BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??

Subject: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: keltcgrasshoppper
Date: 16 May 00 - 07:37 AM

Wondered if any of you knew about Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival on Prince Edward Island Canada.. This year will makr 24 yeard at one of the most beautiful settings you can imagine.. We have gone for the past 20 years regular visitors are the likes of J.P. Cormier, Natalie McMaster, Richard Wood, Ashley MacIsac, Brenda Stubbert.. and on and on.. Its just a non stop show from Friday to Sunday night one after another.. WONDERFUL TIME..Always the third weekend in July this year starts on the 14th camping on site... Check it out sometime.. Its a beautiful place..

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 17 May 00 - 12:43 AM

The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Port Townsend, Washington. I think it's in June. Haven't been there in quite a while, but I assume it's still going strong. Go for a week of classes and workshops, or just for the public concerts on the weekend. I miss it...

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: KT
Date: 17 May 00 - 12:53 AM

Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend is FABULOUS!!!!!! ( And it's not just for fiddle players!!) I haven't been there in several years, but I believe it runs over the Fourth of July ......Last I heard, there were still a few openings for this year...check it out......

http://www.centrum.org/Fiddle.html

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 May 00 - 01:32 AM

Weiser, Idaho, USA. National Fiddle Contest. You don't have to be a contestant to join the 24 hr. jam sessions. I have never been, but hear it is fabulous!

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: keltcgrasshoppper
Date: 17 May 00 - 07:03 AM

Port Townsend.. I've heard about that one , a young friend of ours. J.J. Chaisson was a guest performer two years ago. He had a wonderful experience. Being only 17 at the time it was quite a thrill for him to receive a standing ovation from the crowd on the last night.. This year he's been invited to perform and instruct at a Festival in Colorodo sometime this summer.. I cant remember where or when but I think it's in August..He is an amazing kid if you happen to attend only 18 been playing since he was 3...

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 May 00 - 10:25 AM

Smithville, Tennessee is pretty good. Lots of other comps as well including flatfoot and clog dancing, band, dulcimer, etc.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: Alice
Date: 17 May 00 - 01:46 PM

Fiddles on the Tobique!

I was invited by another artist to attend her wedding this year on the Tobique River in the midst of the canoes and the fiddles playing. It's too far for me to travel from Montana, but I did receive this info from the founder of the festival.

---
Good evening Alice !

My name is Bill Miller and I am founder of Fiddles on the Tobique, it is a unique festival that began in 1994 with just one fiddle player , Mr Ivan Hicks a well known maratime fiddle player. both he and his wive Vivian loved the river trip so much we suggested doing it the next year with more musicians , so we got a guitar and piano ( keyboard) to accompany the fiddle . and it was fantastic. Ivan mentioned, that the followiiig year would be his 50th anniversary of playing the fiddle and was wondering if he got 50 fiddle players , could i find enough canoes to float them ...I told him that would not be a problem!! what a day onthe river that first one was!!! one square dancers shashayed right off the float into a salmon pool!

If you or any of your fiddle friends can come to fiddles on the Tobique, can you have them let me know how many will be comong so i can have enough canoes to float them down river? ( and it is not limited to just fiddles either ) this year there will be several keyboards, mandolins, guitars, a harmonica, and i play the spoons!! and one flotilla of canoes will have a high school brass band playing as well!, and of course ther will be some wedding music!

There is a video available of the 1997 run filmed by a film Co from Toronto It is pretty good too. the film lasts 24 minutes and I have some for sale at $25.00 (US) and that includes tax and shipping.
Today i am enclosing a photo of new 17 foot hand crafted canoe that i made in 1998. Pam tells me that you are very interested in opera and I thought you might like to know that I am a opera lover myself, and listen each Saturday for the met broadcasts and from NPR. When the met celebrated thier 50th anniversary, a New York Newsweek reporter interviewed me for an article about the fact I was a devout opera lover and that I would be building a wooden canoe in my shop as the Met was celebrating thier anniversary!!

I have no intention of ever dying until some day I want to see a major symphony orchestra here in Nictau playing Handel's water music suite in wooden canoes as we sail down this most spectacular river !
Thank you for your e mail. I am so happy to introduce you to Fiddles on the Tobique!!

