Raleigh Embraces Bluegrass in Preparations for World of Bluegrass ...

Raleigh, N.C. (September 4, 2013) ? When the International Bluegrass Music Association announced in May 2012 that they would be moving their annual World of Bluegrass program from Nashville to Raleigh, many North Carolinians celebrated. And a group of hard-working, dedicated community leaders got to work, forming a Local Organizing Committee to help IBMA connect with local, regional, and state resources; and to make sure the local community was ready to welcome IBMA members and bluegrass fans from around the world.

From the North Carolina Pork Council, whose Whole Hog State Barbecue Championship is a key piece of the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival that will cap off the week-long bluegrass celebration, to the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, partnering with IBMA to bring bluegrass musicians into schools during World of Bluegrass, and so many more local partners, North Carolina will be infused with bluegrass this month even more so than normal!

Working closely with the IBMA Board of Directors, the Raleigh Convention Center and the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau created the local organizing committee with four primary goals:

1. To support IBMA in their role as official host.
2. To transform the WOB into a ?weeklong experience,? rather than a 5-day convention.
3. To ?roll out the red carpet? for all visitors to Raleigh ?IBMA members: musicians, industry, promoters, fans, media and sponsors.
4. To present Raleigh, the Triangle Region and the State of North Carolina in the best possible light to a passionate worldwide bluegrass community.

The LOC is made up of 48 members, representing 22 organizations, including media outlets, members of local bands, record label representatives, local business owners, downtown Raleigh organizations, and more. IBMA?s North Carolina-based Board Members also serve on the Local Organizing Committee.

Among some of the LOC?s many initiatives:

• The Arts Activation Committee created a speakers? bureau around the event, and the Wake County Public Library System is among those who will host talks and demonstrations about bluegrass music throughout the month of September. Others hosting speakers this month include Quail Ridge Books and Music and the Town of Cary.
• The Technology Committee is working closely with IBMA to create a comprehensive event app, which will be available for iPhone and Android devices later this month.
• Members of the Marketing Committee and other LOC members have traveled around the country to various festivals, spreading the word about World of Bluegrass and introducing the bluegrass community to Raleigh.
• The LOC hosted a ?preview day? for IBMA members to visit the Convention Center and Red Hat Amphitheater back in May, where more than 100 people saw firsthand the state-of-the art facilities and enthusiasm that North Carolina is bringing to this event.
• Thanks to the NC Symphony?s involvement with the LOC, banjo master B?la Fleck will perform in a special Symphony Concert on Tuesday, Sept. 24; Fleck will also present a master class on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 26 for students at William Peace University, which is inviting their 60 Musical Theater students and music students from four area high schools.
• United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County will put performances or master classes in 12 Wake County schools the week of World of Bluegrass. Elementary schools will have performances; middle schools with orchestras and/or strings programs, master classes. These presentations are made possible by the County of Wake.
• United Arts also worked with the Wake County Public School System to present a special bluegrass in-service for arts and music teachers in late August, led by IBMA Executive Director Nancy Cardwell and Raleigh?s own Kickin Grass Band.

And the Signature Event Committee has been hard at work creating the Wide Open Bluegrass StreetFest, which will feature more than 50 bands on three stages along Fayetteville Street on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27-28. Performers include a broad mix of local, national, and international talent. The dance tent will feature clogging performances, participatory square dances, and late-night open dancing Friday and Saturday nights. On Saturday near the convention center, don?t miss the youth music stage ? situated on the outdoor plaza at the Convention Center. Bands performing here are being selected by the IBMA Youth Council. Additionally, the street festival will contain vendors, concessions, an Exhibit Hall and a Masters Workshop Stage in the Raleigh Convention Center.

Adding to the excitement of the StreetFest is the North Carolina Whole Hog Barbecue State Championship?a weekend of bluegrass-flavored fun for the whole family. The Pork Council will make a contribution of up to $10,000 in barbecue sales income to IBMA. More details about this event can be found at www.ncpork.org.

The Wide Open Bluegrass StreetFest would not be possible without generous supporters: Presenting sponsor PNC Bank; all-stages sponsor R.A. Jeffreys featuring Big Boss, Bud Light and Lone Rider; Rex Health Care and UNC Health Care; Downtown Raleigh Alliance, Martin Guitars, NC Railroad, Clarion Raleigh, Marriott Raleigh City Center, Sheraton Raleigh, Red Hat, Duke Energy, Curtis Media, KIX 102.9, The News & Observer, Our State Magazine, VisitNC.com, WRAL, and WTVD ABC-11. The StreetFest is brought to you by a collaboration among the City of Raleigh, Wake County, PineCone, and Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The free Wide Open StreetFest is one of several ways that music fans can experience bluegrass in Raleigh the weekend of September 27-28: in addition to the free StreetFest stages, there are ticketed shows which take place at the Red Hat Amphitheater and the Raleigh Convention Center Ballroom. While reserved tickets for both Friday and Saturday?s shows at the Red Hat Amphitheater are sold out, general admission tickets for that venue are still available, and can be purchased at ETix.com or www.ibma.org.

D?Addario Strings is the national sponsor for the ticketed portion of IBMA?s Wide Open Bluegrass festival; half of the proceeds will go to the Bluegrass Trust Fund, which helps members of the bluegrass music community in times of emergency need. The remaining proceeds help IBMA with marketing and professional development efforts throughout the year.

Fans can also attend the ?Bluegrass Ramble? showcases all week, from Tuesday-Saturday evenings, in six venues throughout downtown Raleigh, 10 pm-2 am: The Lincoln Theatre, Long View Center, Pour House Music Hall, Tir Na Nog, Kings, The Architect Bar & Social Club. Public participation is encouraged; showcases are ?the ticket? for bluegrass fans.

And tickets are also available for the International Bluegrass Awards show, which will be held in Raleigh?s historic Memorial Auditorium in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, Sept. 26. NC?s own Steep Canyon Rangers will host the event, and announced performers include all five of 2013?s ?Entertainer of the Year? nominees ? Balsam Range, Blue Highway, Dailey &Vincent, The Gibson Brothers and The Del McCoury Band ? as well as Female Vocalist nominee Rhonda Vincent and her band the Rage, among many others.

For more details and to purchase tickets for Wide Open Bluegrass, visit www.wideopenbluegrass.com, or stop by the Raleigh Convention Center on Tuesday, Sept. 24 for on-site World of Bluegrass registration and tickets to the Awards Show and Bluegrass Ramble. Additional information is also available at www.ibma.org or call 1-888-GET-IBMA.

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Follow IBMA?s World of Bluegrass news at Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/intlbluegrass) and on Twitter: @intlbluegrass, #ibma, #WOB13

Source: http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/event/raleigh-embraces-bluegrass-in-preparations-for-world-of-bluegrass-this-month/

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