Thyge - Posted - 03/22/2011:  17:14:19

Hello fellow fiddlers!

Here's your chance for helping out a Dane who's taking the big step to USA.

In short, I'm going to Boston in end-May / start-June and I plan on going from Boston, MA, and down to Nashville, TN.
The journey lasts from June to mid-August, and I want to visit some of the awesome oldtime/bluegrass camps I know you Americans are hosting! I'm mainly staying near the east-coast, but I have no problem in rescheduling and going further into the mainland - therefore every state near the east coast is relevant.
If any of you have any personal recommandations on oldtime/bluegrass festivals in this period and area, I would gladly accept suggestions!
I've played violin for 15 years and I'm proficient in nordic folkmusic and looking to learn more about American folkmusic!
Currently I'm 21 years old and open to meet a lot of nice fiddlers, but also people with lesser instruments, so maybe we could hook up and I would be glad to get a first-hand encounter with american folkmusicians!

If you are interested in meeting a Danish fiddler, I would very much like to visit you and I'm willing to offer my two medium-strong hands for work in exchange for shelter, food and company.

Hope to hear from you !

Kind regards,
Thyge from Denmark (the sacred land of the Vikings)

toddwright - Posted - 03/22/2011:  18:03:19

You're coming to the states at the right time. Owensboro, Kentucky will be hosting the River of Music Party (ROMP for short) from June 23rd through the 25th. We have a great lineup this year. Check it out at - bluegrassmuseum.org/general/romp.php

In addition to the ROMP festival, the International Bluegrass Music Museum, and Bill Monroe's homeplace are well worth seeing.

In September, we will be hosting a festival in honor of what would have been Bill Monroe's 100th birthday. Information on that is also available on the museum's web page.

WoodshopFiddler - Posted - 03/22/2011:  19:51:35

You will be here just in time for the Summertown Bluegrass Reunion in, wait for it......., Summertown, TN.

summertownbluegrassreunion.com/

You will also be around for Uncle Dave Macon Days in Murfreesboro, TN.

uncledavemacondays.com/


Hope to see you there.

RobBob - Posted - 03/22/2011:  19:59:03

If you want to experince old time mountain music try the Grayson County fiddlers convention in Elk Creek, Va on the 4th weekend in June and Clifftop aka The Appalachian String Band festival at Washington Carver Park in WV the end of July first weekend in August.
wvculture.org/stringband/index.html

It is the mother of all old time festivals.

Edited by - RobBob on 03/22/2011 20:00:10

mudbug - Posted - 03/23/2011:  04:29:06

"lesser instruments"? LOL, I think you're in the right place, here.

Swing - Posted - 03/23/2011:  04:40:00

I think that you should look up Maine Fiddle Camp in June... do the weekend session. While it will not be Oldime and Bluegrass, you won't regret the experince and the fun... great people, great food, great location... did I mention great music.

Play Happy

rosinhead - Posted - 03/23/2011:  05:16:10

I strongly recommend The Appalachian String Band Festival which RobBob already suggested. It doesn't get any better if you have an ear for old-time string music.

boxbow - Posted - 03/23/2011:  09:35:36

Sadly, we won't be crossing paths because I will remain in Upper Michigan during your visit. It did occur to me,however, that YOU need to offer a workshop on Nordic fiddling, yes indeedy. I'd be there if I weren't destitute. Enjoy your trip.

bj - Posted - 03/23/2011:  10:52:16

Black Creek Fiddler's Reunion is on Memorial Day Weekend in Albany NY.

oldsongs.org/blackcreek/

If you will be driving in the US, it's a straight shot across from Boston to the Albany area. This is a small but very high powered festival with some INCREDIBLE fiddling. Here's a vid from last year's festival.

VIDEO: Jon Bekoff, Nate Payne , and the Sky (click to view)

bj - Posted - 03/23/2011:  12:20:24

You might also consider visiting the regular oldtime and bluegrass jams that occur and schedule your itinerary to take advantage of them. If you are coming anywhere near Easton PA on the 2nd or 4th Tuesday of the month, we have a regular Oldtime jam here. It's on the FHO calendar.

