The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys at Carrboro Bluegrass Festival – photo © Thomas Beck
This report on this past Saturday’s Carrboro Bluegrass Festival is a contribution from Billy Maupin. Photos were taken by Thomas Beck.
The 2026 Carrboro Bluegrass Festival was a masterclass in adaptation. When the skies over Carrboro, NC turned gray and the storms rolled in, the festival didn’t miss a beat—it just moved the party inside. Taking over both the Cat’s Cradle Main Room and the Back Room, the event transformed from a sprawling backyard hang into an intimate, high-octane marathon of acoustic excellence.
Guided by the steady, warm presence of host Freddie Jenkins (the voice of WUNC’s Back Porch Music), the day was defined by its purpose. A portion of all proceeds went directly to Be Loud! Sophie, supporting adolescent and young adult cancer patients at UNC Hospitals. It was a reminder that while the music is the draw, the community is the glue.
The festival was kicked off in style by the Carolina Bluegrass Band, featuring recent graduates of the University of North Carolina’s Bluegrass Initiative. These young pickers proved that the tradition is in excellent hands, delivering a set that was as technically precise as it was soulful.
For those looking to see how far you can push the boundaries of three acoustic instruments, the Jon Stickley Trio delivered. Always eclectic and fiercely energetic, their set blurred the lines between bluegrass, jazz, and rock. Their high-speed “newgrass” flatpicking sent a surge of electricity through the Cat’s Cradle, proving that bluegrass can be just as much about the future as it is about the past.
Mason Via’s performance was a particularly poignant moment for the crowd as Waverly Via (performing alongside her husband, Mason ) stepped onto the stage. For Waverly, it was a true full-circle moment; as a former member of the Carolina Bluegrass Band during her time at UNC, seeing her return as a shining headliner was a testament to the local talent pipeline.
In one of the most anticipated sets of the day, Trenton Wagler and Eric Brubaker stepped away from their full band, The Steel Wheels, for a rare duo performance. The stripped-back setting allowed their seasoned chemistry to shine. Between Wagler’s evocative vocals and Brubaker’s masterful fiddle work, the set felt like a private porch session shared with a room full of friends.
There is a certain gravity that comes when Laurie Lewis takes the stage. A true touchstone of American roots music, Lewis and her band, The Right Hands, brought a sense of lineage to the Main Room. Her performance was a beautiful balance of grace and authority, reminding everyone why she has been a leading voice in the genre for decades.
Closing out the night were The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, who brought the house down with their “unapologetic” brand of traditional bluegrass. Their high-voltage set was the perfect way to cap off the day, leaving the crowd buzzing long after the final notes faded into the rainy Carrboro night.