Good night

Bill and Rusty , ( my golden retriever )
-------

The Mouth of the Tobique is my favorite fiddle tune, so I was amazed when Pam told me she was getting married in the middle of the Tobique, on a canoe, with fiddles playing around. If anyone is interested in contacting Bill Miller about attending the festival, his email address is

[e-mail]

Alice in Montana

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: keltcgrasshoppper
Date: 17 May 00 - 07:24 PM

What a lovely idea!! A friend of ours whose family is responsible for the Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival once said that before he dies he hopes that the Rollo Bay Field will be full of fiddle players, shoulder to shoulder as far as you can see.. The Chaisson Family who host the event every year donate all the proceeds to an organization on PEI that give FREE fiddle lessons to anyone willing to learn. They are determined to keep the traditional music of the Island and Cape Breton alive and well

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: Rex
Date: 18 May 00 - 03:41 PM

There's the Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp. It's just down the hill about ten or fifteen miles down in Deckers. That's in Colorado if you don't know. It's in a great location down in a holler. I had a great time there last year. Of course they have a web site (www.RMFiddle.com)

Rex

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 May 00 - 07:21 PM

A fiddle contest is traditionally held as part of the annual Swayed Pines Folk Festival on the campus of St. John's University in Collegeville, near St. Cloud, Minnesota. Next festival is tentatively scheduled for April 28, 2001. Check the web site for updated info.

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From:
Date: 18 May 00 - 10:00 PM

There's always the ones in Cape Breton, Big Pond Festival, and Glendale and Celtic Colours. I don't know if any of them besides Celtic Colours has a web-site.

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: GUEST,Jon Eaves
Date: 18 May 00 - 10:22 PM

The best fiddle fest I,ve been to so far has been the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia. People come to it from all over the states, as do some of the country's best fiddlers. I went there before I even owned a fiddle and now I'm a fiddle-maniac. There is a website, I believe. All you have to do is look up old timey music or attractions in W.Va. and you'll find it. It's one, if not THE premier fiddle fest in the states. First weekend in August( plus the whole preceding week ). Check it out.

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: Crowhugger
Date: 19 May 00 - 06:47 AM

And there's the Shelburne Fiddle Contest, Shelburne, Ontario. A pile of categories, open stage of some kind, spontaneous fiddling everywhere all the time. Probably a big enough do for a website but I've never looked.

CH.

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 19 May 00 - 05:55 PM

Brigg Fiddle Festival, (North Lincs UK) on right now, 10 miles away, and I'm glued to this box!

Skipjack

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: keltcgrasshoppper
Date: 20 May 00 - 12:12 AM

The Rocky Mountain Fiddle camp is where J.J. Chaisson will be this summer.. Check it out.. That is if you can't come to PEI and see his whole family at Rollo Bay.. Uncle Kevin,on piano Uncle Peter the GOD FATHER of the family, Cousin Darla. amazing piano player and member of Celtic Tide.. and on and on....KGH

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: Chocolate Pi
Date: 20 May 00 - 01:21 AM

sunday May 21: UChicago fiddler's picnic. I have no more info; try the folklore society's homepage.

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From: tar_heel
Date: 20 May 00 - 11:31 PM

mt.airy,n.c.,old-time fiddlers covention ..first week-end in june....june2,3.friday and saturday!!!mt.airy,nc,about 30 miles north of winston-salem ,nc.......higway 52 north of winston-salem..or highway 89 east, from i-77.annual event..must be pre registerd for competition!!! held at veterans park,in mt.airy,n.c.. contact ben brannock..336786-2551..or jack jones ...336-786-6830 29th annual convention!!! 7pm friday night 9:30 am saturday sponsored by the american legion and veterans of foreign wars.

Subject: RE: BS: Know of any great fiddle festivals??
From:
Date: 24 May 02 - 10:01 PM

On the (Canadian) Vision TV network, Wed. May 29/02, 9:30 pm MDT:

"Celtic Colours - A celebration of the Gaelic culture of Cape Breton Island"