With just weeks to go until the inaugural Biscuits & Banjos Festival, GRAMMY and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens has revealed several exciting updates for the sold-out three-day event, taking place April 25-27, 2025 across downtown Durham, NC. The festival, curated by Giddens, is a celebration of Black music, art, and culture, bringing together artists, storytellers, and the community to honor the legacy of Black string band traditions while showcasing the diversity and vitality of contemporary Black folk and roots music. Highlights include a livestream of the highly anticipated Carolina Chocolate Drops reunion show via Veeps on April 26, a new merchandise line available for pre-order, a range of free programming open to the public and the full festival schedule.
For fans unable to attend in person, the festival will offer a livestream of Rhiannon Giddens’ Carolina Breakdown show, featuring the Carolina Chocolate Drops Reunion, via livestream-concert platform, Veeps. This monumental performance marks the first time in over a decade that all original and key members of the GRAMMY-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops will perform together on stage. The reunion not only brings back one of the most influential Black string bands of the 21st century but also serves as a powerful moment of reconnection and reflection on their profound impact on American roots music. The show will also debut Giddens' new band, The Old-Time Revue, live from the Durham Performing Arts Center at 6 PM on Saturday, April 26. The evening will be a historic celebration of tradition, artistry, and community, uniting past and present through music. Veeps is the world’s leading streaming platform for live music and entertainment, where fans can connect with their favorite artists through live and on-demand concerts, comedy shows, and more. Tickets on-sale now: https://veeps.events/biscuits-and-banjos
Free programming throughout the weekend will include musical performances, artist panels, and film screenings, with topics ranging from Black voices in country music to the relationship between food and storytelling. In addition, the festival will screen a live telecast of Giddens’ Carolina Breakdown set in Downtown Durham’s Lot 20 (the festival’s hub), allowing the Durham community to experience the historic reunion of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
The festival has also launched an online store, offering a first look at its exclusive Biscuits & Banjos merchandise line. Attendees can pre-order items for pickup on-site, ensuring they don’t miss out on commemorative gear while enjoying the festival. Please visit here: https://stores.portmerch.com/biscuitsandbanjos/
While the ticketed venues have been sold out for months, Giddens is making it clear that Biscuits & Banjos is more than just a series of concerts. Free, community-focused programming will take place at five dedicated areas around Durham, including the Water Tower at American Tobacco Campus and the festival’s Blackbird Stage at Lot 20. "I know it's been sold out for a while, but there is so much going on outside of the ticketed venues," says Giddens. "You're going to see performances from people like Dom Flemons, discussions about country music, and documentaries from folks like Justin Robinson. This festival is about building community because that's what we need now, more than ever."
Late-night after parties at Pinhook, curated by local BIPOC and LGBTQ+ DJ collective The Conjure, will feature local artists spinning and western themed drag performances , while the Music Village at 21c Museum Hotel will include free banjo lessons from Deering Banjos and an interactive space for attendees to explore and shop instruments from Elderly Instruments. Film screenings will also take place at PSI Theatre.
Another festival highlight is the Biscuit Trail, showcasing Durham’s thriving culinary scene by featuring biscuit-inspired dishes from seven local restaurants throughout the weekend. Adding a touch of friendly competition, the participating restaurants will also go head-to-head in a biscuit competition, with Rhiannon Giddens serving as one of the judges. This initiative not only celebrates rich Southern food traditions but also adds a local flavor to the festival experience.
The full festival schedule line-up is available here: www.biscuitandbanjos.com/schedule
In addition to the programming, Biscuits & Banjos has partnered with Fandiem to give away a trip to the festival, supporting the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which aids musicians and industry workers in North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene. So far, the campaign has raised $40,000, with donations continuing to come in.
Curated by Giddens, Biscuits & Banjos is a tribute to North Carolina’s Black cultural legacy and the role of Black string band music in shaping American roots traditions. Giddens’ forthcoming album, What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow (April 18, Nonesuch Records), continues her journey of honoring and celebrating the music born out of this rich heritage, building on her lifelong commitment to preserving and amplifying these traditions.
Biscuits & Banjos is a non-profit, community responsive festival. Funding for Biscuits & Banjos is made possible in part by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Ford Foundation, Warner Music Group & Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund, Duke Arts and Duke Community Affairs, 21c Museum Hotel, Harper House Music Foundation, Biscuitville, Danielle Rose Paikin Foundation, Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, North Carolina Humanities, the City of Durham, Durham County, North Carolina Arts Council, Blue Ridge Music Center, the Hello in There Foundation, American Tobacco Campus, Bull City Burger and Brewery, Deering Banjos, Discover Durham, Durham Arts Council, the Durham Hotel, Red Light Management, Elderly Instruments, M4 Media, Old Hillside Bourbon, Proximity Brewing Company, Southern Documentary Fund, Sugarlands Distilling Company, Unscripted Durham, and many generous individual donors and community partners.
Unmanageable, a 501(c)3 organization, is Biscuits & Banjo’s non-profit producing partner. Donations to support Biscuits & Banjos are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donate: https://www.biscuitsandbanjos.com/donate
Pre-order the album here: https://giddensrobinson.lnk.to/BlackbirdCrow
What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow Track List:
Rain Crow
Brown’s Dream
Hook and Line
Pumpkin Pie
Duck’s Eyeball
Ryestraw
Little Brown Jug
Going to Raleigh
Country Waltz
Molly Put the Kettle On
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
John Henry
Love Somebody
Ebenezer
Old Joe Clark
Old Molly Hare
Marching Jaybird
Walkin’ in the Parlor
Tour Dates:
April 25-27 - Durham, NC - Biscuits & Banjos
April 30 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
May 2 - Miami, FL - Miami Beach Bandshell
May 3 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
May 4 - Birmingham, AL - Jemison Concert Hall @ Alys Robinson Stephens Center
May 7 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
May 8 - Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall
May 9 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
May 11 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
May 13 - Grand Rapids, MI - St. Cecilia Music Center
May 15 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 16 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory of Music
May 17 - Ottawa, ON - National Arts Centre, Southam Hall
June 15 - Napa, CA - Uptown Theatre
June 16 - Ventura, CA - Ventura Theater
June 18 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl (with Our Native Daughters, Steve Martin, Ed Helms, Leyla McCalla, Amythyst Kiah and Allison Brown)
June 19 - San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park
June 21 - Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach
June 23 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theater
June 26 - Montréal, QC - Théâtre Maisonneuve @ Montreal Jazz Festival
July 11 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre
July 12 - Flagstaff, AZ - Pepsi Amphitheater
July 14 - Santa Fe, NM - Lensic Performing Arts Center
July 18 - Sonoma, CA - Green Music Center
July 19 - Navarro, CA - Redwood Ramble
July 21 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery
July 25 - Boise, ID - Egyptian Theatre
July 28 - Boulder, CO - Chautauqua Park
July 29 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
July 31 - Vail, CO - Vilar Performing Arts Center
