On Saturday, April 11, Warren Wilson College will host Fiddles and Folklife, an annual Appalachian festival and old-time music competition with cash prizes for old-time fiddle, banjo, folksong, flatfooting, and string band. Other activities include old-time music jams, food and craft vendors, folklife demonstrators, and cake raffles. It all takes place 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM at Bryson Gym. This event is free and open to the public.

Registration will be open on Saturday, starting at 11:30 AM. No advance registration is required, and there is no entry fee for the contests. You may register for a maximum of 3 contests.

First-place winners from the previous year may not re-enter the same contest the following year. There will be a cap of 15 contestants per category.

For more information: https://www.facebook.com/warrenwilsoncollegemusic/

This event is sponsored by the WWC Music Dept, The Swannanoa Gathering, and Acoustic Corner.

Schedule

12:00 – 2:00PM Youth Fiddle, Banjo, & Folk Song Contests, Youth Awards

1:00 – 2:00PM Ballad singing workshop at the Pavilion

2:00 – 3:00PM Adult Fiddle & Banjo Contests

2:30 – 3:30PM Flatfooting workshop at the Pavilion

3:00 – 3:30PM Ballad & Folksong Contest 

3:30 – 4:00PM Flatfoot Dance Contest

4:00 – 4:30PM Old-Time String Band Contest

4:30 – 5:00PM Instrument Raffle, Adult Awards

Prizes

Old-Time String Band
1st place – $300
2nd place – $150
3rd place – $75

Old-Time Fiddle (Adult)
1st place – $75
2nd place – $50
3rd place – $25

Old-Time Banjo (Adult)
1st place – $75
2nd place – $50
3rd place – $25

Youth Old-Time Fiddle (13-17)
1st place – $50
2nd place – $25
3rd place – $10

Youth Old-Time Fiddle (12-under)
1st place – $50
2nd place – $25
3rd place – $10

Youth Old-Time Banjo (17 and under)
1st place – $50
2nd place – $25
3rd place – $10

Youth Folk Song (17 and under)
1st place – $50
2nd place – $25
3rd place – $10

Folksong
1st place – $50
2nd place – $25
3rd place – $10

Flatfoot Dance
1st place – $50
2nd place – $25
3rd place – $10

Contest Rules:

If you won first place in a contest last year, you are not permitted to enter the same contest again this year. You may register for a maximum of 3 contests. There will be a cap of 15 contestants per category.

Fiddle & Banjo:

• Each individual contestant may have at least one accompanist, but not the same instrument as the contestant.
• One tune per person. No medleys allowed.
• Individuals may enter more than one contest.
• The two youth categories are ages 12 and under and ages 13-17.

Old-Time Band:

• Old-Time bands will perform 1-2 selections, each limited to three minutes.
• Original tunes in the traditional style are allowed.
• A band must consist of at least a fiddle, a banjo and a guitar.
• Individuals may not play in more than one band.
• No electric instruments are allowed.

Ballad & Folksong Contest

• Only folksongs from the public domain – no copyrighted music permitted.
• Contestants may sing a cappella or be accompanied by one instrument.
• Contestants may not be accompanied by another singer.
• Singers are limited to three minutes