Rhiannon Giddens Unveils Biscuits & Banjos, a Black Roots Music Festival in Durham for 2025
DURHAM, NC—Acclaimed Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens has announced the launch of a new festival celebrating Black roots music and culture, Biscuits & Banjos. The event will take place in Durham from April 25-27, 2025, and Giddens will curate and headline a diverse lineup of performances and cultural activities.
The first-of-its-kind festival will highlight Giddens’ return to the stage with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, the influential string band she co-founded with Dom Flemons. This will be the group’s first performance since 2014, featuring the original 2005 lineup alongside other members who have joined over the years. Giddens will also appear in various other sets throughout the event, including a special revue-style performance with guest artists.
Biscuits & Banjos will feature an impressive roster of renowned artists alongside the Carolina Chocolate Drops reunion. Blues icon Taj Mahal, jazz bassist Christian McBride, country singer Rissi Palmer, and the roots gospel group Legendary Ingramettes are just a few of the acts confirmed to perform. Additionally, former Carolina Chocolate Drops members Dom Flemons and Leyla McCalla, who have both enjoyed successful solo careers, will deliver their own sets.
Giddens, serving as the festival’s artistic director, initiated the event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Black Banjo Gathering. This pivotal moment led to the creation of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. “This festival has been a long-time dream of mine,” Giddens said. “It’s about honoring the connections that tie Black culture together across time and geography, whether through music, food, or storytelling. The Black Banjo Gathering was such an important milestone for me. I want Biscuits & Banjos to bring that same spirit of discovery and community to today’s generation of artists and fans.”
The three-day festival will take place across various indoor and outdoor venues in downtown Durham, all within walking distance. Biscuits & Banjos aims to offer more than just musical performances, incorporating cultural events such as lectures, readings, workshops, and food-related activities. Notable highlights include a celebrity chef biscuit bake-off, free banjo lessons, and square dances, providing attendees with a deep dive into Black roots traditions.
The festival also has a philanthropic element. A portion of ticket sales and merchandise proceeds will go toward hurricane relief efforts in Western North Carolina, an area still grappling with long-term recovery challenges. The festival’s announcement emphasized, “The recovery of Western North Carolina will be measured in years, not months.”
Tickets for Biscuits & Banjos go on sale this Friday. More details and purchasing information can be found here.
Biscuits & Banjos is a non-profit festival supported by funding from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, North Carolina Humanities, the Danielle Rose Paikin Foundation, the Harper House Foundation, the Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund, and various other individuals and organizations.
Since her time with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Giddens has built a distinguished solo career, releasing multiple albums, including 2023’s Grammy-nominated “You’re the One.” She has also collaborated on projects with Silkroad Ensemble, Francesco Turrisi, and Our Native Daughters and even took on an acting role in the TV series Nashville. In 2023, Giddens received the Pulitzer Prize for Music for her opera, “Omar.”