ANNAPOLIS BAYGRASS Festival Releases 2026 Schedule and Live Broadcast Plans

For the fourth year, the Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival returns to its beachfront home at Sandy Point State Park along the Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, Maryland, on Saturday and Sunday, September 19-20, 2026. Organizers have announced the daily schedules for music, workshops, KidZone activities, yoga, and more. Annapolis Baygrass features a festival lineup with performances taking place on two alternating beachside stages.

Little Feat anchors this year's event with a two-hour closing set on Saturday night, preceded by Yonder Mountain String Band's early evening set. Also performing Saturday are Shadowgrass, Sister Sadie, Fireside Collective, Jammy Buffet, Midnight North (led by Grahame Lesh and Elliott Peck), and Melody Trucks & The Fitzkee Brothers.

Fans can expect to see the three Artists-at-Large throughout the weekend—Allie Kral, Alvin 'Uncle Al' Lee of The Lee Boys, and Patrick Rainey—making their rounds, creating unique moments with their special improvisational magic.

Sunday evening Béla Fleck My Bluegrass Heart will take the stage shortly before sunset. The ensemble includes Michael Cleveland (fiddle), Dominick Leslie (mandolin), Jeff Partin (dobro), Mark Schatz (bass), and Jake Stargel (guitar). They are followed by Sam Bush. Also performing on Sunday are Mountain Grass Unit, SCYTHIAN, the Official Baygrass House Band, Geraldine, and Cris Jacobs, who will be a special guest throughout the day.

There will also be exclusive VIP stage performances by Melody Trucks & Fitzkee Brothers Music (Saturday) and Geraldine (Sunday).

The official Friday Night Baygrass Kickoff Party at Maryland Hall features Jammy Buffet (two sets) and Cumberland Honey.

Live Radio Broadcasts

KFAT Radio will broadcast live, including from the stages, starting at noon on Friday from their mobile studio at Sandy Point State Park, then transferring to Maryland Hall Friday evening to broadcast the pre-party, and then back to Sandy Point after the show, continuing live all the way through until midnight on Sunday. Listen live at kfat.com.

93.5 WRNR will broadcast live straight from the Baygrass scene from their booth all day on Saturday with hosts Neci (live from 11am-3pm) and Rich Fisher (live from 3pm-7pm). WRNR can also be found on iHeart, Audacy, TuneIn, and Live 365. Listen live at wrnr.com/listen-live.

Festival Guide

The official festival guide, powered by Let's Rallie, is available on both a mobile app and web browser, offering the music and workshop schedules, an interactive festival map, shuttle information, real-time festival notifications, and a nearby restaurant guide. It can be downloaded at app.letsrallie.com/events/baygrass_music_festival.

More Than Music

Throughout the weekend, Baygrass offers interactive music and educational workshops, beach yoga, yard and tabletop games, a vibrant artisan village, a KidZone, a waterfront beer garden, and a VIP experience. Guests can also enjoy fresh Chesapeake seafood, gourmet BBQ, and a selection of vegan and vegetarian fare. The site is ADA accessible.

Official festival themes for costumes and flair are: Saturday, 'Put On Your Sailin' Shoes,' and Sunday, 'Tie Dye Tradition.'

The Baygrass KidZone includes crafts tied to this year's themes, along with a full lineup of daily arts & crafts, face painting, a Little Fiddle Workshop, games, activities, and a sandbox. Kids' passes have been locked in at last year's price (ages 6-15), and kids 5 and under are free.

Workshops

Saturday workshops include From Bay to Ballad: The Story, Songwriting, and Live Performance of 'The Secrets That She Keeps' by Benny 'Burle' Galloway with Dave Johnston, Allie Kral, and Cory Chubb; A Sacred Steel Workshop hosted by Uncle Al of the Lee Boys; Shuck Like a Pro hosted by Oyster Recovery Partnership; and more.

Sunday workshops include From Tradition to Tomorrow: Bluegrass at 80, a Talk & Tunes session hosted by acclaimed author Tim Newby and Rolling Stone writer Garret K. Woodward with special musical guests including Sam Bush and Mountain Grass Unit's Drury Anderson; Mental Health Matters: A Conversation with Cris Jacobs, hosted by John Way (Founder of The VA WAY); and Blue Cat & Brew, a food and beer pairing in the Beer Garden with Chesapeake Chef Service and M8 Beer.

