Oklahoma's International Bluegrass Festival

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Oklahoma's International Bluegrass Festival Join us for a family-friendly festival October 8-10, 2026. Plus, enjoy workshops, camping, jam sessions, food trucks, and local art.
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Experience three stages featuring local, national, and international music, youth competitions, and an open mic stage. The Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival is the brainchild of Byron Berline, three-time national fiddle champion and resident of Guthrie, Oklahoma. During his travels throughout the world, Berline has been a kind of unofficial bluegrass ambassador to China, Mexico, Australia, Germany, and most points in-between. While speaking to bluegrass fans worldwide, Berline saw the need for a festival where national and international players could perform and mix freely. This type of event would be new to the bluegrass world and would appeal not only to the musicians themselves, but to bluegrass and other music fans worldwide. In 1984, while still living in Los Angeles, Berline visited Oklahoma and ran into Joe Hutchinson, now a state representative. Since Hutchinson was then involved in organizing the Powder Horn Park Bluegrass Festival, and had worked on other musical events in the past, he was more than interested in Berline’s ideas about an international bluegrass festival in Oklahoma. But it was over ten years later before the wheels were set in motion. A small group became committed to producing such festival, and in 1996, Hutchinson was able to help in earnest by sponsoring the incorporation of the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival (OIBF), Inc. Formally incorporated as a charitable organization under Oklahoma statutes, OIBF consists of volunteers and willing professionals who have raised funds, solicited charitable donations, and given time and money to make the festival a success.

“The organization was formed to promote bluegrass music and the State of Oklahoma,” said Doug Hawthorne, chief researcher for the Oklahoma Department of Tourism, and member of the OIBF Advisory Committee. “We gathered specialists from different areas of business and industry, and they all pitched in to make the festival a success.”

Specialists from event-planning, tourism, economic development, fund-raising, public safety, volunteer management, and of course, the bluegrass music business itself, were involved with the project. And although the OIBF looked at several possible sites for the festival, Guthrie was chosen because of its central location, easy accessibility, and historic charm.

“We looked at various sites and it was determined that Guthrie was the best location to hold the festival,” Hawthorne said. “The Guthrie Chamber of Commerce , city manager, and mayor presented profitable reasons why Guthrie is the perfect place.” Hawthorne said that the OIBF anticipates audiences of 15,000 initially, with growth to around 100,000 in the future.

We want to send a huge thank you to our wonderful sponsors of the 29th annual Oklahoma’s International Bluegrass Festiva...
10/13/2026

We want to send a huge thank you to our wonderful sponsors of the 29th annual Oklahoma’s International Bluegrass Festival!! We couldn’t bring the magic of bluegrass to Guthrie without their continued support ❤️ 🪕🎻

What a beautiful kickoff so far!! Two more days of bluegrass, artist market, food trucks workshops, campground shenaniga...
10/09/2026

What a beautiful kickoff so far!! Two more days of bluegrass, artist market, food trucks workshops, campground shenanigans and so much more! 🪕🎻

10/06/2026

Thanks KOKH FOX 25 for the feature this morning! We’ll see you on October 8th-10th with the youth tent kicking off at 9am and the Main Stage and Cottonwood Creek Stage kicking off at noon! 🪕🎻

First 100 college students get in free! Bring your valid student ID to the front gate for a complimentary pass to bluegr...
10/04/2026

First 100 college students get in free! Bring your valid student ID to the front gate for a complimentary pass to bluegrass on October 8-10th! 🪕 🎻

We can’t wait to celebrate with y’all! Before you head out, just a quick reminder that our gates are cashless. 💳✨Please ...
10/02/2026

We can’t wait to celebrate with y’all! Before you head out, just a quick reminder that our gates are cashless. 💳✨Please bring your debit/credit card or mobile payment for purchasing festival passes and camping.

Cash is still available at the merch, b**r tent, and vendors at their discretion

🎻 ONE WEEK AWAY!🎻 That’s right, your personal bluegrass heaven is coming to Guthrie,OK in just 7 days! See you there?
09/30/2026

🎻 ONE WEEK AWAY!🎻 That’s right, your personal bluegrass heaven is coming to Guthrie,OK in just 7 days! See you there?

09/28/2026

With a powerful mix of classic folk storytelling and guitar-driven roots-rock, Matt Axton is bringing generations of inspired Americana to OIBF!

Matt has Recorded with Steve Feroni (Tom Petty), Hal Cragin (Iggy Pop), Durga McBroom (Pink Floyd), and comes from an incredible lineage of influential musicians. Such as his grandmother, Mae Boren Axton, penning Elvis Presley’s first #1 hit “Heartbreak Hotel”; his father Hoyt Axton wrote hits like “Joy to the World” and “The Pusher”.

Matt is a stand out artist at this year’s Oklahoma’s International Bluegrass festival that you don’t want to miss!

🔔 LAST GIVEAWAY! 🔔 We’re teaming up with our good friends at The Big Friendly and here’s how to enter! 1. Follow both O...
09/25/2026

🔔 LAST GIVEAWAY! 🔔 We’re teaming up with our good friends at The Big Friendly and here’s how to enter!

1. Follow both Oklahoma's International Bluegrass Festival and The Big Friendly
2. Tag who you want to bring with you!

Winner will be selected on Monday, Sept. 28th 🙌

Congrats to our giveaway winner Greg Dennis!

🚨 WE’RE TWO WEEKS AWAY! 🚨 Who are you most excited to see on the one and only Byron Berline Stage? 🪕 🎻
09/25/2026

🚨 WE’RE TWO WEEKS AWAY! 🚨 Who are you most excited to see on the one and only Byron Berline Stage? 🪕 🎻

Thank you Oklahoma Gazette for the wonderful article! We can't wait for the 29th Annual Oklahoma's International Bluegra...
09/24/2026

Thank you Oklahoma Gazette for the wonderful article! We can't wait for the 29th Annual Oklahoma's International Bluegrass Festival to return to Guthrie on October 8th-10th! 🪕🎻

The 29th annual Oklahoma’s International Bluegrass Festival returns to Guthrie Oct. 8-10 with three days of live music, workshops, competitions and campground jams at Cottonwood Flats. Seventeen bands will perform across three stages, with this year’s lineup including The Slocan Ramblers, The Fr...

Address

Cottonwood Flats/West Warner
Guthrie, OK
73044

Telephone

+14052824446

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