This year’s 36th annual International Bluegrass Music Association Awards will be held in Chattanooga for the first time ever this Thursday, September 18th, at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium.
Co-hosted by legendary comedian, actor, and bluegrass troubadour Steve Martin and Grammy Award-winning musician Alison Brown, the special awards showcase is a part of a five-day event called World of Bluegrass, spanning all across Chattanooga.
The World of Bluegrass Event takes place throughout Chattanooga from Tuesday, September 16th, until Saturday, September 20th.
Starting Tuesday and spanning until Thursday, there will be a bluegrass business conference at the Chattanooga Convention Center, which features career development sessions with industry experts as well as insights from veterans within the industry and newcomers with more fresh, progressive approaches to the bluegrass business model.
Following these events, at 7:30 on the night of the 18th is the 36th annual IBMA Music Awards show.
The awards show itself recognizes outstanding achievement and pioneering efforts in bluegrass music. Some of the categories include “Entertainer of the Year,” “Song of the Year,” and “Album of the Year.” A few major artists nominated for this year's awards include Alison Krauss & Union Station, Billy Strings, Steve Martin, Alison Brown, Sierra Hull, and Molly Tuttle, amongst others.
Following the awards show, from September 19th to 20th, there will be a two-day IBMA Bluegrass Live music festival. There will be incredible live music, fan experiences, food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, and festival activities.
Performances will be happening across Miller Park, Miller Plaza, and Patten Square. Headlining acts include Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, The Wood Brothers, Alison Brown, and Sierra Hull. The two-day music festival caps off an absolutely legendary week of bluegrass in Chattanooga.
The Chattanooga Convention Center will simultaneously be hosting the International Stage, Workshop Stage, and a large Exhibit Hall featuring instrument manufacturers and music vendors. This will be open to the public from September 19th to 20th from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Having moved to Chattanooga from its previous host city, Raleigh, North Carolina, the historic event is set to be a massive economic boost for the city as well as put Chattanooga on the bluegrass map in a big way globally.
Local bluegrass legend and host of the popular podcast “T Shaw’s Progressive Bluegrass,” Trevor Shaw, mentioned the tremendous impact that the IBMA’s coming to Chattanooga means to the city.
“IBMA is the most respected and largest sanctioning body of bluegrass. The MLB or NFL of bluegrass, so to speak. This is a massive opportunity for Chattanooga, bringing tens of thousands of people to gather for a week in Chattanooga. In addition, this has put Chattanooga on the bluegrass map worldwide.”
In addition to Chattanooga being selected as the city to host the IBMA’s World of Bluegrass this year, the IBMA has also confirmed that the scenic city has been named the host of the historic event for the next three years, 2025, 2026, and 2027.
The announcement positions Chattanooga as the epicenter of the bluegrass world for years, and if this week is a sign of things to come, the future of bluegrass in Chattanooga looks bigger and brighter than ever.
36th Annual IBMA Music Awards.
- Thursday, September 18th, 7:30 p.m.
- Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave.
- $56-$130
- tivolichattanooga.com