Bluegrass in Connecticut! March / April 2025

Hosmer Mountain Boys bring traditional Bluegrass music to Connecticut

March 22, 2025

Join Shady Creek and The Hosmer Mountain Boys for an evening of hometown Bluegrass music at the Killingly Grange Hall, Dog Hill Rd, Dayville, CT 06241 Come early for refreshments

Infamous Stringdusters live at Infinity Music Hall (Hartford, CT)

Sunday, March 16 2025 at 8:00PM

The Infamous Stringdusters are a celebrated American progressive bluegrass band known for their virtuosic musicianship, innovative arrangements, and genre-blending style. The GRAMMY® Award-winning Americana quintet—Andy Falco [guitar], Chris Pandolfi [banjo], Andy Hall [dobro], Jeremy Garrett [fiddle], and Travis Book [double bass]—have musical influences that truly run the gamut, but their common denominator is certainly bluegrass— the sound that has in essence defined the course of their career.

Tickets here

“Successful bluegrass band began their professional musical journey at WestConn”

On the Trail, the Connecticut based bluegrass inspired acoustic quartet was founded at Western Connecticut State University. Read the story of their background as a band below.

Austin Scelzo, Tom Polizzi, Charlie Widmer and Matt Curley are members of the New England-based bluegrass band On the Trail. It’s been an exciting few years for the four Western Connecticut State University music alumni, who won the 2022 Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Festival Showcase Competition, and they have recently released their first full-length album, “Where Do We Go from Here?” It seems apparent that where they are heading is toward even more success, which is not surprising since they all prepared for their professional musical careers at WestConn.

Read the Full Story here:

On the Trail – Successful bluegrass band members began their professional musical journey at WestConn

Sweetcake Mountain bluegrass band supports fundraising concert

Saturday, April 5th

Sweetcake Mountain is excited to take the stage at this Hope & Harmony fundraiser. Saturday, April 5th, 7-9PM. Southbury, CT.

$25 suggested donation. Silent auction, tag and craft sale, refreshments sold. Live music

A Warm, Wintertime Escape for Fiddlers and Fiddle Lovers

Looking to add to your list of Fiddle camps? This annual fiddle camp is a great way to beat the cold in New England!

Austin Scelzo hosts a wintertime retreat for fiddlers or fiddle music lovers that will include instruction on bluegrass, country, and roots styles. Instruction will include: How to back up a singer, How to play over chord changes, Grooving on the fiddle, Bluegrass solo transcriptions and more! The weekend will also include jamming with a focus on popular bluegrass, country and old time tunes.

​March 14-16, 2024
Pompano Beach, Florida at The Fiddlershop

-Jam with friends
-Improve your Groove
-Learn Classic Bluegrass Licks
-Build your Jam Skills
-Chopping and Shuffling Tips
-Chase the warm weather
-Visit the famous Fiddlershop
-Spend an afternoon on the beach
-And Much More!

$195 before Jan 1
$225 after Jan 1

-Easy direct flights out of New Haven Tweed Airport to Fort Lauderdale

Sign Up Here: AustinScelzo.com/fiddleheaven

Bluegrass, Old Time and Americana Festivals in the Northeast

Its time to make summer plans! Take a look at our list of festivals this summer:

• Podunk (CT) Aug 7-10
• Grey Fox (NY) July 16-20
• Jenny Brook (VT) June 25-29
• Blistered Fingers (ME) June 19-22 Aug. 28-30
• Green Mountain (VT) Aug 14-17
• St. Johns Bluegrass Festival (CT) Aug 25
• Ossipee (ME) July 24-27
• Basin Bluegrass Festival (VT) July 10-13
• Danby Bluegrass Festival (VT) July 18-20
• NEW Morris Bluegrass Festival (CT) July 4

For a more in-depth list:  Jim’s Roots and Blues Complete Festival List

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CT Bluegrass Jams in March / April

Burlington/Bloomfield

Yankee Bluegrass Jammers, every Wednesday from 7 to 10 PM. Location is either Elton Tavern, 781 George Washington Tpk., Burlington, CT, or Auer Farm, 158 Auer Farm Rd, Bloomfield, CT. To learn where this week’s jam is, contact Carl Salsedo (carl.salsedo@uconn.edu) or Andy Szpekman.(andy@ahscommunications.com).

East Hampton

Monthly on the third Sunday at Dexter’s Tune, Tales & Ales, 1 – 4 PM.

Easton

Second Thursday 7:30 – 10 PM, 59 Church Road, Easton, CT.

East Haven 

Tuesday April 1 (first Tuesday of month), 6-8:30 PM, Shore Line Trolley Museum, 17 River St, East Haven, CT. A musical rendezvous that celebrates the soulful rhythms and spirited tunes of bluegrass. Whether you’re a seasoned musician or simply love the melodies, there’s a spot for you in this gathering. Come with friends, or venture solo – all are welcome!

Hamden

Sunday, March 23, 3-5:30 PM at Best Video, 1842 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT. Come to pick, or come to listen.

New Haven

Thursday, March 27 (fourth Thursday).

Katonah, NY

Sunday, March 23 1-4 PM – select Sundays at Katonah Library. (Next two are April 27, May 18)

Wethersfield

Pitkin Community Center, 30 Greenfield Street, Wethersfield, CT 6:30-9:30 PM. Room S-3. First and third Tuesday of each month. There is a $3 suggested donation to cover the cost of the room. All levels welcome. Acoustic instruments only. Wernick jam etiquette is followed (announce your song with key, etc).

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Mandolin Camp North, April 25-27 

Banjo Camp North, May 16-18 
Scholarship applications opening soon!


Register for either camp here

Thank you all who have registered; we can’t do this without you. Scholarship applications will open soon. You can apply even if you’ve already signed up. Look for another email and a link on our website.

Please do apply. We have money donated so you can come to camp even if you can’t afford it. We offer partial and full scholarships depending on the number and content of the applications. 

Creative Strings Retreat at Ashokan

March 28-30 

The Ashokan Center, 477 Beaverkill Rd, Olivebridge, NY

Austin Scelzo hosts a weekend of jamming and instruction on harmony, improvisation, composition, arranging and multi-genre playing. Great for performers, hobbyists, and classroom / private teachers to expand their offerings. A focus of the weekend will be helping classically oriented players get “off-the-page” and develop confidence outside of their comfort zone. Instruction will be on bowed string instruments (Violin, Viola, Cello, and Bass), but all instruments are welcome.

Sign Up and read more here 

Fiddle Hell Online

Fiddle Hell Online is April 3-6, 2025, and I think you would really enjoy this amazing event! FHO will have 170 live workshops to learn from, 25 live concerts to enjoy, and 25 live jam sessions to join on Zoom, for fiddle, mandolin, cello, guitar, banjo, & singing. Info and registration (and discounts) at https://FiddleHell.org.