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Fiddlin’ for the 84th Year in Union Grove May 23 to 25

The 84th annual Ole Time Fiddlers and Bluegrass Festival in Union Grove Friday, May 23, to Sunday, May 25. In 1924, H. P. Van Hoy, a schoolteacher and a fiddler, thought of a good way to raise money for Union Grove School; he would hold a fiddlers’ convention. The convention became a tradition, carried on in recent years by Harper A. Van Hoy, H. P. Van Hoy’s son.

From Friday, May 23, to Sunday, May 25, the third generation of Van Hoy descendants will open the gate for the 84th iteration of that acclaimed musical institution: a weekend of competitions, performances by invited musicians, workshops, jamming and the renewal of years-long friendships. The Ole Time Fiddlers and Bluegrass Festival is the oldest fiddlers’ contest in North America, acclaimed a Local Legacy by the Library of Congress, an icon of the genre, and is not to be missed. Details are available at www.fiddlersgrove.com.

The weekend kicks off on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. with a set by the 2007 Fiddler of the Festival, Adam Masters of Asheville. Throughout the night, the audience will hear from Robin Warren and Spirit Fiddle, The Cockman Family, Taylor Dunn, Mel Jones and Hal Beaver, Sally Spring and Laura Boosinger and enjoy spirited performances by the Green Grass Cloggers and the Cane Creek Cloggers.

Saturday offers a full day of competition for old-time and bluegrass bands and for musicians in individual categories. Workshops in numerous instruments, storytelling, clogging and shape note singing round out the day. Also, Taylor Dunn, noted Nashville writer and a “son” of this Festival, will offer a songwriting workshop this year. Reflecting Fiddler’s Grove’s emphasis on fiddling, one of the competitions is for certified old-time fiddlers, who must be over 55 and have had no formal instruction. Saturday evening revolves around band playoffs, a twin fiddle competition, and the Fiddler of the Festival playoff. Special entertainers for the evening include performers with strong ties to this festival: The Kruger Brothers, Laura Boosinger, The Cockman Family, The Trantham Family and Master Fiddlers Robin Warren and Josh Goforth.

In a longstanding tradition, Sunday morning begins with shape note singing on the Main Stage, followed by the gospel music of The Cockman Family and others. A lazy day of listening to good music under the trees in the Grove offers a perfect ending for the weekend.

Fiddler’s Grove Campground, the bucolic setting for this annual gathering of music lovers, is nicely suited for the execution and enjoyment of these great American musical traditions. The stated purpose of this festival—to preserve, promote and perpetuate traditional American music—is carried out in a fashion that invites every ticket holder to be a part of the grand continuum. Novice or expert, listener or competitor, youngster or otherwise, everyone can find a niche at Fiddler’s Grove.

Advance tickets for the three-day festival cost $35 for adults and $15 for children 10 to 15 years old if you purchase by Saturday, May 10. Single-day tickets are also available. For more info and tickets, contact the festival administrator at info@fiddlersgrove.com or 828-478-3735.

Want To Go?

Dates: Friday to Sunday, May 23 to 25
Times: 6:00 p.m. Friday/9:30 a.m. Saturday/10:00 a.m. Sunday
Location: Union Grove, N.C.
Cost: $35 adults/$15 kids 10 to 15 in advance for all three days