Folk isn’t a fad—it’s a culture explored through sonics. The deeply introspective genre is enjoyed around the world. But in the United States, no region loves folk music more than the South, and that’s where the North Carolina Folk Festival comes into play.
Every year just before the fall air becomes crisp, the three-day extravaganza breezes through downtown Greensboro. This year, the same will hold true on September 18th, 19th, and 20th.
North Carolina Folk Festival 2026 will be headlined by St. Paul and The Broken Bones (Friday, September 18), The Roots featuring Questlove (Saturday, September 19), and Molly Tuttle (Sunday, September 20).
The notable independent artists slated to perform at the 2026 North Carolina Folk Festival, not including headliner St. Paul and The Broken Bones, are Susto Stringband, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Jackie Venson, Illiterate Light, Rett Madison, OKAN, Samir LanGus, Ethno USA, Elora Dash, Tom Troyer, The Queen Bees, Ranford Almond, and Too Phat Brass Band.
North Carolina Folk Festival 2026 is set to feature five stages and two auxiliary stages, making it one of the largest free music events in the state.
In a statement shared with ENVERT, Jodee Ruppel, the executive director of the North Carolina Folk Festival, gushed about this massive feat.
“Every year, I think the previous festival can’t be topped, and then I find myself even more excited and proud than before,” said Ruppel. “Having The Roots, pioneers of hip hop dating back to 1987 and now the house band for ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ for more than a decade, perform at the 2026 festival is simply amazing.”
Ruppel continued, “Then you add Grammy winner and guitar virtuoso Molly Tuttle, shaping the bluegrass and Americana space. To be able to cross generations and genres and have such acclaimed acts be accessible to all is truly capturing the mission of the NC Folk Festival.”
In addition to the music shows spread across Wyndham Championship CityStage, The Depot, Lebauer Park, and the Greensboro Cultural Center, attendees can catch one of the dance performances conducted in collaboration with the 2026 North Carolina Folk Festival.
The North Carolina Folk Festival 2026, presented by Cone Health, is scheduled to take place from September 18 to September 20, 2026, at various venues across downtown Greensboro, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Find more information here.
Continue below to view the poster and full lineup for North Carolina Folk Festival 2026.
North Carolina Folk Festival 2026 Lineup
The Roots (headliner)
St. Paul and the Broken Bones (headliner)
Molly Tuttle (headliner)
Madison Cunningham
Jackie Venson
Susto Stringband
Medicine Singers with Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth)
Yonatan Gat (Monotonix)
William Prince
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Illiterate Light
Caleb Caudle
OKAN
Jacob Sharp
Rett Madison
Yasmin Williams
Amelia Day
Victoria Victoria
Bandits on the Run
Tae & The Neighborly
Samir LanGus
Florencia & The Feeling
Ranford Almond
Rakish
Leroy Pridgen IV
Brass Queens
Signal Fire
Karla Davis
Elora Dash
Bala Roots
Nikki Morgan
Too Phat Brass Band
Folkknot
Abigail Dowd
Tom Troyer
King M Dot & The Leftovers
The Queen Bees
Emerson Bruno
Evan Blackerby & The Bandwagon
Andrew Scotchie
Matt Laird
D.A.L.I.A.
Ethno USA
NC A&T Drumline
GMAJ Jazz Ensemble
North Carolina Folk Festival 2026 Poster
