World Bluegrass Day: An October Celebration

Chris Hanscom didn’t set out to start a movement. He was just heading to the woods with his wife.

It was about ten years ago near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. They were on a hiking trip. Then — somewhere between the map and the mountain — they caught a live bluegrass performance. And something clicked in Hanscom’s head.

“I was instantly mesmerized by the sound — it just hit me in a way nothing else had,” said Hanscom. “Not long after that, I bought a banjo and started learning to play. The more I played, the more curious I became about the roots and history of bluegrass music.”

That curiosity didn’t end at the fretboard. Hanscom started digging. Deep. Through regions, through stories, through time. He wasn’t just learning licks — he was tracing the fingerprints of a culture.

“Since I’ve always been someone who likes to dig into the how and why behind things, that curiosity took me down a rabbit hole that stretched across the globe,” he said. “Along the way, I realized there wasn’t a specific day set aside to truly celebrate this uniquely American sound. That didn’t sit right with me — so I decided to do something about it.”

World Bluegrass Day was born in 2020. Not as a holiday. As a mission. And as of August 2024, that mission has Hanscom’s full attention.

“About a year ago, I dedicated myself fully to the mission of World Bluegrass Day,” he said. “Starting August 2024, I've committed all my time to the mission. This is my full-time gig now.”

It’s a gig that’s as much about preservation as it is about celebration. Because to Hanscom, bluegrass isn’t just music — it’s memory, it’s place, it’s people.

“The heart of bluegrass lies in its stories—real, raw, and rooted in everyday life,” said Hanscom. “To preserve the genre, we must pass down the personal histories behind the songs, the regional playing styles, and the oral traditions that shaped the music before it was ever recorded. It’s crucial that future generations understand not just how to play the music, but why it was played, who it gave voice to, and what it meant to the communities it came from.”

That’s where the real work begins: education, context, connection. And names — the ones etched into the wood of the music and the ones that never made it to liner notes.

“Teaching the legacies of pioneers like Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and countless lesser-known contributors ensures the roots remain strong as the branches grow,” he said.

But Hanscom isn’t only looking backward. Built on the idea that the genre doesn’t belong to one type of person or one kind of sound, World Bluegrass Day belongs to everyone.

“Bluegrass was never just one thing,” said Hanscom. “It’s a blend of African American blues, Scots Irish fiddle tunes, gospel harmonies, and more. Honoring that multicultural heritage isn’t just accurate, it’s essential to the spirit of the music.”

According to Hanscom, that spirit gets stronger every time someone outside the “usual suspects” picks up a banjo, sings a harmony, or brings a new flavor to an old form.

“World Bluegrass Day promotes inclusion by creating space for all voices, inviting people of diverse backgrounds to participate, learn, and lead,” he said. “Whether it’s highlighting underrepresented artists, supporting youth and international programs, or fostering respectful dialogue, the goal is to build a bluegrass community that reflects the world’s richness while staying true to the genre’s roots.”

And nothing keeps that genre rooted — or alive — like community. Not industry, not charts, not even record labels. The people in circles, not spotlights, carry the sound forward.

“Bluegrass has always thrived in community,” said Hanscom. “It lives around campfires, at kitchen tables, in church halls, and on festival stages. Local jams are where players learn, connect, and grow.”

And when that local jam echoes across continents at international festivals, something powerful happens. The circle widens. The song grows.

“International festivals bring exposure and energy,” he said. “Together, they form a living network that keeps bluegrass from becoming a museum piece. World Bluegrass Day encourages both, reminding us that no event is too small to matter, and no stage too big to feel like family.”

Still, even as the genre branches out, there’s always a push-pull between tradition and experimentation. For Hanscom, the answer isn’t to choose it, it’s to respect the balance.

“World Bluegrass Day recognizes that tradition and innovation are both part of bluegrass’s DNA,” he said. “After all, Bill Monroe was an innovator in his time. The goal isn’t to draw hard lines—it’s to celebrate the roots while welcoming new branches.”

Hanscom doesn’t want to be a gatekeeper. He wants to open the barn doors and let the next generation run through, instruments in hand.

“That might mean honoring the classic five-piece lineup one moment and spotlighting a genre-bending collaboration the next,” he said. “The key is respect, and honoring the structure, soul, and storytelling of traditional bluegrass while encouraging the kind of experimentation that keeps the genre exciting and relevant for new generations.”

Because in the end, this is a global sound now. It’s gone from Appalachian hollers to concert halls in countries that don’t even have the word “holler.”

“World Bluegrass Day is helping write a chapter where bluegrass belongs to everyone, everywhere,” said Hanscom. “It’s creating a platform that not only celebrates where the music came from but invites new voices into the circle. Through education, exposure, and storytelling, it helps pass the torch.”

And maybe that’s the point of it all — not to hold onto the music, but to hand it off. One picker, one storyteller, one hiker-turned-banjo-player at a time, and Hanscom hopes you join the celebration on October 1st.

“By connecting global communities, it makes the genre more accessible and visible,” said Hanscom. “Bluegrass’s next chapter is global, diverse, and deeply rooted in tradition—and World Bluegrass Day is one of the bridges helping it get there.”

World Bluegrass Day is October 1st

Inquiring minds can learn more here: https://www.youtube.com/@WorldBluegrassDay

Get Your Official World Bluegrass Day Poster: https://musicthings.myspreadshop.com/all