SACRAMENTO AREA BLUEGRASS & DANCE EVENTS
5/21 - 10/26
Everything on this list is worth recommending. Starred items are editor picks.
If you've got an event or comment on this list email joel@letsjambg.com
📚 CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Flatpicked Rhythm Guitar: Using the Boomchuck
Date: Thursdays, 5/7 - 6/11/2026
Time: 7pm
Venue: The Freight, Berkeley
Flatpicked rhythm guitar class for bluegrass taught by Richard Brandenburg. About 90 minutes from Sacramento.
The Pleasures of Jamming!
Date: Thursdays, 5/7 - 6/11/2026
Time: 8:30pm
Venue: The Freight, Berkeley
Bluegrass jamming class taught by Richard Brandenburg. About 90 minutes from Sacramento.
Wernick Method Bluegrass Jam Camp
Date: 5/23-24/2026
Time: Sat 9:30am-5:30pm; Sun 9:30am-4:30pm
Venue: Hollister, CA
Weekend jam camp taught by Mike and Gail Thomas using the Wernick Method. Includes lunch both days. About 2.5 hours from Sacramento.
Wernick Method Weekly Jam Class
Date: Sundays, 5/31 - 6/28/2026
Time: 1-4:30pm
Venue: Oakland, CA
Weekly bluegrass jam class taught by Erik Yates using the Wernick Method. About 1.5 hours from Sacramento.
Let's Jam Bluegrass - Summer Drop-In Jam Class
Date: Tuesdays, 6/2 - 7/28/2026
Time: 7-9:30pm
Venue: Watermelon Music, Davis
Drop-in jam sessions for players new to acoustic jamming. Moderate pace, supportive environment. Participants should have mastered basic chords and be able to play simple songs with ease. $200 full session / $30 drop-in.
Wernick Method Weekend Jam Camp
Date: 6/12-14/2026
Time: Fri 1-6pm; Sat 9am-5pm; Sun 10am-4pm
Venue: Watermelon Music, Davis
Weekend jam camp taught by David Abramson using the Wernick Method. Three days of hands-on instruction in rhythm, lead, and harmony singing. Build confidence and skills for bluegrass jams.
Tuition: $300
CBA Summer Music Camp
Date: 6/14-17/2026
Venue: Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley
California Bluegrass Association music camp held right before the Father's Day Bluegrass Festival. About 60 minutes from Sacramento.
Big Sur Fiddle Camp
Date: 6/21-28/2026
Venue: Big Sur, CA
Week-long fiddle camp for musicians with at least one year of experience. Features 17 instructors including Abigail Washburn and John Weed. Styles range from bluegrass to swing to old-time. About 4 hours from Sacramento.
California Coast Music Camp
Date: 7/11-17 & 7/18-24/2026
Venue: Monterey County, CA
Two separate week-long sessions for adult musicians and singers of all levels. Classes in guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, ukulele, vocals, and more. Genres include folk, bluegrass, old-time, country, swing, and jazz. About 3 hours from Sacramento.
Info: https://musiccamp.org/
West Marin Fiddle Camp
Date: 7/20-24/2026
Venue: Bolinas, CA
Fiddle camp featuring instructors Laurie Lewis, Ann Savoy, Riley Baugus, Jordan Tice, and others. About 2.5 hours from Sacramento.
Walker Creek Music Camp
Date: 10/23-26/2026
Venue: Walker Creek Ranch, between Marshall & Petaluma
Multi-instrument bluegrass and old-time music camp. About 2 hours from Sacramento.
🎵 SHOWS & CONCERTS
Richard Smith
Date: 6/4/2026
Venue: The Side Door, Sacramento
English-born fingerstyle and thumbpicking guitar virtuoso, 2001 National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion and Thumbpickers Hall of Fame inductee who has shared the stage with Chet Atkins, Les Paul, and Tommy Emmanuel. His solo repertoire spans country, bluegrass, blues, ragtime, jazz, and classical.
