Photo Credit: Ebru Yildiz

Rhiannon Giddens has announced Biscuits and Banjos, her first-ever music festival. The three-day event will debut on April 25-27, 2025, in downtown Durham, N.C., Giddens’ home state. Through her latest venture, the prolific Grammy-winning folk figurehead aims to celebrate Black creativity and commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first Black Banjo Gathering, which launched her career from a Boone, N.C. jam circle in 2005.

“This festival has been a long-time dream of mine,” Giddens offers in a press release. “It’s about honoring the connections that tie Black culture together across time and geography, whether it’s through music, food, or storytelling. The Black Banjo Gathering was such an important milestone for me personally, and I want Biscuits & Banjos to bring that same spirit of discovery and community to today’s generation of artists and fans.”

To animate her premiere music celebration, Giddens has tapped an all-star lineup of artists from the worlds of bluegrass, folk, blues, jazz and more. Before a headline performance, the festival founder will take the stage as part of the Carolina Chocolate Drops’ long-awaited reunion show. Founded by Giddens, Dom Flemmons and Justin Robinson after connecting at the Black Banjo Gathering, the storied string band will rejoin after a decade-long hiatus onstage at the festival, alongside members from over the years like multi-instrumentalist Leyla McCalla, who will perform as a solo artist earlier in the day.

Other stars within the first-release lineup are Taj Mahal, Christian McBride, Rissi Palmer, The Legendary Ingramettes, and New Dangerfield. Outside of her solo and Carolina Chocolate Drops configurations, Giddens will also perform as part of a revue-style show, welcoming an ensemble of friends and special guests to manifest the event’s collaborative ethos. The full lineup will be announced as the event approaches.

Biscuits & Banjos is billed as a boutique music event like no other, opening a neighborhood-spanning experience across the indoor and outdoor venues of downtown Durham. Participants can stroll between locations to enjoy performances, lectures, and interactive sessions with artists, authors, and chefs. Special programming highlighting the rich history of the region’s Black culture will include a celebrity chef biscuit bake-off, square dancing, and free banjo lessons.

In a press release, Giddens highlights the central importance of this community, saying, “Durham is the perfect place to launch Biscuits & Banjos. It has a vibrant community, an incredible artistic scene, and a history that aligns with the festival’s mission to uplift and honor Black culture.” As a Tar Heel State Native, Giddens’ festival is focused on preserving its culture and supporting its residents through recovery after the devastation of Hurricane Helene; to this end, a portion of ticket sales and merchandise income will go toward disaster relief efforts.

Tickets for Biscuits & Banjos will go on sale this Friday, Oct. 25. For more information, visit https://www.biscuitsandbanjos.com/

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