Bluegrass Festival Takes Over Elk Creek Resort
Authentic Unlimited and Carson Peters Headline Bluegrass Festival June 26–28.
The Black Hills Bluegrass & BBQ Festival returns June 26–28 at Elk Creek Resort near Piedmont, bringing together national touring acts, regional performers, local musicians, workshops, campground jams, and a tradition that stretches back to 1980.
While the lineup includes award-winning performers and nationally recognized names, the festival has always been about more than the evening concerts. The weekend is built around participation. Campers arrive with instruments in hand. Workshops fill Saturday morning. Musicians who have never met before are placed together in the annual Band Scramble. Long after the scheduled performances end, picking circles often continue around campsites.
That hands-on approach is part of what has allowed the festival to endure through multiple venue changes and generations of musicians. The festival began in 1980 with the goal of bringing bluegrass musicians and fans together for a weekend in the Black Hills.
This year’s lineup is led by Authentic Unlimited, one of the most decorated groups currently touring in bluegrass music. Formed by former members of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, the band has quickly earned recognition on the national stage with multiple International Bluegrass Music Association awards and appearances at the Grand Ole Opry
Also appearing is Carson Peters & Iron Mountain. Many music fans first encountered Peters as a child fiddle prodigy performing on national television. Today, he fronts one of the strongest young traditional bluegrass bands on the road, combining fast-paced musicianship with a deep respect for the genre’s roots.
The festival’s touring acts are joined by a mix of family bands and regional performers including Murphy Ridge, Cynthia Ridge, Pearlgrace & Co., and Tequa Bluegrass Band.
Saturday afternoon the spotlight shines closer to home during the festival’s Local Showcase.
Mary Temple & Friends, Rhubarb Jam, and Humbletown will each take the stage, highlighting musicians from the region alongside the national touring artists.
Workshops covering fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass, and beginner-level instruction give players an opportunity to learn directly from experienced musicians. A dedicated kids workshop helps introduce younger players to the music, while the Band Scramble pairs participants into temporary groups that rehearse together before performing later that afternoon.
The result is a festival where the audience and performers often overlap. One campsite may hold a touring musician. The next might contain someone attending their first workshop. By Sunday morning, both could be sharing songs during the festival’s gospel show.
The Black Hills Bluegrass & BBQ Festival runs June 26–28 at Elk Creek Resort near Piedmont. Admission is free, though donations are appreciated. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and shade, and camping is available on-site.