Silas Lowe Trio
Date: 6/6/2026
Venue: The Side Door, Sacramento
Austin-based Americana and roots singer-songwriter Silas Lowe blends folk, bluegrass, blues, and honky-tonk with evocative storytelling rooted in Appalachian and Texas traditions. For this show he's joined by Emily Triplett Lentz (bass) and Andy Lentz (fiddle).
Seán Gavin and Colm Gannon
Date: 6/12/2026
Venue: The Side Door, Sacramento
An evening of traditional Irish music with master uilleann piper and flute player Seán Gavin — the first and only musician born outside Ireland to win the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal — and All-Ireland button accordion champion Colm Gannon, who has toured with Riverdance, Dervish, and De Dannan.
The Real Sarahs
Date: 6/13/2026
Time: 7-9pm
Venue: Fiddletown Community Center, Fiddletown
West coast Americana with folk/jazz/blues/bluegrass harmonies. About 60 minutes from Sacramento.
Minor Gold
Date: 6/18/2026
Venue: The Side Door, Sacramento
ARIA-nominated songwriters Tracy McNeil (Canada) and Dan Parsons (Australia) perform a lush, harmony-drenched blend of cosmic country and folk from their album Way to the Sun. Their North American tour brings Laurel Canyon-inspired Americana with shimmering psychedelic pedal steel.
Left of Cool Band
Date: 6/26/2026
Time: 7-9pm
Venue: Mills Station Arts and Cultural Center (The MACC), Rancho Cordova
Spousal duo performing bluegrass, Americana, traditional, folk, and old country. Hugh Hoeger plays guitar, mandolin, and bass with a distinctive flat-picking style. $5 at the door.
Double D's
Date: 6/27/2026
Time: 7-9pm
Venue: The Side Door, Sacramento
Doug Sandall and Dale Poune perform original compositions woven with colorful stories and humor. The duo has been writing and performing together for three years. $25.
Charlie Torch Band
Date: 7/3/2026
Time: 7-9pm
Venue: The Side Door, Sacramento
Country, bluegrass, and old-time music featuring siblings Jasper and Jayna Manning out front, their father Chad Manning on fiddle, Tyler Stegall on banjo, and Paul Knight on bass. Expect angelic harmonies and gutbucket truth in a raw yet joyful set. $30.
Taylor Mountain Band
Date: 7/10/2026
Time: 5-7pm
Venue: Matanzas Creek Winery, Santa Rosa
Bluegrass concert at the winery's Golden Friday series with wine tasting and food trucks. About 2 hours from Sacramento.
Barkley Cove
Date: 7/10/2026
Time: 7-9pm
Venue: The Side Door, Sacramento
New folk ensemble blending folk, rock, country, and bluegrass with collaborative songwriting and rich vocal harmony rooted in the 60s folk revival. Features Jillian Dolan (guitar), Yusuf Miller (mandolin), Silas Gross (banjo), and Robert Myers (bass). $30.
Richard Gilewitz
Date: 7/16/2026
Time: 7-9pm
Venue: The Side Door, Sacramento
Acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist known for masterful acoustic technique drawing on everything from Bach to Led Zeppelin. His playing emphasizes emotional depth and the intentional use of silence, letting each piece breathe. $30.
The 'Yotes (formerly Stewart and Vasquez)
Date: 7/18/2026
Time: 6-9pm
Venue: Blue Note Brewery, Woodland
Acoustic Americana duo (formerly Stewart and Vasquez) performing a live set at the brewery.
Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore: Almost Acoustic Duo
Date: 7/25/2026
Venue: Harlow's, Sacramento
Friends for over 30 years, their lively shows feature songs from the duo's albums and classic original compositions, swapping songs, telling stories, and sharing life experiences on stage. With special guest Lenny Kaye.
James McMurtry and the Martial Law Review
Date: 7/26/2026
Time: 8:00pm
Venue: Harlow's, Sacramento
Acclaimed Texas singer-songwriter known for sharp, literary Americana. With BettySoo. All ages.
