The Blue Ridge Music Center is a National Park Service facility and attraction at milepost 213 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Galax, Virginia. BRMC is home to an outdoor amphitheater, visitor center, museum, and gift shop. The visitor center is open seasonally, from May through October, 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. The opening date varies, and is typically Thursday – Sunday in early May, open 7 days a week beginning Memorial Day Weekend.
The Blue Ridge Music Center’s Roots of American Music concerts are held most Saturdays—from Memorial Day through Labor Day — in the natural, terraced, outdoor amphitheater. Musical programming is managed and coordinated by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, the primary nonprofit fundraising partner of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Midday Mountain Music is a free music presentation by local and regional musicians held from 12-3 p.m. on the covered breezeway every day that the Music Center is open.
Tickets are available for purchase in advance online. Go to our Event Calendar page for the ticket link. Online sales end at 10 a.m. on the day of the concert. Advance purchase tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged.
At the gate: Tickets are also available the evening of the performance starting at 5:45 p.m. at the admission gates, unless noted otherwise. Cash and credit cards are accepted. Children ages 12 and younger are admitted for free unless otherwise noted.
Please check your schedule before purchasing tickets to make sure you are able to come to the concert on that date. As stated on the individual concert pages and on the ticket purchase site, advance tickets are not refundable. If you have purchased advance tickets and your schedule has changed making it impossible for you to use them, you may transfer the tickets to someone else.
Sales for the 2025 Season Passes (Full Season, Half Season, and Pick 3) will begin around Thanksgiving 2024. The passes will be mailed around mid-March.
No. Parking is free. The National Park Service staff and volunteers greet visitors at the entrance and direct parking for all concerts.
Unless otherwise noted, admission to the amphitheater for concerts begins at 5:45 p.m. Season passholders are admitted at 5:30 p.m. There are two admission gates locations: one near the Visitor Center and one on the hill overlooking the stage near the upper parking area.
No. Seating is on a first-come-first-served basis. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Dancing and standing are allowed in the paved area directly in front of the stage.
Yes. Blue Ridge Music Center is handicap accessible. Handicap parking is available in the lower lot near the entrance to the Visitor Center. Drop-off of mobility-impaired individuals is welcome.
Though the Blue Ridge Music Center has ample handicap parking, the amphitheater is a couple hundred yards away from the parking area and drop-off locations. For high-attendance concerts, sections of the amphitheater are reserved for handicap seating, which is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. For additional information, call the Visitor Center at (276) 236-5309.
The Blue Ridge Music Center is accessible to people with disabilities and offers assistive listening devices for use during concerts. If you would like to borrow a free device for use during a concert, please email info@blueridgemusiccenter.org in advance of your visit.
Dogs are allowed for most concerts (see concert listing for exceptions). Please adhere to the following rules:
If your dog is creating a disturbance, you may be asked to leave. No refund will be given.
No. Because the Blue Ridge Music Center is a National Park Service facility, alcohol is NOT permitted on site.
No. Tents, tables and grills are not permitted in the parking areas. You are welcome to bring food to the amphitheater when the gates open. You may also use the picnic tables located outside the amphitheater adjacent to the Visitor Center. Please note that alcohol is not allowed.
Yes. Visitors are welcome to bring food to the amphitheater. You may also use the picnic tables located outside the amphitheater adjacent to the Visitor Center. Grills are not permitted in the picnic area, amphitheater or parking lots.
Yes. You can purchase barbecue, down-home sides, and desserts from The Galax Smokehouse at every performance. For high-attendance concerts, additional food vendors may be on site.
Water, sodas, and snacks can be purchased in the gift shop during regular open hours (10 am-5 p.m. The gift shop is sometimes open later on concert nights.
There are two restroom locations. One set of restrooms is in a free-standing building across from the Visitor Center and is only open during concert nights. Additional restrooms are in the Visitor Center and can be accessed through the front entrance and breezeway.
The Blue Ridge Music Center Amphitheater is a non-smoking facility. Smoking is allowed only in designated locations inside the amphitheater away from the seating area. Please ask for information at the gate.
The Visitor Center, Museum, and Gift Shop hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are not typically later prior to the concert, so please come before 5 p.m. if you wish to view the exhibit.
Alcohol, drones, pop-up tents, and tables are not allowed in the amphitheater.
Concerts at the Blue Ridge Music Center are RAIN or SHINE. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring rain gear, and umbrellas are allowed. Because weather conditions can change quickly in the mountains, layers of clothing are recommended.
Lightning is a safety issue. If there is lightning in a 10 mile radius of the Music Center, the amphitheater area will be evacuated for 30 minutes past the last lightning event.
If you didn’t find an answer among these frequently asked questions, please send us a note using the “Contact Us” form found at the bottom of this page. We’re happy to help!
