Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival
- Dates
- Expected September 2027
- Status
- Expected
- Venue
- Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival Grounds
- Price
- $50 to $130
- Camping
- Available
- Last checked
- Sep 22, 2026
Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival comes to Kodak, TN, Expected September 2027. Froligo tracks current ticket prices, camping, attendee feedback and travel details.
The experience
What's special
The Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival is a family-run, three-day traditional bluegrass gathering held each September on Joe and Mitzi Soward's farm in Kodak, Tennessee, near the Great Smoky Mountains and only about 22 miles from Knoxville. A dozen bands play a covered, rain-or-shine performance area from midday into the night, with free parking, on-site food and merchandise vendors, restrooms and showers, and reservation-based camping. Constant picking and jamming around the campground is a defining feature
What people love
Attendees speak warmly of the festival's music and friendly staff, and repeatedly frame it as a welcoming, family-oriented gathering built around the Soward family's hard work. Regulars highlight the sense of community and the ease of the setup, with the long-running event described in the bluegrass community as well worth attending
Last time around (2025)
The 2025 Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival was held in September in Kodak, Tennessee and covered by the bluegrass press, continuing the event's long run of traditional-bluegrass lineups and campground jamming on the Soward farm ahead of the 26th annual edition in 2026
Listen
Tap an artist to play them right here.
No official playlist linked yet. Find Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival on Spotify.
Lineup
2027 lineup not yet announced. Here's who played in 2026:
Getting there
Nearest airport TYS.
How do I get to Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival?
By car
Most people drive to Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival. The nearest major airport is TYS, and from there it is a straightforward drive to the venue. Check current road and traffic conditions before you set off, and see parking below.
By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Drive, fly in, or use a shuttle instead.
By bus & public transit
Intercity coaches serve Knoxville at the Knoxville Area Transit stop, 100 Kirkwood St, Knoxville TN 37914 (Greyhound's interim street-side stop off Magnolia Ave; open 24h, tickets from ~$26). Knoxville is the end of the line for transit purposes, the stop is still ~20 mi west of the Kodak venue with no onward public transit, so a rideshare or hire car is required for the last leg
Book / info →Taxi & rideshare
TYS (McGhee Tyson, Alcoa TN) is roughly 35 miles / 40-45 min from the Kodak venue via I-40 East to exit 407. Uber and Lyft both operate at TYS; pickup is the designated TNC/Rideshare zone on the terminal's lowest level, to the right of the building after baggage claim
Book / info →Taxis and rideshare such as Uber and Lyft can be limited near the venue, especially late at night or in rural areas. Agree a pickup point and time in advance and keep a backup plan.
🅿 Parking
Cost Free. Official site states 'FREE Parking' for festival attendees; farm venue with on-site lots, no prepay platform used. Campers note: the RV park allows only one vehicle per campsite
🚙 Car hire
Compare car hire at TYS
Rural farm venue in Kodak, TN with no public transit reaching the site and no official airport shuttle, car hire from TYS (McGhee Tyson, ~40 min drive; on-site rental counters per FlyKnoxville) is the primary option for fly-in attendees
Search car hire →Live price search coming soon.
Where
Venue
Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival Grounds
Camping & Accommodation
Is there camping at Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival?
Yes, on site camping is available.
Facilities
Camping site types 2
Primitive/dry camping $20 per night (2 adults per unit); additional guests $3 per person per night. Note the RV park bans tent camping year-round EXCEPT during festival week, so primitive/tent-beside-car camping is a festival-week-only option. One vehicle per campsite. Quiet hours extend to 2am during bluegrass festival week (10pm rest of year)
30-amp electric/water festival package: $120 for the 3-night minimum; extra festival-week nights $40 each; 50-amp upgrade $3/night; extra guests $5 per person per night. Camping is reservation-only by phone (865-397-7942) with a wait list when full; balance due by July 15. Year-round the park runs full-hookup (water/sewer/electric) pull-through and back-in sites at roughly $33-50/night per camper reports; on-site dump station (not open to the public). Early arrivals before Sept 12 by reservation, availability-dependent
Accessibility & comfort
What the organiser or venue publishes about getting around, and what they do not.
Checked the official Wix site on 3 Sep 2026: homepage, /camping, /copy-of-tickets (the tickets page) and /sponsors-1, and confirmed there is no /about, /faq or /accessibility page. The site publishes no accessibility statement, no ADA or wheelchair information, no accessible parking or camping detail, no companion ticket policy and no description of the ground surface or terrain. The camping page mentions restrooms with showers and portable potties but does not say whether any are accessible. Organiser contact for access questions is [email protected], 865-397-7942 or 865-740-1889
Confirm your specific needs with the organiser's access team before you travel.
Pricing
Price history and tiers
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