
Thursday, June 11
7-9 PM
Vienna, VA
Born in the bluegrass of Kentucky and raised on Wyoming’s high plains, Shelby Means is one of the foremost bassists in bluegrass, with nearly two decades of experience in bluegrass, folk, rock, Americana, and country outfits. Now based in Charleston, SC, Means spent a dozen years in Nashville, TN. During that time she performed as a member of the notable GRAMMY nominated all-women bluegrass band, Della Mae. She later joined Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway on bass and vocals, earning her first GRAMMY win for their 2023 album, City of Gold.

The Hazel Dickens Song Contest 2026 winners have been announced!
The Hazel Dickens Song Contest celebrates the life one of the Baltimore/Washington region music’s most beloved bluegrass songwriters.

The Mike Auldridge Instrumental Composition Contest honors the life and musicianship of one of America’s greatest bluegrass players.
2025 Winners Announced!


2026 Orrin Star Scholar Rita Perloff!
Congratulations goes to Rita Perloff who is the recipient of the 2026 Orrin Star Music Scholarship. Rita is a 14 year old from Oxford, Pennsylvania. Rita has been playing guitar in the band, Full Steam. Rita attends many festivals and Kids Academies. You can often see Rita and her fellow students busking around the festival grounds. With only 2 1/2 years of lessons, Rita is already playing solos! With her scholarship, Rita will attend the DelFest Music Academy.
The Orrin Star Scholarship honors the memory and generosity of a remarkable man, who lived in the DC area for most of his career and who was a friend to many in the bluegrass community. Orrin gained notoriety as a champion flat-picker and went on to enrich many of our lives with the warmth and humor of his performing and teaching.
Applications for the $500 award are accepted every year, beginning in the fall. Look for the announcement on the home page. Meanwhile, the program description is at https://dcbu.org/the-orrin-star-scholarship-program/
One important aspect of DCBU’s mission is to promote music education. We offer an instructor directory so students can locate teachers in their local area for in-person instruction. Additionally, since so many great musicians teach online classes, we’re now posting information for instructors wherever they are located. To sign-up as an instructor fill out the form by selecting the link below. Your submission will be reviewed and added to our directory within a few days.
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Sandy Spring Museum, Sandy Spring MD
The Sandy Spring Bluegrass Jam meets at the Sandy Spring Museum from 2pm-4pm on the 4th Sunday of each month. All experience- and ability-levels welcome. Acoustic instruments only. $5 fee and registration encouraged to be made in advance online. Museum members jam for free. Register here: JamTickets
7:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Bluegrass gospel music by the Roland Zimmerman Family.
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Mullin’s 1847 Restaurant, Moorefield West Virginia
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Harwood Nature Center, Lawrence Wetlands Preserve, Chestertown Maryland, Kent
Led by : Steve Dannenfelser
“Bluegrass has brought more people together and made more friends than any music in the world”…Bill Monroe
Bring your instrument, or just your voice, and join us at the Harwood Nature Center on the first and third Saturday afternoon from 1-3:30 for a bluegrass jam. All ability levels are welcome!
All enthusiastic music lovers are welcome to come and listen, maybe you too will catch the bluegrass bug and pick up an instrument!
Register: https://sultanaeducation.org/event/1st-and-3rd-saturday-afternoon-bluegrass-jam/
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
President Lincoln’s Cottage, Washington, DC DC
Sip bourbon on Lincoln’s lawn while listening to sets from headliner Alison Brown along with Jake Blount and Split String Soup (Saturday) and Hubby Jenkins and Goldbug Revival (Sunday). This is the rollicking preservation fundraiser you don’t want to miss!
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