Philfest will expand its traditionally bluegrass sound this year with headliner Carbon Leaf, the event’s co-chairs said Sunday.

The festival, co-sponsored by Students for Ecological and Environmental Development and A&O Productions, will bring the band to Norris University Center’s East Lawn on May 9.

“They’re a little more mainstream, but then also the opener is a little more hardcore bluegrass,” said Carolyn Goldschmidt, a member of A&O who helped plan the event.

“Hopefully it’ll bring a lot of people out.”

Lakshmi Nemani, Philfest co-chair, said though the band isn’t strictly bluegrass, they bring a “folky vibe.”

“We’ve been really trying to increase awareness and attendance at Philfest,” the Weinberg senior said. “We know that not as many people know about Philfest as other events on campus, but people who have come love it.”

The event’s planners have yet to announce the opening band but expect to do so later this week, Nemani said.

“Our opener is very bluegrassy, so I think it will be a very good mix of sounds,” she said.

The event is held in honor of deceased student and SEED member Phillip Semmer, who was killed in a car accident in 2000. The free event solicits donations in Semmer’s name to the Rocky Mountain Institute, an environmental think tank where he had hoped to work, said Jennifer Kahn, Philfest co-chair.

“The concert’s traditionally a bluegrass music festival, but we kind of brought in a range of also alternative bands that incorporate green ideas into their music,” the SESP senior said. The success of last year’s headliner, Tea Leaf Green, helped increase funding for this year’s Philfest, Goldschmidt said.

“Last year’s Philfest was actually one of the most successful to date with Tea Leaf Green, partially because of the co-sponsorship with A&O,” she said. “So because of that we had a little bit more money. It was just a great experience. We’re friends. We share an office. It’s good for SEED, it’s good for everybody.”[email protected]