Bill Monroe, the man credited with creating the style of music known as bluegrass, once famously said, “Bluegrass has brought more people together and more friends than any music in the world. You meet people at festivals and renew acquaintances year after year.” The Live & Local: Bluegrass 2016 strives to capture that aspect of Bluegrass, connecting people to each other and forming memories through the appreciation of local talent.

Hosted by Live It Up! Hillsborough Street, the third annual Live & Local: Bluegrass festival, a free and family-friendly festival, showcases live music, local artisans and food trucks while also providing an organized kids zone.

David Dean, the media contact for the event, said, “The kids zone will allow youngsters to build their own banjo, mine for gems and bounce to their heart’s content on multiple inflatables.”

The two-day event begins on Saturday with performances starting at 2:30 p.m. at the Louise Stephenson Amphitheatre in Raleigh Little Theatre. The festival changes venues on Sunday to Compiegne Park and performances begin at noon.

According to Dean, the event grows on Sunday with multiple stages, more than 30 vendors and an expanded kid zone.  

The eclectic festival features 15 local bands including Sideline, Diamond Creek and Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road.

“The festival is the one time of the year that we have bluegrass here at Raleigh Little Theatre,” said Charles Phaneuf, the theater’s executive director. “The festival is a great chance for audiences to experience an art form that’s from North Carolina as well as stellar local musicians.”

Though both Stephenson Amphitheatre and Compiegne Park are both outdoor venues, Phaneuf, who has helped host the event for the past two years, says that he enjoys the performances at both venues for different reasons.

“I always enjoy the Saturday performances at [Stephenson Amphitheatre] because this is such a beautiful, sylvan setting,” Phaneuf said.

The Stephenson Amphitheatre can seat about 2,000 and Phaneuf encourages guests to bring blankets, chairs and even their dogs as long as they are well-behaved and on a leash.

The amphitheater has a laid-back atmosphere, according to Phaneuf.

“We even have neighbors who have often brought their couch, which I think makes this the only couch-friendly outdoor venue in the Triangle,” Phaneuf said.

The festival’s second venue, Compiegne Park, also emits an easy-going ambiance, but Phanuef emphasized the energy of the Sunday performances because, as he explained, “With multiple stages, there is constant activity and high energy.”

The flexibility of the festival itself — being played at multiple venues — showcases a wide range of local talent and provides a well-equipped kids zone. Combined with the relaxed character of the outdoor theaters create a truly unique festival experience.

Not only does the festival provide free fun and entertainment for thousands, but it also promotes local artisans and performers while drawing crowds to Hillsborough Street.

“Our research shows that about 90 percent of attendees to festivals like this spend money with our merchants,” Dean said.

While the festival offers opportunities for local artists to demonstrate their talent, it also benefits local businesses through broader exposure and the development of grassroots relationships.

Though the festival only spans two days, it sets the stage for the five-day International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) World of Bluegrass festival in Downtown Raleigh, which provides fans with an abundance of music, exhibits, showcases and even its own film festival and awards show.

While the IBMA World of Bluegrass festival may be more renowned, the Live and Local: Bluegrass festival captures the still important humble and local aspects of bluegrass. The festival has the ability to connect people to each other, to music and to local businesses and talent.

“This festival is a more intimate and local affair, which I think is a great opportunity for people to warm up for the coming events,” Phaneuf said. “It’s more appropriate for the scale and feel of the Hillsborough Street district, just as IBMA is a great way to showcase all that Downtown Raleigh has to offer.”