Both days will have Beach Yoga hosted by YogaRoots Movement and Sober Space Meet-ups.

Food, Drink, and the Baytoberfest Beer Garden

The culinary experience is led by local catering and concessions partner Chesapeake Chefs Services, serving Maryland crab cakes, Old Bay shrimp salad, blue catfish po' boys, soft shell crab sandwiches, pit BBQ, boardwalk fries, and brick oven pizzas. Ashling Kitchen will offer grilled burgers and other street fare, and other food vendors include crepes, Thai, vegan, and vegetarian options, as well as kettle corn and other sweets.

The Baytoberfest Beer Garden features the Dewey Beach Bar, M8 Beer Pavilion, BayCrush Bar, and Oyster Bar, plus beer garden snacks including brats, Bavarian pretzels, and crab dip. Beverage offerings include OtherSide Beverage Project's brews by Baygrass partners M8 Beer (including their new signature Baytoberfest Beer) and Dewey Beer Co., who is again brewing a Baygrass Bay Keeper IPA.

Guests can also enjoy coffee, tea, and lemonade from Chesapeake Coffee Roasters, along with a Baygrass Coffee Can and coffee drinks themed around bluegrass songs, and craft sodas by Wild Bill's Craft Beverages. SOBAR will serve non-alcoholic beer and mocktails. Baygrass does not sell or allow single-use plastic water bottles, and filtered water stations are located throughout the festival for refillable bottles.

The Maker's Mark VIP Lounge, host to the exclusive evening VIP performances, will pour their small-batch Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey along with 196 seltzer, tequila, rum, and vodka from Suntory distribution, with daily free tastings. VIP passes also include hot catered meals, with crab cakes returning this year. Organic hard cider from Shacksbury Cider, craft cocktails from Gray Wolf Distillery, and wines from Soul Summit will also be available.

Shuttle Information

Attendees staying at select partner hotels or the KOA on the official Baygrass shuttle route, or who wish to use the Harry S. Truman Park-n-Ride, may purchase a weekend shuttle pass for transportation to Baygrass and back. Organizers note there are limited quantities available at baygrassfestival.com/transportation.

Partners

Annapolis Baygrass partners include non-profit bay conservation beneficiaries: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Oyster Recovery Partnership, Watershed Steward Academy; mental health partners: The VA Way, Anne Arendelle County Health Department, National Council For Mental Wellbeing, National Alliance of Mental Health, Call 988; beverage partners: M8 Beer, SOBAR, Gray Wolf Spirits, Dewey Beer, Makers Mark, Jim Beam; food partners: Chesapeake Chef Service, Ashling Kitchen; decor: Patuxent Home and Gardens; media partners: WRNR, WTMD, Bluegrass Country Radio, What's Up Media, KFAT Radio; and other partners: Peake Social, and Chesapeake Outdoor Group; Law Offices of Joel L Katz, Maryland Hall, GigBox, Otherside Beverage Project, Pipino Audio Visual, Shore United Bank, Renewal by Anderson, Chronic Sailing, Lonergan, Annapolis Pediatrics, AACTA, Davey, Turtle Hill, Festy GoNuts, Blackspy Marketing, Asphalt Restoration Inc, YogaRoots Movement, Sol Summit, Gray Wolf, and Maurice.

About Baygrass

Sandy Point State Park, a 786-acre Maryland State Park located along the northwestern shore of Chesapeake Bay, provides the backdrop for the festival. With views of the Bay, the Bay Bridge, and the historic Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse, festival-goers can spread out on the sandy beaches and grass of the park. The site is ADA accessible.

Annapolis Baygrass has grown into one of the country's eco-focused destination festivals since its inception in 2022 and first festival in 2023. Lovers of progressive bluegrass, improvisational jam, and American roots music have traveled from 38 U.S. states, Canada, and Europe.

Two-Day and Single Day General Admission, VIP Passes, and pre-party tickets are available at baygrassfestival.com. According to organizers, VIP Saturday and 2-Day passes are almost sold out, and VIP Sunday passes are going fast.