The Chattanooga Division of Transportation welcomes the first annual IBMA
World of Bluegrass Awards and Festival, taking place September 16th - 20th,
2025. Information regarding scheduling, pricing, maps, transportation
options, and other questions for attendees and locals alike can be found at:
www.worldofbluegrass.org/general-information/
Preparation, setup, tear-down, and hosting for both public and ticketed
events/concerts will require road closures and temporary restrictions
within the right-of-way from Tuesday, September 16th, to Monday, September
22nd. These closures will be implemented in phases, whose
dates/locations/times are listed below:
PHASE 1:
BEGINS - Tuesday, September 16th, 8:00 AM
- Georgia Ave between E MLK Blvd and E 10th Street will be closed to all
traffic and street parking
PHASE 2:
BEGINS - Wednesday, September 17th, 8:00 AM
- Georgia Ave between Market Street and Patten Parkway will be closed to
all traffic and street parking; Access to the parking garage will remain
south of W 8th Street for local traffic only - Patten Parkway between Lindsay Street and Georgia Ave will be closed to
all traffic and street parking; Sidewalks accessing local businesses will
remain open to the general public - E 10th Street between Columbia Street and Market Street will be closed
to all traffic and street parking - Cherry Street between E MLK Blvd and the parking garage access will be
closed to all traffic and street parking; Only local traffic will be
permitted on Cherry Street south of W 8th Street - E MLK Blvd between Market Street and the Federal Courthouse Employee
Parking Lot will be closed to all traffic and street parking; Only local
traffic will be permitted on E MLK Blvd west of Lindsay Street
PHASE 3:
BEGINS - Thursday, September 18th, 6:00 AM
INCLUDES ALL ROADS IN PHASE 2 WITH THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONS
- Market Street between W 8th Street and W 11th Street will be closed to
all traffic and street parking - E MLK Blvd closure will be extended west to Broad Street, with all
traffic and street parking being restricted
PHASE 4:
BEGINS - Sunday, September 21st, 6:00 PM
ENDS - Monday, September 22nd, 2:00 PM
ALL ROADS EXCEPT FOR GEORGIA AVE REOPEN
- Georgia Ave between E MLK Blvd and E 10th Street will be closed to all
traffic and street parking
Detours for all closures will be posted. Please follow all directional
signage, temporary traffic devices, and instructions from on-site
Chattanooga Police, who will assist with traffic control.
Fencing will be located in specific areas of the festival grounds where
ticketed-only patrons are permitted. However, all businesses and residents
surrounding the festival grounds will have their access maintained via
sidewalks located outside festival fencing.
With this being a multi-day closure within the core of downtown
Chattanooga, CDOT strongly recommends alternative routes for all drivers
whose destinations are not within the downtown core. For area commuters and
those patronizing businesses within the downtown core, please allow for
additional travel time and expect area parking garages and lots to have
less availability due to high demand.
CARTA routes are expected to experience only minor delays with some changes
to available bus stops downtown. Please visit www.gocarta.org for more
information.
