Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Bear Shadow Festival 2024: What You Need to Know

Bear Shadow Festival 2024
by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.
Festival TitleBear Shadow Festival 2024
Festival DurationMay 11-12, 2024
VenueWindfield Farm on The Highlands-Cashiers Plateau, North Carolina
Performers IncludeBlack Pumas, J.J. Grey & Mofro, and more
Ticket Information Get Your Tickets Here

Get out of your den, welcome the new season, and join the annual spring festival on Windfield Farm on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau, North Carolina, for the Bear Shadow Festival, a celebration of American, folk, and alt-country, this coming May 11-12, 2024. The sister festival of Highlands Food & Wine, Bear Shadow, debuted in 2021 and has easily become a must-attend event in the North Carolina music scene. 

Last year, they booked Austin-based rock band Spoon, indie folk band The Head and the Heart, and Grammy Award winner Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. And this year, they’re giving the headliner spots to Black Pumas and J.J. Grey & Mofro. The weekend festival also brings a stellar assembly of top-tier artists to perform with them. 

The Line-up – Who’s singing at Bear Shadow

Bear Shadow Festival 2024 square

Experience the rad soundtrack at 4118 feet high at the Bear Shadow Festival 2024. Here’s their full two-day line-up.

Black Pumas
J.J. Grey & Mofro

North Mississippi Allstars
FutureBirds
American Aquarium
The Record Company
White Denim
Grace Bowers

Festival Essentials & Insider Tips

Thousands of attendees flock to North Carolina for this annual spring scene. 

You can purchase either a single-day pass or a weekend pass for the event. General admission tickets for a single day are $175, while the weekend pass is $300. For VIPs, a single pass costs $325, and the weekend $600. Children under 12 are free, but organizers note that there are ponds in the area (and unattended children will be fed to the bears), music will be loud, and alcohol will be served. Yes, all ticket tiers have complimentary alcoholic drinks (spirits reserved only for VIPs and can’t be purchased), but they also offer non-alcoholic beverages for non-drinkers.

RELATED: Big As Texas Festival 2024: What You Need to Know

If you want the extra luxury, you can buy a 2-day Platinum VIP pass for $6,000, with access to a reserved cove fitting up to six (6) people.

Saturday gates open at 1:30 P.M., and Sunday gates open an hour earlier. It’s an outdoor farm rain-or-shine event, so everyone’s advised to wear casual clothes that fit the forecasted weather. Dress shoes are strongly discouraged, especially on wet grounds. 

There are a variety of accommodations available in the area – inns, hotels, and rental homes. But there are limited parking passes (for $25), so if you’re going by car, make sure to secure one before it runs out. You can also take the complimentary free shuttles that will run continuously between Kelsey-Hutchinson Park, The Highlands Community Center, and Winfield Farm. There are no Uber or Lyft available. 

RELATED: Brandi Carlile’s Mothership Weekend 2024

Also, there’s no public wi-fi, and cell service is limited. So, basically, this is an offline kind of event where you can just soak in nature and music. 

Bear Shadow is committed to the environmental conservation and preservation of the Highlands Plateau, and this year, they are partnering with Sky Valley-Scale Mountain Volunteer Fire & Rescue. A portion of the ticket proceeds will go into the support of this non-profit organization. 

For more info, tune in to their official website at Bear Shadow NC. You can also text BEARSHADOW to (828) 202-8911 to get weekend updates and festival info. 

Latest Stories

The Timeless Legacy of Randy Travis' Grammy-Winning "Forever and Ever, Amen"

The Timeless Legacy of Randy Travis’ Grammy-Winning “Forever and Ever, Amen”

When it comes to country music that stands the test of time, Randy Travis is the name that echoes through the halls of history. His deep, resonant voice and unparalleled ...

Phil Robertson Faces Early Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

Phil Robertson Faces Early Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Amid Blood Disease Complications

The Robertson family, known for their Duck Dynasty fame, has revealed concerning news about their beloved patriarch, Phil Robertson. On a recent episode of their podcast, Unashamed with the Robertson ...

Earliest Known Country Music Recording Discovered, Dating Back to 1891

Earliest Known Country Music Recording Discovered, Dating Back to 1891

Country music has always been a storytelling tradition, weaving the trials and triumphs of everyday life into melodies that stand the test of time. While most fans trace the roots ...

The All-American Rejects Reveal "Dirty Little Secret" Started as a Country Song

The All-American Rejects Reveal “Dirty Little Secret” Started as a Country Song

Who would’ve thought? The All-American Rejects, those emo-rock icons of the 2000s, recently revealed a surprising twist about one of their biggest hits. During an interview on the Zach Sang ...

Zach Top Revives John Michael Montgomery's "Sold" With a Neotraditional Twist

Zach Top Revives John Michael Montgomery’s “Sold” With a Neotraditional Twist

Zach Top is quickly solidifying his place as one of country music’s most exciting rising stars. Hailing from Sunnyside, Washington, Zach brings a neotraditional flair to his music that feels ...

Revisiting the Time Dolly Parton and Country Queens Sang Together on Burt Reynolds' Show

Revisiting the Time Dolly Parton and Country Queens Sang Together on Burt Reynolds’ Show

Burt Reynolds may be best remembered as a Hollywood icon. Still, in the early ’90s, he brought country music royalty together for an unforgettable moment in television history. On his ...

Mainstream Media Tried to Cancel Chris Stapleton, But Fans Rallied Behind Him

Mainstream Media Tried to Cancel Chris Stapleton, But Fans Rallied Behind Him

Chris Stapleton’s dominance at the 2024 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards was not without controversy. As he walked away with Single of the Year and Song of the Year for ...

Oliver Anthony Criticizes Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" Album as "Complete Trash"

Oliver Anthony Criticizes Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” Album as “Complete Trash”

Oliver Anthony is no stranger to controversy. Known for his unapologetic stance against the mainstream music industry, the artist behind “Rich Men North of Richmond” recently turned his attention to ...

Oliver Anthony Slams Nashville's Music Industry for Prioritizing Profits Over Authenticity

Oliver Anthony Slams Nashville’s Music Industry for Prioritizing Profits Over Authenticity

Oliver Anthony, the breakout star whose hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” skyrocketed him to fame, has made it clear that he wants nothing to do with the music business’s ...

Don Williams and Emmylou Harris Deliver a Classic Duet With "If I Needed You"

Don Williams and Emmylou Harris Deliver a Classic Duet With “If I Needed You”

When Don Williams and Emmylou Harris came together for their duet of “If I Needed You,” they gave life to one of country music’s most cherished ballads. Originally written and ...