The festival takes place on a 75-acre (300,000 m2) venue which is managed by Shakori Hills Community Arts Center Inc. (SHCAC), a nonprofit organization.

It is associated with and modeled after the larger Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival that takes place near Trumansburg, New York each summer.

The festival typically lasts four days, beginning on Thursday afternoon and going through Sunday night.

The venue has two large outdoor stages, one large covered dance tent, the Front Porch Stage for music workshops, a Cabaret Tent, and The Outpost which is specifically programmed with teenagers in mind.

Past headliners include Del McCoury Band, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, The Wood Brothers, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Galactic, Billy Strings, Nahko Bear, Robert Randolph, Yonder Mountain String Band, Donna the Buffalo, Nickel Creek, Keith Frank, Patty Loveless, Toubab Krewe, Steve Earle and the Dukes, and Rising Appalachia.