🎪 FESTIVALS
★Strawberry Spring Music Festival
Date: 5/21-25/2026
Venue: Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley
Major multi-day family camping festival. About 60 minutes from Sacramento.
★CBA Father's Day Bluegrass Festival
Date: 6/18-21/2026
Venue: Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley
California Bluegrass Association's flagship festival. About 60 minutes from Sacramento.
Susanville Bluegrass Festival
Date: 6/26-28/2026
Venue: Lassen County Fairgrounds, Susanville
15th annual bluegrass festival with preceding music camp (6/23-25). About 3 hours from Sacramento.
💃 DANCES
Sacramento English Country Dance
Date: 1st & 3rd Sundays 2-5pm
Venue: Masonic Lodge / YLI Hall, Roseville & Sacramento
English Country Dance with live music. 1st Sundays at Masonic Lodge (235 Vernon St Roseville) 3rd Sundays at YLI Hall (1400 27th St Sacramento). Free intro class at 1:30pm. $15 adults; $10 students; $5 under 18; $30 family max.
Sacramento Contra Dance
Date: 2nd & 4th Saturdays 7-10pm
Venue: Coloma Community Center, Sacramento
Regular contra dances with live music and calling. Newcomer orientation at 6:30pm. $15 adults; $10 students; $5 under 18; $30 family max.
🎸 JAM SESSIONS
Martinez Bluegrass Jam
Date: Sundays 11am
Venue: Market & Main (upstairs), Martinez
Regular bluegrass jam session.
Lucky Horseshoe Performance Jam
Date: Sundays 4pm
Venue: The Lucky Horseshoe, San Francisco
Intermediate-level performance bluegrass jam (on stage playing into a mic). Must be able to lead a vocal or instrumental song. Ages 21+.
East Bay Bluegrassers Jam
Date: Wednesdays
Venue: Rockin' Robbie's Music Store, El Cerrito
Free bluegrass jam. All ages and skill levels welcome. Guitar mandolin banjo bass violin and other bluegrass instruments.
Napa Bluegrass Jam
Date: Tuesdays 7-9pm
Venue: Meadows of Napa, Napa
Friendly bluegrass jam hosted by Vern Flock at the Meadows of Napa retirement home.
Two Rivers - Old Time Jam
Date: Every Sunday 6-8pm
Venue: Two Rivers Cider, Sacramento
Old time jam session. All ages welcome.
Uncle Sonny's - Bluegrass Jam
Date: Every Wednesday 6-8pm
Venue: Uncle Sonny's, Colfax
Bluegrass jam at Uncle Sonny's in Colfax. High activity as of 10/12/25. Ages 21+.
Third Friday Irish Session
Date: Third Friday 7-9pm
Venue: The Fox and Goose, Sacramento
Mostly Irish session at Fox and Goose.
North Bay Old Time Music Sessions
Date: 1st Sundays 3-5pm
Venue: Church of the Oaks, Cotati
Old time music jam session.
Sebastopol Bluegrass Jam
Date: 3rd Sundays 2:30pm
Venue: Sebastopol Center For the Arts, Sebastopol
Bluegrass jam for various skill levels.
Orangevale Grange Fiddle Jam
Date: 2nd Sundays at 1pm
Venue: Orangevale Grange, 5807 Walnut Ave, Orangevale
Fiddle jam session.
SPENCE Bluegrass Jam Series
Date: 4th Tuesdays, 1st/3rd Thursdays, 2nd/4th Thursdays, 1st Fridays 7-11pm
Venue: Various Bay Area venues
Rotating bluegrass jam series: 4th Tuesdays at Ashkenaz (Berkeley), 1st & 3rd Thursdays at Papermill Creek Saloon (Forest Knolls), 2nd & 4th Thursdays at Peri's (Fairfax), 1st Fridays at Smiley's Saloon (Bolinas). Format: 7-8pm open jam, 8-9pm house band, 9-11pm open jam.