MerleFest has confirmed dates for this coming September 2021. The festival will occur on Sept. 16-19 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, N.C. The festival is typically held on the last weekend of April; according to a press release, organizers “stressed that this would be a one-time-only move to this fall” and the event will move back to April in 2022.

While no artists have been announced yet, MerleFest has announced that on June 10, it will host an artist announcement celebration livestream. Starting at 7 p.m. ET that night, the festival will announce their full lineup and tickets will officially go on sale. In addition, according to a press release, “the show will feature a nostalgic look back at MerleFests past.”

The festival has also announced that it will be accepting entries for the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest from Apr. 15 to June 15. The acclaimed contest is entering its 29th year, and the judges panel made up of Nashville music industry professionals is being directed by Jim Lauderdale. All entries will cost $30, but net proceeds from the contest support the Wilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship. According to a press release, “finalists will be invited to the final round of the competition, which takes place Friday, Sept. 17, during MerleFest. First-place winners will receive $1,000 cash and a performance slot at MerleFest.”

For more information on the contest, click here. For more information about MerleFest, head to the festival’s website.