[net.music.folk] Fiddlers Conventions?

leads@burl.UUCP (leads) (03/06/85)

 Does someone have information on any fiddlers conventions that
 are coming up this spring? If there is a publication that has
 a schedule of events could you let me know.
 The last fiddlers convention I attended was Union Grove back in
 '74 and since then they have stopped having one. (too large a crowd
 to handle) I know that there is a convention usually held in
 Galax V.A. but I don't know when. Any info would be Appreciated.

  				Thanks,
				Dave Schumacher

			"How does it go Vassar..."

barnett@ut-sally.UUCP (Lewis Barnett) (03/08/85)

>  I know that there is a convention usually held in
>  Galax V.A. but I don't know when. Any info would be Appreciated.
> 
>   				Thanks,
> 				Dave Schumacher
> 
> 			"How does it go Vassar..."

I think this convention is usually held in July, but I could quite easily
be wrong... But you could probably find out by writing the Galax
Chamber of Commerce (if such a thing exists) -- it's a very small
town.

Lewis Barnett,CS Dept, Painter Hall 3.28, Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX 78712

-- barnett@ut-sally.ARPA, barnett@ut-sally.UUCP,
      {ihnp4,harvard,seismo,gatech,ctvax}!ut-sally!barnett

david@varian.UUCP (David Brown) (03/13/85)

> >  I know that there is a convention usually held in
> >  Galax V.A. but I don't know when. Any info would be Appreciated.
> > 
The Galax Fiddlers Convention is traditionally held from Wednesday
to the 2nd Saturday of August (e.g. in 1984 it was held 8/8 - 8/11).
It's sponsored by the Moose Lodge (or was it the Elks?) and the contact
address I have (from the 1983 & 1984 festival calendar of Bluegrass
Unlimited -- their festival calendar usually appears in the March issue,
so hurry to your newstands...) is:
	
	Oscar Hall
	328A Kenbrook Dr
	Galax VA 24333
	(703) 236-6355

This year will be the 50th Annual!!

I went there in 1982 and had a blast.  There is no paid entertainment --
it really is a contest, though a lot of the contestants don't take it
very seriously -- it's entertaining to read the program and see some
of the names of the bands and the contestants (e.g. Russell Upsumgrub).
In 1982 the admission was $14, which was refunded to you if you entered
any contest except buck dancing.  And there's lot of picking in the
camping areas -- the bluegrass music happens mainly in the center
area where all the Winnebagos, trucks, campers, etc. are parked; the
old-timey musicians hang around the horse stalls which are convenient
places to pitch a tent (be sure to have a ground cloth though).  I've
been told that it always rains and turns the whole place to mud, so
be prepared for that.  The year I was there, it only rained the first
day, but a couple of leaky water faucets managed to keep large areas
muddy the whole time. ("Hey Martha, let's go down to Felts Park and
watch the hippies play in the mud.").


-- 
	David Brown	 (415) 945-2199
	Varian Instruments 2700 Mitchell Dr.  Walnut Creek, Ca. 94598
	{zehntel,amd,fortune,resonex,rtech}!varian!david

reiner@cca.UUCP (David Reiner) (03/27/85)

>>  I know that there is a convention usually held in
>>  Galax V.A. but I don't know when. Any info would be Appreciated.
>> 
>>   				Thanks,
>> 				Dave Schumacher
>> 
>> 			"How does it go Vassar..."
>
>I think this convention is usually held in July, but I could quite easily
>be wrong... But you could probably find out by writing the Galax
>Chamber of Commerce (if such a thing exists) -- it's a very small
>town.

The Galax convention is one of the best places to go for traditional
Southern fiddling (and a smattering of great bluegrass).  You can stay
in the old horse stalls or camp on the grounds, or spend some money and
stay at a local motel.  Jamming is excellent and continuous.  I don't
have the dates in front of me, but figure you have found them by now.

As an old-time, bluegrass, swing, Irish, and country fiddler (with Hot
Off The Frets in Boston), I wonder how many other fiddlers are out there
in netland.  It would be nice to see some questions or discussions
oriented toward fiddling in this newsgroup (e.g., regional styles versus
"superstyles", or "conceptual models" of bowing, or fiddle contests...)
 
David Reiner (Computer Corporation of America)

reiner@cca or decvax!cca!reiner