THE WORLD OF BLUEGRASS IS HEADING TO RALEIGH

Prepared by: Public Affairs Department

 

For more information: Nancy Cardwell, Interim Executive Director, International Bluegrass Music Association, 615-256-3222. director@ibma.org; Laurie Okun, Director, Sales and Marketing, Raleigh Convention Center, 919-996-8502/919-816-7897; Dennis Edwards, President and CEO, Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau

 

May 16, 2012

  

THE WORLD OF BLUEGRASS IS HEADING TO RALEIGH

 

The World of Bluegrass is coming to Raleigh! That is the great news the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) announced today.

 

Starting in 2013, the World of Bluegrass, which includes the four-day IBMA Business Conference, the International Bluegrass Music Awards Show and the three-day Bluegrass Fan Fest will take place in Downtown Raleigh.

 

According to IBMA Interim Executive Director Nancy Cardwell, the annual industry summit and bluegrass family reunion draws more than 16,000 attendees, “for the largest concentrated week of powerful, live bluegrass music on the planet,” she said.

 

IBMA has signed on with Raleigh for this Bluegrass summit for three years: Sept. 23-29, 2013; Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2014; and Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2015. World of Bluegrass has the option for a five- or seven-day event each of the years.

 

“The economic impact for Raleigh of nearly $10 million per event is quite significant,” Mayor Nancy McFarlane said at the noon press conference that was held at City Plaza. “But possibly even more important is having the World of Bluegrass in Raleigh. This will be truly a seminal event. Raleigh is a fabulous music town. North Carolina’s roots are steeped in traditional and bluegrass music.

 

“This is a perfect fit that heralds the beginning of Raleigh fulfilling its potential as a music and entertainment hub,” she said.

 

The World of Bluegrass events will be held at the Raleigh Convention Center, the Raleigh Amphitheater and Memorial Auditorium.

 

“Our facilities really are perfect,” the Mayor said. “The IBMA Business Conference will be in the Raleigh Convention Center, the International Bluegrass Music Awards show will be in Memorial Auditorium and the Bluegrass Fan Fest will be in the Raleigh Amphitheater. How perfect is that!

 

“If someone had designed a venue perfect for our events, the city of Raleigh could not have done a better job,” said IBMA Board of Directors Chair Stan Zdonik. “Raleigh offers us a compact ‘campus’ that includes both indoor and outdoor stages, as well as a state-of-the-art convention center that incorporates a bright and open atmosphere.

 

“I speak for the entire Greater Raleigh hospitality community in saying that we are ecstatic to host IBMA’s annual conference beginning in 2013,” said Denny Edwards, president and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to showcasing our area’s musical and cultural heritage to the thousands of fans, musicians and industry leaders coming to North Carolina’s capital city.

 

Ms. Cardwell said that the IBMA board of directors also valued North Carolina’s rich bluegrass music history. “A number of our Bluegrass Hall of Fame members hail from the Tarheel State, including Earl Scruggs, legendary guitar stylist Doc Watson, Red Smiley of Reno & Smiley; Carlton Haney, who produced the first multi-day bluegrass festival, Curly Seckler, Carl Story and George Shuffler,” she said. “Pre-bluegrass pioneers Wade Mainer and Charlie Poole are from North Carolina, and the Monroe Brothers (Charlie and Bill) made their first recordings in Charlotte.

 

IBMA has held the World of Bluegrass in Nashville since 2005. Before that, the festival was held in Owensboro and Louisville, Ky.

 

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