BLUE RIDGE MUSIC CENTER

The Blue Ridge Music Center is located at mile 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Center was established by the U.S. Congress to honor and commemorate an important strand of the cultural history of the United States. The rural communities in this area of southwestern Virginia and adjoining North Carolina have been richly productive of string band musicians and have had an influence upon the music of this nation that is highly disproportionate to the actual population of this region. The Center is located in Carroll and Grayson Counties near the town of Galax.

The Blue Ridge Music Center is being developed by the National Park Service in partnership with The National Council for the Traditional Arts to preserve, interpret, and present traditional music of the Blue Ridge Mountains. At the center people can enjoy various activities including scheduled performances of old-time string bands, ballads, gospel, blues, and bluegrass music.

Phase I of the Music Center opened in October 2001 and includes a state of the art outdoor amphitheater with seating for more than 2,000 people, picnic facilities, a luthier shop and visitor parking. Phase II, now underway, will feature a 17,000 square foot facility with interpretive center, exhibit gallery, music sales and information area, an indoor auditorium, a listening library and a classroom area to accommodate visiting school groups.

The National Council for the Traditional Arts operates the music center in cooperation with the National Park Service. From June to September, the center hosts weekly concerts by local and nationally known traditional musicians.

Directions: Blue Ridge Parkway near Milepost 213.

Click here to visit the Official Blue Ridge Music Center website!
Or call 276-236-5309 for more information.