Dave66 - Posted - 03/23/2011:  12:30:32

The Old Songs festival, June 24-26, is a great place to both play and hear folk music of all kinds. Near Albany, NY; same location as the Black Creek fiddler's reunion that BJ mentioned above. During the daytime we have 10-12 stages in parallel with workshops and performances, and one main stage for the evening performances

This year we'll have Appalachian string bands, Canadien/Quebequois, gypsy jazz, Irish/Celtic, old time and lots more

oldsongs.org/festival/index.html

Edited by - Dave66 on 03/23/2011 12:32:35

FiddleJammer - Posted - 03/23/2011:  17:31:47

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dave66

The Old Songs festival, June 24-26, is a great place to both play and hear folk music of all kinds. Near Albany, NY; same location as the Black Creek fiddler's reunion that BJ mentioned above. During the daytime we have 10-12 stages in parallel with workshops and performances, and one main stage for the evening performances

This year we'll have Appalachian string bands, Canadien/Quebequois, gypsy jazz, Irish/Celtic, old time and lots more

oldsongs.org/festival/index.html

---

coelhoe - Posted - 03/23/2011:  17:54:47

Thyge: Make sure to get a good map and carefully figure the distances involved in getting from festival to festival. You could end up spending most of your time in a car. You plan an ambitious summer, but I know from experience that Europeans often fail to grasp the sheer size of the USA. (East coast Americans are often the same.) Even taking ferries, you can drive completely across Denmark in an afternoon. But the distance from Boston to Jacksonville, Florida, is the same as the distance from Copehagen to St. Petersburg, Russia, or Budapest, or Milan. Pick a few festivals that really have your interest and plan on travel time in between.

Med hilsen, Dennis

fiddledan - Posted - 03/25/2011:  04:38:17

Clifftop for sure, but also consider coming up to Evart Michigan for the Acoustic music fest there mid July. dulcimers.com/festival.html for info. They call it a "dulcimer festival" but all styles and instruments are represented. Lots of workshops, very inexpensive, tons of music! I'll be there as well as Clifftop. Have a great journey.
Play nice,
Dan
Clawdan.com

boxbow - Posted - 03/25/2011:  06:07:10

If you're coming as far inland as Michigan, you should join us in the U.P. also known as Michigan's Upper Peninsula, which is a complete misnomer, but I digress. The Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival takes place July 22-24. It looks like a great line-up again. If you look at a map, you'll see that the best route is to actually drive across Canada from the north-eastern U.S. See hiawathamusic.org for details. If I knew more about these bloody computers I'd have given you a link. Not today, my friend! We're not the biggest by any stretch, but we've become quite devoted to our long weekend in the park. Also of interest is the Aura Jamboree on the same weekend or the preceding weekend. Less than two hours away, and with a VERY strong Finnish influence. Emphasis on jamming and open mic performances. Never have I seen so many accordions in one place. I always worry that it may be in violation of some of the laws of physics. Don't know the website, if any. Sorry.

Watergal82 - Posted - 03/25/2011:  06:48:34

A really good website for festivals is festivalfinder.com. It has whole lot of festivals, mostly medium size to large ones. It certainly doesn't have all the festivals in the country, but it has more than any other single source.

A lot of states and regions have folk or bluegrass associations, and absolutely the best way to find out what's happening in an area is to talk to these groups- they are usually the ones putting on the festivals, and they know where the local jams are. The different styles often have separate groups, so if you get in touch with one group, ask if they know any other associations who might have more information. The southwest bluegrass association has links to a lot of the other association on their website, and if the links don't work, at least the list gives you a name to google. s-w-b-a.com/links/associations.htm. For Massachusetts and the surrounding states, talk to the New England Folk Festival Association. Their web page is neffa.org.

I'd second the advice to pay attention to travel time. Boston MA to Albany NY is a 3-4 hour drive, depending on traffic, and those are two cities that are relatively close together. I live out west, where stuff is more spread out. People from more densely populated areas frequently underestimate travel time, and do things like plan day trips from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, which means driving for about 10 hours in one day. Not a fun day trip.

robinja - Posted - 03/25/2011:  07:40:24

The current issue of the Old Time Herald has its annual Festival Guide. A lot of good ones have already been mentioned, but this might help you fine tune things based on your travel itinerary. You can order a copy for $10 (including international postage, I think) here:

oldtimeherald.org/#

Hope you have a great trip and adventure!

Judy

Peghead - Posted - 03/25/2011:  10:04:36

While you're in Boston go to the Skellig Pub on Sunday night for a great old time session. (It's actually in Waltham) On Tue night you can go to the Cantab lounge (Cambridge) for a Bluegrass jam. There are several Irish sessions around town too, you can look them up on thesession.org. or google them.