Uncle Dave Macon Days: dates, Hop Springs, banjo contest

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Details come from the festival’s own website, rootsrendezvous.com: its 2026 announcement, contest page, about page and news page.

Uncle Dave Macon Days 2027 has not been announced yet. The festival’s website says “2027 details coming soon.” The 2026 festival, billed as Uncle Dave Macon Days: A Roots Rendezvous, ran Friday to Sunday, Sept. 11-13, 2026, at Hop Springs, 6790 John Bragg Highway. It is Murfreesboro’s bluegrass and old-time music festival, named for the banjo player who became the Grand Ole Opry’s first star, and the organizer says 2026 marked its 48th year.

At a glance

• When: 2027 dates not announced; usually a September weekend
• Where: Hop Springs, 6790 John Bragg Highway, Murfreesboro
• Cost: Parking $10 per car, cash or Venmo
• Organizer: Uncle Dave Macon Days
• Questions: email gsc714@gmail.com or text 615-668-0475

Recent dates

From the organizer’s news page:

The organizer announced the 2025 festival on Feb. 25, 2025, and posted the 2026 dates by April 2026. Expect the 2027 dates in late winter or spring 2027; we will add them here.

What happened in 2026

The 2026 schedule gives a good idea of the shape of the weekend:

• Friday: Gates at 4:30 p.m. for an opening ceremony, the MTSU String Band, the Cripple Creek Cloggers, the Howlin’ Brothers and the Joey Fletcher Band.
• Saturday: Open at 9 a.m. The National Old-Time Banjo Contest and the other old-time contests ran 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Concerts followed from about 4 to 10 p.m. with Leroy Troy, Noelle Goodin, Jackson Harris, the Jake Leg Stompers and the Monroeville Band.
• Sunday: 1 to 5:30 p.m., Lisa Law and the Gospel Showcase, Delyn Christian and the John Prine Tribute Band, and the Hop Springs De Jam Band as the finale.

Also on the grounds, the organizer said: the new Matilda Macon Artisan Village on Saturday, with quilting, weaving, blacksmithing, soap making and heritage cooking demonstrations and children’s crafts; a handcrafted vendor fair; mule-drawn wagon rides; a farm animal petting zoo; and food and craft beer at Hop Springs.

The contests

The contest page lists the 2026 categories:

• National Championship in Old-Time Banjo
• Bluegrass Banjo
• Traditional Fiddle
• Beginner Musician
• Old-Time Singing
• Dobro Guitar
• Mandolin
• Flat Pick Guitar
• Shade Tree Pickin’ Band

Contest rules for 2026 are on the organizer’s rules page. Musicians who want to compete in 2027 should watch that page for the new rules.

Parking and what to know

• Parking: $10 per car, payable by cash or Venmo, the organizer says. Parking is at Hop Springs.
• Tickets: The festival’s website lists the parking charge and no separate admission price. Check rootsrendezvous.com once the 2027 lineup is out, in case that changes.
• Families: The organizer calls the festival family-friendly; the 2026 edition had a petting zoo, wagon rides and children’s activities.
• Road closures: The organizer lists none. The festival is at Hop Springs on John Bragg Highway, not downtown.
• Pets, rain plans and shuttles: The organizer has not published rules on these. Ask by text at 615-668-0475.

How it began

The festival’s history says Uncle Dave Macon Days started on the downtown Public Square as a one-day banjo picking contest. As it grew it moved to Cannonsburgh Village, where it drew thousands of visitors, musicians and dancers each year, and in recent years it moved to Hop Springs.

Uncle Dave Macon was born in 1870 and spent much of his adult life in the rural Kittrell community east of Murfreesboro, where he ran a mule-and-wagon freight line to Woodbury before music took over, the organizer writes. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1925 and became its first superstar. Proceeds from the festival fund roots music education in Middle Tennessee schools and community groups.

More: live music and nightlife, history and landmarks and things to do this month.

Who to call

• Uncle Dave Macon Days: text 615-668-0475 or email gsc714@gmail.com
• Police non-emergency: 615-893-1311; emergencies, 911

Frequently asked questions

When is Uncle Dave Macon Days 2027?

The organizer has not announced 2027 dates; its website says details are coming soon. The festival was Sept. 11-13 in 2026 and Sept. 19-21 in 2025.

Where is Uncle Dave Macon Days held?

At Hop Springs, 6790 John Bragg Highway, Murfreesboro. The festival started on the Public Square and spent years at Cannonsburgh Village before moving there.

How much does Uncle Dave Macon Days cost?

The organizer lists parking at $10 per car, paid in cash or by Venmo. It has not posted any other admission charge on its website.

What is the National Old-Time Banjo Contest?

A contest held at the festival on its Saturday, honoring Uncle Dave Macon’s clawhammer style. The organizer says Congress recognized the festival in 1986, and the contest returned in 2026.