24th Branson Fiddle Festival
Friday, August 24, 2012 • Friday, Aug 24-Sunday, Aug 26
Downtown Branson, Missouri
Kick off jam session & Gambler’s Draw, Friday, Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 25 & Sunday, Aug. 26, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It’s time to get ready for the 2012 Downtown Branson Fiddle Festival, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 25–26. This nationally recognized event begins with a FREE kick-off Jam Session and Gambler’s Draw competition on Friday night, Aug. 24, 6-10 p.m.
The Downtown Branson Fiddle Festival will award more than $6,500 in cash prizes with three award-winning national judges: Alita Weisgerber, Lewis Brandon and Ricky Boen. The contest will be in the “Ozarks Music & Culture Tent” in Awberry Parking Lot on the corner of Atlantic and Commercial streets (behind Dick’s 5 & 10). Prelims are Saturday, Aug. 25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Finals will be on Sunday, August 26 from noon to 5 p.m. There is NO entree fee to contestants. However, pre-registration is greatly appreciated. Each contestant receives free admission and one free guest pass to the fiddling contest. There is a daily $3 admission to the contest and $1.50 for children 4-12. The event is FREE to ages 3 and younger.
Besides a championship fiddling contest, the 24th Annual Fiddle Festival will feature demonstrations, entertainers strolling the streets of downtown, workshops, an inside the tent Saturday night “Square Dance” and downtown sidewalk sales!
Friday Night: FREE kick-off Jam Session, which will begin with the Gamblers Draw, Aug. 24, 6-10 p.m. in the “Ozarks Music & Culture Tent.” Fiddlers and accompanists will be on hand to play their favorite tunes. There is a $5 entry fee into the Gambler’s Draw. Song titles will be placed in a hat. Fiddlers competing draw a title out of the hat and are required to play that song. If they can’t play the song, they are eliminated from the competition. The last fiddler standing will be the winner and will receive all of the entry fee money that was placed in the hat. The jam session will continue after the Gambler’s Draw.
Saturday Night: “Square Dance” in the “Ozarks Music & Culture Tent” on Aug. 25, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Tickets for the dance is $3 per person. Tickets for children 4-12 are $1.50 and children 3 and younger get in free. There will also be hands-on instruction on how to do these traditional square dances.
Sunday’s FREE Gospel Celebration, 10 a.m. to noon on Aug. 26, will provide uplifting and inspired music as well as a special message from Pastor Bob Hubbard. The fiddling contest finals will begin following the Gospel Celebration.
A special added feature is Fiddling Workshops in a private conference room Thursday Aug. 24 and Friday Aug. 25. Pre-Registration is strongly suggested. Contact Junior Marriott for information about instructors and workshop schedules; 417-683-2777 or fiddledog66@gmail.com. Workshop tuitions are $25 each. A total of six (6) hours of workshops, which includes registration for both days, is $50.
Fiddle Festival event sponsorships are still available.
Contestants please complete the 2012 Downtown Branson Fiddle Festival registration form and return it to: events@downtownbranson.org or Fax 417-335-3643.
Downtown Branson Main Street Association
P.O. Box 1034, Branson, MO 65615
Toll Free 866-523-1190, Phone 417-334-1548.