Ultimate Guide for Bragg Jam in Macon, Georgia

First, some background. During the summer of 1999, Macon singer/songwriter Brax Bragg was on the brink of something big. He had just recorded a CD with his new band the Buckleys, and they were scheduled to set out on tour. But before hitting the highway with his band, Brax took his baby brother Tate, an accomplished classical guitarist, on a cross-country road trip. While traveling through Texas on July 3, the brothers’ lives were tragically cut short by a car accident.

Back in Macon, friends were reeling at the news of the brothers’ tragic deaths. Russell Walker, a friend of the family and fellow musician, organized an impromptu jam session of local musicians to celebrate and honor the Bragg brothers’ talented lives. The healing power of music began to perpetuate, and a year later, the jam session resumed. “Bragg Jam” had officially been born. By 2003, it was expanded into a city-wide music festival. Two years later, it was incorporated as a non-profit with a board of directors. Today, Bragg Jam has evolved into a full-scaled community arts festival and Macon’s premier music event

First and foremost, you must have your plan. Head to Bragg Jam’s website (braggjam.org) or Facebook and print out the schedule and maybe a couple of extra copies. Go ahead and mark all over your schedule and make your plan. Circle and star the bands you must see, but also take this time to check out the Bragg Jam Spotify Playlist (LISTEN NOW). Get to know some of the names you might not have heard of, find your new favorite musician, and add them to your plan. Coming from fellow Bragg Jam experts, consider how long you want to stay and see each act. You may want to stop at one location for the first half of their set and then pop on over to another location to catch the back end of their set.

Go ahead and buy your tickets in advance. Decide what all you might want out of your ticket. General admission will get you into all the shows, but you could elevate your night by getting a VIP ticket which gives you full access to the VIP Lounge. The VIP Lounge comes equipped with free drinks and the Signature Bragg Jam Cocktail, a 2025 Bragg Jam Concert Crawl t-shirt, private bathrooms, and an air-conditioned space to call home base for you and all your friends. Or maybe, you want to get a general admission ticket, but you want to get the t-shirt as an add-on. Oh, and don’t forget the kids! Go ahead and add on your Bragg Fam ticket so you can take the kids to the Society Garden in the afternoon to get them good and warn out before you leave them with the sitter.

Consider your night, you should really think about booking your stay at Hotel 45 so you can just walk from the last venue you go to on Concert Crawl night straight into a luxurious downtown hotel room. It will also make for a great space to regather your crew in the air conditioning, rinse off, change your clothes in a central location to the crawl.

One of the most important things to remember with Bragg Jam is that you hydrate early and eat food day of. It’s a long day, and we want you to be the best you through the whole day. Drink a lot of water the night before! I know, I know, it’s Friday night, you wanna start your Bragg Jam weekend early and have some cocktails and beer and that’s fine. Just remember to drink enough water to get fully hydrated. The concert crawl is in the heat of the summer, you’re going to sweat A LOT dancing on the dance floor.

Almost as important is that you eat on the day of. Wake up and eat a delicious and filling breakfast. Head downtown and get carbo-loaded at Macon Bagels. Or go to Loom and grab lunch at Hotel 45. Get your vibes tuned to the music and go to the legendary H&H. If you’re planning on going to Bragg Fam, grab lunch at Ingleside Village Pizza or the new taco truck at Society Garden. As the night goes on, your opportunities are endless for grabbing some grub. Piedmont, Ocmulgee Brew Pub, Fall Line, Kudzu, La Bella, Oliver’s, the Rookery, Fatty’s, the Downtown Macon world is your oyster.