Baygrass Music Festival: Where Music Meets the Bay

Imagine lounging on a sandy beach, the gentle lapping of the Chesapeake Bay in your ears, as the twang of a banjo mingles with the soulful wail of a pedal steel guitar. This isn’t a dream – it’s the Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival, and it’s set to be an experience you won’t want to miss.

Scheduled for September 21-22, 2024, at Sandy Point State Park, Baygrass is returning for its second year, and it’s already making waves. John Way, one of the festival’s founders, shared some insights into what makes this event special.

“We’re not just throwing a party here,” Way explained, his enthusiasm evident. “Sure, the music’s gonna blow your socks off, but we’re also on a mission – for the Bay and our community.”

And blow your socks off it will. The lineup reads like a who’s who of the bluegrass, jamgrass, and Americana scenes. Saturday’s headliner, Oteil & Friends, is a supergroup on steroids. Oteil Burbridge, known for his bass playing with the Allman Brothers and Dead & Company, is bringing along a crew that includes Melvin Seals, Steve Kimock, and others – a lineup that’s sure to leave music fans in awe.

But here’s the kicker – every single act on the bill is worth showing up early for. From Leftover Salmon’s pioneering jam grass to Sam Bush’s mind-bending mandolin wizardry, there’s not a dull moment to be found. And Sunday’s lineup with The Infamous Stringdusters and Kitchen Dwellers promises to keep the energy high. Attendees might want to start stretching now – there will be some serious dancing on the beach.

Baygrass is doing things differently from your average music festival. They’re dead serious about taking care of the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. Way explained, “With every ticket sold, every crab cake and softshell eaten – a chunk of that money is going straight to Maryland non-profit organizations working to keep the Bay healthy.” (Watershed Stewards Academy, Oyster Recovery Partnership, and Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.)

Speaking of food and drinks. We’re talking gourmet eats here. Chef Kurt Peter will be making Maryland crab cakes that’ll make you happy to be in Maryland, oysters so fresh they practically shuck themselves, and BBQ that’ll have you drooling. And the beer? Two Local breweries will have their own Baygrass branded beer: Pherm’s Baytoberfest and Idiom’s Troubled Waters.

But Baygrass isn’t just about great food and fantastic music (though there will be plenty of that). The Baygrass team has put together a festival that’s all about community. “We want people to leave here feeling better than when they came,” Way said. And he means it – there will be educational workshops on Bay conservation as well as mental health resources available. John Way is an Army veteran, mental health advocate, Narcan trainer, and certified mental health first aid instructor. The Va Way serves as a hub to bring together a variety of resources focused on mental health and overall well-being to Baygrass, including the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, the National Alliance on Mental Health, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, GrooveSafe, and the Call 988 initiative. The VA Way’s sponsorship of a sober space within the festival emphasizes the alliance’s dedication to promoting a culture of mindfulness and sobriety.

The festival has an entire area dedicated to kids, complete with fun activities, including a monarch butterfly migration experience. Parents can relax knowing it’s close enough to keep an eye on them while they enjoy a craft beer from the beer garden and groove to the tunes.

For those wanting to upgrade, try the VIP experience. “You get to be backstage and see behind the curtain,” Way said. “Plus, there’s a buffet with oysters and crab cakes that’ll make you question everything you thought you knew about festival food.”

Way offered some insider tips for first-timers. His advice? “Get here early and have cash for the park entrance fee (it is faster than using a credit card), bring sunscreen and bug spray, and since we are a green festival, leave the disposable water bottles at home.” The festival’s gone green in a big way, with composting and recycling. 

As the sun dips below the horizon, painting the Bay in hues of orange and pink, it’s hard not to feel a twinge of excitement for September. Baygrass isn’t just a music festival – it’s a celebration of everything that makes this little corner of the world special. The tunes, the food, the people, and that beautiful, beautiful bay.

So mark those calendars, dust off those dancing shoes, and get ready to make some memories. The Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival is coming, and it’s shaping up to be an event you won’t want to miss. See you on the sand!

DAILY LINEUPS 

• Saturday, September 21:
  • Oteil & Friends:
  • (Oteil Burbridge, Melvin Seals, Steve Kimock, Jason Crosby,
  • Johnny Kimock, Tom Guarna, Lamar Williams Jr.)
  • Leftover Salmon
  • Trouble No More
  • Sam Bush
  • Sierra Hull
  • The Lil Smokies
  • Geraldine
• Sunday, September 22:
  • The Infamous Stringdusters
  • Kitchen Dwellers
  • Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country
  • Cris Jacobs & Friends
  • Big Richard
  • Brown Eyed Women
  • The Dirty Grass Players
• Both Days: Artists-at-Large: Jennifer Hartswick, Natalie Cressman, and Ron Holloway

Single Day and Two Day VIP & GA Tix On Sale Now (Limited Availability on Single Day and VIP)

Dan Rozman