Bluegrass and old-time music aren't just something you hear in Asheville. You can sit in and play them. Most weeks there's a free jam somewhere in town or a short drive away, usually in a brewery taproom or a pub, with fiddles, banjos, guitars and mandolins pulled into a circle. Listeners are welcome too.
This guide is organized by night of the week, with a quick schedule near the end and a few tips for your first jam. Jam schedules change more often than almost anything else in town, so check with the venue before you load up the car. For other live music, see our guide to Asheville live music venues.
Pisgah Brewing Company: Tuesday
Black Mountain, 2948 US 70
Pisgah's Black Mountain Bluegrass Jam is unplugged and open to all levels. It starts at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays in the taproom and moves out to the patio when the weather is nice. Bring a fiddle, banjo, guitar or mandolin and join the circle, or grab a pint and listen.
Tip: Pisgah's taproom stage also hosts a Sunday Jam, though that one is a mix of genres rather than straight bluegrass.
Eda's Hide-a-Way: Tuesday
Weaverville, 1098 New Stock Rd.
Eda's Hide-a-Way is a bar in the hills of Weaverville with live music, pool, ping-pong and shuffleboard. Its open bluegrass jam runs every Tuesday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. It's free, and the bar says all are welcome, players and listeners alike.
Tip: Pisgah's jam and this one fall on the same night. If you live north of town, Eda's is the shorter drive.
Cork & Keg: First and Third Tuesdays
Downtown Asheville, 86 Patton Ave.
Cork & Keg is the wine bar and taproom attached to the Weinhaus, which has been selling wine downtown since 1977. On the first and third Tuesdays of the month it hosts an Old Time Moderate Jam from 5 to 6:30 p.m. A rotating leader presents tunes for people to play along with and learn, which makes it a good fit if you're still building your repertoire. It's free.
Tip: The jam is an early one, so you can make it downtown after work and still be home for dinner.
Turgua Brewing Company: Tuesday
Fairview, 3131 Cane Creek Rd.
Turgua's taproom on Cane Creek Road runs Tuesday jams from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with a different style each week. The first Tuesday is an old-time jam led by Marc Rudow, the second is an Irish session, the third is an Americana song circle and the fourth is gypsy jazz.
Tip: For straight old-time tunes, plan on the first Tuesday of the month.
Riverside Rhapsody Beer Company: Wednesday
Woodfin, 995 Riverside Dr.
Riverside Rhapsody calls Wednesday its bluegrass night. The open acoustic jam runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the brewery off Riverside Drive, just north of Asheville in Woodfin.
Tip: Riverside Rhapsody is closed Monday and Tuesday, so the Wednesday jam is the first night of its week.
Mills River Brewing Co.: First Wednesday
Mills River, 336 Banner Farm Rd.
Mills River Brewing hosts a bluegrass jam on the first Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. Mills River is south of Asheville, between the airport and Brevard, which makes this an easy stop for players in Henderson County.
Tip: Since it only happens once a month, confirm the date on the brewery's events page before you go.
Ginger's Revenge: Friday
River Arts District, 829 Riverside Dr., Suite 100
Sit a Spell is a weekly traditional music jam at the Ginger's Revenge tasting room, hosted by Warren Wilson College music faculty on Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m. The style rotates: a bluegrass session with Korey Brodsky on first Fridays, old-time and songs with Emolyn Liden on second Fridays, an old-time session with Clarke Williams on third Fridays and a Celtic session with Maura Scanlin on fourth Fridays. Ginger's Revenge donates $100 from each session to the Warren Wilson Music Scholarship Fund.
Tip: The series is currently scheduled through December 2026. Check the Ginger's Revenge calendar for dates after that.
Zillicoah Beer Company: Every Other Sunday
Woodfin, 870 Riverside Dr.
Zillicoah sits on the French Broad River, and every other Sunday the bluegrass band Cast Iron hosts a jam there. The band plays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., then the jam opens to all pickers from 5:30 to 7.
Tip: Come at 4:30 to hear Cast Iron's set first and get a feel for the tunes before the circle opens up.
Weekly schedule at a glance
- Tuesday: Pisgah Brewing, 6 p.m. Eda's Hide-a-Way, 6:30 p.m. Cork & Keg (first and third Tuesdays), 5 p.m. Turgua Brewing (old-time on first Tuesdays), 5:30 p.m.
- Wednesday: Jack of the Wood old-time jam, 5 p.m. Riverside Rhapsody, 6 p.m. Mills River Brewing (first Wednesday), 6 p.m. French Broad River Brewery, 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday: Jack of the Wood bluegrass jam, 7 p.m., open jam at 9:30.
- Friday: Sit a Spell at Ginger's Revenge, 6 p.m.
- Sunday: Zillicoah (every other week), 4:30 p.m.
Frequently asked questions
Are bluegrass jams in Asheville free?
Most are. Eda's, Cork & Keg, Mills River, French Broad River Brewery and the Jack of the Wood jams are all listed as free. Check the venue's calendar for the others.
Can beginners join a jam?
Yes. Pisgah's and Eda's jams are billed as open to all levels, and the Cork & Keg jam is set up for learning tunes as you go. Start by listening and playing quiet rhythm.
What's the difference between a bluegrass jam and an old-time jam?
At a bluegrass jam, players usually take turns playing solos, or breaks, between verses. Old-time jams are built around fiddle tunes that everyone plays together, often without solos. Jack of the Wood, Cork & Keg and Turgua's first Tuesday are old-time jams.
Where can I hear bluegrass in Asheville without playing?
Every jam here welcomes listeners. For a band rather than a jam, try Cast Iron's set at Zillicoah or the Sunday brunch band at Jack of the Wood.
