Billy Strings has announced his first tour dates of 2026 with a nine-show winter tour of the Southeast. The three-city run includes the bluegrass guitarist’s first trip to Athens, GA, in three years and his annual trips to Asheville, NC, and Nashville [ticket information].
The 2026 Billy Strings winter tour will begin with two nights on the University of Georgia campus on Friday, February 6th and Saturday, the 7th. After last playing Athens in March 2023 for a benefit at the 1,028-capacity George Theatre, Strings and his bandmates Billy Failing (banjo), Royal Masat (bass), Jarrod Walker (mandolin), and newly-crowned Americana Honors Instrumentalist Of The Year Alex Hargreaves (fiddle) will make their debut at Akins Ford Arena, home of the Athens Rock Lobsters minor league hockey team. Opened in December 2024 next to the former Classic Center Arena, the new venue has a capacity of 7,000 for end-stage concerts.
After Athens, Strings will return to Asheville, NC, for a four-night run that will cement his February visit as an annual tradition. The band will perform at the 7,674-capacity downtown ExploreAsheville.com Arena on Tuesday, February 10th, and Wednesday, the 11th ahead of two more weekend shows on Friday, the 13th and Saturday, the 14th. Last year, Strings returned to Asheville for two consecutive three-night weekend runs, bringing a surge in tourism and injecting $15 million into the local economy following the devastation of Hurricane Helene the previous fall.
Finally, Billy Strings’ 2026 winter tour will wrap with three nights in his adopted hometown of Nashville. As is tradition, the guitarist will play the first two nights (Friday, February 20th and Saturday, the 21st) at the spacious, 20,000-capacity Bridgestone Arena, home of the NHL’s Nashville Predators. Then, on the 22nd, Strings will return to the famed Ryman Auditorium for an intimate Sunday show. Fans must purchase a ticket for either show at Bridgestone Arena in order to request a Ryman ticket.
In years past, Strings has taken thematic approaches to his Nashville Sunday services, ranging from a tribute to MTV Unplugged to a night of traditional bluegrass spirituals. He also just capped a two-night stand at the 2,362-cap Mother Church of Country Music, performing with Bryan Sutton and Royal Masat, plus special guests Béla Fleck and Sam Bush.
A pre-sale for tickets to Billy Strings’ 2026 winter tour will begin Wednesday, September 17th at 10 a.m. local time. Fans can sign up here. Tickets will then go on sale to the general public on Friday, September 19th at 10 a.m. local time via his website and Ticketmaster.
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Get excited for the winter tour with this 22-minute “All Fall Down” from the summer tour closer in Eugene, OR.
Billy Strings — “All Fall Down” (John Hartford) — Eugene, OR — 8/23/25
[Video: MrTopdogger]