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Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival Returns to Mocksville for 14th Annual Celebration
- Misty Matthews
- 16 minutes ago
- 3 min read
MOCKSVILLE, NC — Bluegrass music, family fun and a day of fellowship will come together Saturday, September 12, when the Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival returns to Mocksville for its 14th annual celebration.
Held at Carolina Bible Camp, 1988 Jericho Church Road, the festival promises six hours of live music and activities on the camp's Front Porch stage. Gates open at 10 a.m., with the festival scheduled to run through 5:30 p.m. The event will be held rain or shine, with large audience tents providing covered seating.
This year's lineup features a mix of traditional and contemporary bluegrass, along with performers bringing their own unique musical influences to the stage.
Headlining the festival is Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, with Cleveland taking the stage from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The Grammy Award-winning fiddler is known for his energetic and highly distinctive playing style. He will be joined by Nathan Livers on mandolin, Chris Douglas on bass, Josh Richards on guitar, Cody Looper on banjo and vocals.
The day's lineup also includes Lucas Ross, an Emmy Award-winning actor, comedian and musician who is known for his work with the Muppets and serves as a banjo advisor to Kermit the Frog. Ross will perform twice during the festival, including a special children's segment called "Banjo Farm."
Ettore Buzzini will bring his classical influences and innovative approach to bluegrass, while Blue Diggity, a four-piece band from Wheeling, West Virginia, will deliver a high-energy blend of traditional bluegrass, classic country, original music and instrumental numbers.
The festival will also feature The Biscuit Eaters, a family band from Surry County, North Carolina. Made up of siblings ranging in age from 7 to 16 and their parents, the group has become a favorite at Carolina Bible Camp. Their music combines traditional and Gospel bluegrass with the close harmonies developed from years of making music together as a family.
Something for the Whole Family
Music isn't the only attraction at the Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival.
The AGAPE of NC Kids' Activities Tent will offer a full schedule of free activities and craft supplies for children. Kids can make their own paper banjo, participate in music and rhythm activities, enjoy story time, take part in a nature walk and meet people working in interesting careers. A North Carolina State Highway Patrol motor unit trooper is also scheduled to return with a motorcycle, weather permitting.
The afternoon will wrap up with Ga-Ga Ball and the festival's traditional Parade of Kids, during which children will help announce the lineup for the 2027 festival. The day will then close with the musicians joining together for the familiar bluegrass and gospel favorite, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken."
A Festival With a Purpose
While the music may be what brings people through the gates, the festival was created with a larger purpose.
The Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival began in 2011 as a fundraiser for the camp's scholarship and capital development funds. Organizers say the event has remained financially successful through careful planning and the support of sponsors, volunteers and the festival team. It has also grown into an opportunity to introduce more people to Carolina Bible Camp while bringing together campers, families, friends and the surrounding community.
The festival has received statewide recognition as well. Carolina Country magazine readers selected it as the winner of the inaugural "Carolina's Finest" award for Best Festival in North Carolina in 2019, and the festival received the honor again in 2021 following its return after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 event.
Organizers emphasize that the festival is about more than simply putting on a successful event. Each year, they say they pray for a "successful" festival as their Heavenly Father would define success.
Festival Information
The 14th Annual Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival will be held Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Carolina Bible Camp, 1988 Jericho Church Road in Mocksville.
Advance tickets are $20, with admission increasing to $25 at the gate. Children under 12 are admitted free.
For those looking for a family-friendly way to spend a Saturday surrounded by music, food and community, the Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Festival offers a little something for every generation—from seasoned bluegrass fans to children picking up a banjo for the first time.
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