neat Pony.
The public is invited to bring lawn chairs and blankets, however, no outside food or beverages are allowed. Wheelchair seating will be offered near the front of the stage.
Please visit 3sistersbluegrass.com for details on the festival.