Bluegrass in the Grove

Hope to see ya’ next year for Poplar Grove’s 2nd Annual Bluegrass Festival, featuring North Carolina artists picking and strumming to old and new music.

In 2025, the festival was hosted by Dear MariBella & the PigKickers & proudly sponsored by T-Fiber.

The Asheville Mountain Boys are on a mission to capture not just the style but the spirit of traditional bluegrass as “raw emotion, excitement, drive and authenticity. It is not sanitized or compromised but a reflection of the lives of those who play it.” The group includes John Duncan on banjo, Zeb Gambill on mandolin, Jacob Brewer on bass and vocals, and Marshall Brown on guitar and vocals. The Asheville Mountain Boys currently have three singles out on all streaming services and will be releasing more in the coming months.

Dear MariBella and the Pigkickers, an up-and-coming bluegrass band of siblings, were born & raised outside of Wilmington, NC. Composed of Isabella on the fiddle, AnnMari on the guitar, Pete on the banjo & Chris on the mandolin, the band serenades the soul with harmonious melodies & foot stomping fun. Though their style is rooted deeply in the Blue Ridge Mountains, their feet are planted firmly in the Carolina sand. Not just a sound, but a journey through family ties & tradition, they infuse performances with a blend of faith, kinship & a whole lot of heart. 

Folkstone Stringband highlights traditional bluegrass played for centuries & made popular in the early 20th century when recording became more prolific. Pulling from styles made popular by musicians such as Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, Charlie Poole, Don Reno and Red Smiley & more, the band continues to push the envelope to keep the tradition alive, continuing to provide hard-driving & fast-picking bluegrass, old time Americana & honky-tonk music to eastern North Carolina, and beyond.

Massive Grass is steeped in the bluegrass tradition of the Carolina Foothills with a rock twist makes for a truly unique sound, guaranteed to keep your feet tapping and head banging. Featuring Ken Groce on stand-up bass, Adam Groce on banjo, Scottie Lynch on guitar and David Abeyta on mandolin, bluegrass has provided the sound track for much of their lives. Massive Grass brought their own brand of rock and roll mountain music to Wilmington in 2007, delighting fans of all genres ever since. 

The Sail Away Ladies (SAL) have been playing music together in various band configurations steeped in the old-time and bluegrass traditions. Recently formed as a trio, they bring a mix of Irish, Cajun, Hawaiian, Latino, and maybe a sea shanty or two, for good measure. As multi-instrumentalists, SAL delivers a variety of sounds (banjo, fiddle, guitar, flute, bass, bodhrán, ukulele), not to mention heart-melting harmonies. At times, they are joined by a “Daddy-O” or two, fellow musicians to add a little flair

Shannon Baker & Sometime Soon brings carefully crafted, bluegrass-flavored harmonies with classic foot stompers and soulful renditions from traditional and contemporary bluegrass with a sprinkling of old country and roots, and occasionally some gospel and blues for good measure! Together, the band delivers those old-time favorites in a fresh way and introduce you to some new tunes in the making, all with their unique style & energy.

Travis Watts & Mountain Blessings is high-energy, hard-driving bluegrass of dynamic harmonies and lightning-fast picking. Hailing from the historic town of Mount Airy, they are deeply rooted in the Appalachian tradition, adding their own unique flavor to the music. With a deep love for the genre, they breathe new life into classic songs from the past, seamlessly incorporating fresh bluegrass sounds and original compositions. A celebration of timeless Appalachian roots & an innovative approach ensures an unforgettable experience for audiences everywhere.