WORLD'S LONGEST-RUNNING
CIGAR BOX GUITAR
MUSIC FESTIVAL
Information below refers to the 2026 event.
Join us June 4-6, 2027
SCHEDULE
Friday, May 29 at Lowe Mill A&E 6:00 pm
2211 Seminole Dr SW, Huntsville, AL 35805
We will be inside in the Connector space, adjacent the Water Tower Lawn, due to the weather for the Festival Kick-Off Concert. Bring a chair or blanket. John Nickel will open the show with his high-energy rock and blues while 5ive O’Clock Charlie with special guest Otis Walker will keep the energy going strong for the rest of the night. The concert is free, with donations requested to benefit the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation. As with all Concerts on the Dock, Lowe Mill charges a $10 parking fee. Food and drinks will be available, but picnics are welcome. Bring a chair or a blanket. In the event of rain, this concert will be moved inside Lowe Mill in the Connector.
Click here for a map of all Festival activities on the Lowe Mill property.
Saturday, May 30 at Lowe Mill A&E 11:00 am-6:00 pm
2211 Seminole Dr SW, Huntsville, AL 35805
Join us indoors at the largest privately-owned artists' community in the U.S., home to The Cigar Box Guitar Store, the only brick-and-mortar CBG store in the world. If you’re a Cigar Box Guitar enthusiast, learn from the pros about playing a CBG and get tips on building your own in free seminars. Connect with fellow CBG fans to share your creations or jam together, swap tips on tools of the trade, and get ideas for your next project. Catch a free screening of "Songs Inside The Box," a documentary about the 2005 CBG Festival in Huntsville. All activities are free and will be held indoors. No lawn chairs necessary.
Schedule & Locations
Click here for a map of these locations within the Lowe Mill complex.
11:00-7:00 The Cigar Box Guitar Store (Studio #106) for Shopping, Questions, Festival Guitar & Poster
11:00-7:00 Huntsvillustrated (Studio #122) for Festival t-shirt (pre-order & new sales). 15% discount on additional items.
11:00-7:00 The CBG Gallery Collection of 10 art guitars for silent auction (#1003)
11:00-11:45 CBG Builders Seminar: Part 1 (Ravenwood Meadery #RR 7)
12:00-1:00 Beginner CBG Lessons with Pat Nickel (#RR2...Moved to the Connector due to weather)
1:00-2:00 Intermediate CBG Lessons with Dave Isaacs, author of Smokin' The Cigar Box (#RR2...Moved to the Connector due to weather)
2:00-3:00 Informal Jam & Meet-Up (#RR2...Moved to the Connector due to weather)
2:15-3:15 CBG Builders Seminar: Part 2 (Ravenwood Meadery #RR 7)
3:30-4:30 "Songs Inside The Box" movie (The Independent Cinema #150)
5:00-5:30 Meet the Artists of the Art Guitars for Silent Auction (#1003)
Saturday, May 30 at Ravewood Meadery, Lowe Mill 6:00 pm
2211 Seminole Dr SW, Huntsville, AL 35805, Studio RR7
Day 2 of the World’s Longest-Running Cigar Box Guitar Music Festival, Saturday, May 30, concludes with live music at the new location of Ravenwood Meadery, located inside Studio RR7 at Lowe Mill (previously known as Tangled String Studio). Lindy Urban will open the show at 6:00pm with her unique blend of rock, blues and folk, while Box of Smoke will crank things into high gear to close out the night. There is plenty of seating inside the venue. No lawn chairs necessary. Suggested $10/per person donation to benefit the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation.
Click here for a map to Ravenwood Meadery within the Lowe Mill complex.
Sunday, May 31 at The Orion 2:00-7:00 pm
701 Amphitheater Dr NW, Huntsville, AL 35806
Enter at either gate. Click here for a map & directions.
presented by Re/Max Unlimited: Blackwell Real Estate Group, New Direction Real Estate Group, Encore Team
All activities are free and will be held under cover in the event of inclement weather.
Kick off your Sunday with free activities throughout The Orion grounds from 11:00am-2:00pm. There will be kids activities, cigar box guitar jam sessions and meet-ups and an array of food trucks. A Vintage & Vinyl pop-up market, as well as local and handmade vendors, will also be on site.
Live music will be provided by the high-energy, genre-bending April Mae & The June Bugs. Performing on traditional and not-so-traditional handcrafted instruments, the band seamlessly blends rockabilly, jump blues, and jazz swing with infectious energy.
Schedule
Enter at either gate. Click here for a map & directions.
All activities are free and will be held under cover in the event of inclement weather.
2:00-7:00 40+ vendors: vintage, vinyl, handmade, local art plus kids' activities, instructor-led jam sessions, food trucks (Fire & Spice; Burger Quest & Three Scoops Ice Cream)
2:00-4:00 The CBG Gallery Collection of 10 art guitars for silent auction inside Gate B
2:30-3:15 April Mae & the June Bugs under The Dome
3:30-4:00 Instructor-led jam sessions on the porch
4:00-4:45 April Mae & the June Bugs under The Dome
4:00 Junior Junk Jam w/ April Mae & the June Bugs under The Dome
4:45-5:00 Drawing for Festival Guitar and Other Giveaways
5:30-6:00 Instructor-led jam sessions on the porch
Bring your CBG if you want to jam. No lawn chairs are necessary this year. All other Orion policies, including bag policy and prohibited/allowed items will be in effect. Details here.
Sunday, May 31 at The Orion Gates Open 6:30
701 Amphitheater Dr NW, Huntsville, AL 35806
Click here for a map & directions.
presented by Re/Max Unlimited: Blackwell Real Estate Group, New Direction Real Estate Group, Encore Team
This year’s evening concert will be a “stage-on-stage” event where both the audience and the performers will be seated on the fully-covered main stage at The Orion. Just 300 tickets available. Buy now.
This star-studded concert will feature Grammy-winner Gary Nichols and the legendary FAME Gang from FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals. The FAME Gang’s top-notch musicians will include Kelvin Holly, who toured with Little Richard and has recorded with Percy Sledge, Huey Lewis, Neil Young and Demi Lovato, just to name a few; Jimbo Hart, former bassist with Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit and drummer Justin Holder whose credits range from John Paul White to Keb Mo to Dwight Yokum.
$25+ with 100% of ticket proceeds to directly benefit the Microwave Dave Music Education Foundation.
All Orion policies, including prohibited/allowed items and bag policy will be in effect. Details here.
