ganns@hound.UUCP (R.GANNS) (06/18/85)
FIDDLE TUNES OF AMERICA FESTIVAL During fourth of July week, there is a work-shop/festival held at the old Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend, WA. Participation is limited to about 200 people. To reserve a slot, contact Frank Ferrel c/o Centrum, Fort Worden State Park, Port Townsend, WA. This festival is fantastic. It goes 24 hrs/day for 7 incredible days. It features all sorts of north American traditional music and dance, and some very big names come from all over the country to give workshops. If you want to go, contact Frank as above IMMEDIATELY. By now, it's probably sold out, but try anyhow. It's worth going just for the jam sessions. Camping is available nearby, but is also probably all booked up by now. If you have friends there you can stay with, that is ideal. Be sure to take a tape recorder. The setting is in an old WWI coastal artillery fort that has been completely restored and is used by WA state park system just for this sort of activity. It sits at the entrance to Puget Sound, and the scenery is gorgeous; Port Townsend is very quaint and charming, hosting other activities such as wooden boat shows. The area is in a rain shadow, so is much drier than the rest of the Olympic Peninsula. A word of warning: once you see this area, you won't want to leave. The festival schedules two workshop periods in the morning, where participants can choose who they want to study under. In the after- noon, you split up into string bands under the tutelage of your chosen guru, and work together for a couple of hours. In the evening, there is a faculty concert, followed by all night partying and jamming. At the end of the week, there is a major concert on Sat. night, to which the general public is invited. Faculty perform, and there is a contest among the string bands that have been working together all week in the afternoons. After the concert, a marathon of more partying and jamming. At the end of this festival, you need a week to recover; you'll have enough musical inspiration to last you for a year.