High Sierra Music Festival Reveals Initial 2026 Lineup: The Word, Don Was, Cymande & Others

The beloved High Sierra Music Festival moves to a new home at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, California over Independence Day Weekend, July 2 – 5, 2026. Out today is the initial lineup for the 34th annual HSMF, which is led by The Word, Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble and Cymande.

Other acts headed to Grass Valley in July include Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Dumpstaphunk, Eggy and Lebo & Friends featuring George Porter Jr., Jay Lane, Holly Bowling and Jennifer Hartswick.

Mountain Grass Unit, The Rumble ft. Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr., Big Something, The Breaks (Stanton Moore, Eddie Roberts and Robert Walter), Judith Hill, Steve Poltz, lespecial, BALTHVS, Dizgo, Scott Pemberton, Pink Talking Fish, Marty O’Reilly, Steely Dead, Magoo, Rose City Band and Sway Wild are also aboard for the 2026 High Sierra Music Festival.

The initial 2026 lineup is rounded out by River Eckert, Boy Golden, Cassandra Lewis, The Point, Paul McDonald & The Mourning Doves, Westones, The Psycodelics, Family Company, Minor Gold and Moga Family Band.

Additional lineup announcements are forthcoming. High Sierra also hosts an array of late-night shows, artist-led playshops, daily parades, the Family Village, Troubadour Sessions and several other activities/amenities. Stay tuned for details on the playshops and late nights.

The four-day festival showcases a diverse array of artists across multiple genres. HSMF has been held for the past 25 years at the Plumas County Fairgrounds in Quincy, California. Over 1,000 hotel rooms are located within the Grass Valley region along with a variety of RV park locations, plus Airbnb and other rental opportunities.

Hit the button below for ticketing links and additional information.