Here’s a nugget of “did you know?“ trivia to impress friends at your next happy hour: The first commercially made banjos were sold in Baltimore in the mid-19th century.

That’s according to Kristina R. Gaddy, the Baltimore-based author behind “Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo’s Hidden History.” Now in 2025 the banjo, along with other plucked-string instruments, is set to take center stage this weekend at the Old Time Music Festival at the Baltimore Museum of Industry on Friday and Saturday.

Now in its sixth year, the family-friendly event celebrates one of North America’s oldest traditional music genres with live performances, square dancing, educational workshops led by the artists and more. While old-time music is, indeed, old, organizers say the genre’s “slightly inconvenient” name is a bit misleading.

“Really, it’s a style that is very much growing and much more modern than it may imply,” said performer Brad Kolodner, who co-founded and hosts the festival with his father, Ken Kolodner. “It’s not hearkening back to a good old day or some kind of antiquated community or approach.”

Fans of bluegrass, folk and country should find much to enjoy — there’s plenty of overlap, from the array of acoustic instruments such as fiddle, mandolin and stand-up bass to the uptempo dancing and balladry. Few would fault any casual listener for thinking bluegrass and old-time music were one in the same.

Yet Brad Kolodoner, who will perform both days with his dad, said there are differences, too: Old-time music centers more on players finding a “shared groove” together, while bluegrass makes more room for improvised solos.

“You think of the biggest jam bands right now — Billy Strings, Greensky Bluegrass, Molly Tuttle — they all are steeped and rooted in old-time music,” he said. “It’s very much from the same well.”

Since the festival began in 2019, the event has emphasized inclusivity, a natural decision given the genre’s roots in Black and Indigenous communities, said Josh Kohn, the event’s other organizer and associate director of the Center for Cultural Vibrancy.

“We’ve always wanted to be a festival that had an open understanding of who makes this music and where it came from, so it’s Black artists, it’s Indigenous artists,” Kohn said. “There’s also space for queer artists — the LGBTQ community has long had a deep involvement with this music. We think it’s not only important, but it’s what makes this music special.”

This year’s lineup is headlined by New Dangerfield, a quartet named after the free abolitionist Dangerfield Newby that’s “on a mission to liberate the Black string band tradition,” according to the band’s website. Other acts include the Canote Brothers, Tall Poppy String Band, Trish Fore and the Wildcats and many more.

What sets the festival apart is its encouragement of audience participation. Many attendees are also musicians who bring their own instruments. The festival offers designated spaces for impromptu jamming among fans, which delights enthusiasts like Kathleen Davis, a Frederick resident who will have her fiddle with her this weekend.

“When you’re in the venue, you’re surrounded by people who all have an instrument on their back. It’s like being with one of your own kind,” Davis said.

She appreciates the event’s welcoming environment, regardless of a fan’s skill.

“Everyone knows that we were all beginners once, and you kind of nurture the newbies,” she said. “Even if you’re new to the circle, they ask, ‘Do you have a tune you’d like to play?’”

Organizers credit this attitude with helping grow the event over the years. After drawing 400 to 500 people to the Creative Alliance in its first few years, the festival moved to the BMI in 2024 to accommodate roughly 1,500 people. This weekend, organizers expect up to 2,000 attendees, including visitors from 28 states and four countries.

They believe it’s the largest old-time music festival in the country, though there’s not a ton of competition, Kohn said with a laugh. For the Baltimore-raised Kolodners, it’s a gratifying claim nonetheless.

“We’re all very proud of this city and all of its quirks, and I think this festival really is a quintessentially Baltimore event,” Brad Kolodner said. “It’s just a great way to bring more folks to the city and to bring a bit of joy.”