Arthurdale Heritage is thrilled to host the first Rich Family Memorial Old-Time Fiddle Contest during our New Deal Festival in 2025. This contest is a celebration of Arthurdale’s history of traditional music-making with the goal of encouraging and sustaining traditional fiddling styles in North Central West Virginia. Learn more about Arthurdale’s traditional music-making history here.
While there is a $10 gate fee for regular New Deal Festival visitors, anybody competing in the fiddle contest will receive free entry to the festival. Registration opens at 11:00 am the day of the festival (July 12) in the Stage area.
Prizes
Senior (50+)
1st place: TBD
2nd place: TBD
3rd place: TBD
Adult (18-49)
1st place: TBD
2nd place: TBD
3rd place: TBD
Junior (17 and under) *
1st place: TBD
2nd place: TBD
3rd place: TBD
*NOTE: contestants who are 17 and under may choose to compete in the Adult division and must specify this upon registration. The contestant will be judged alongside contestants in the Adult division and will not be eligible to receive the Junior prize.
Contest Rules
- Each contestant should register before the contest starts and be present when called to perform by a random drawing of numbers.
- Contestants must play 2 appropriate tunes. (This is an old-time fiddle contest. Therefore the fiddle style should be an old-time style as opposed to the style prevalent in more progressive “contest-style” fiddling.)
- Each contestant may have a maximum of 1 accompanist.
- Medley style tunes are not allowed.
- Singing is not allowed.
- No electrical instruments allowed.
- Accidents beyond the control of contestant (broken string, etc.) may result in a replay.
- Contestants will be judged in the categories of intonation, timing and technique; appropriateness of selection; and expression/taste, feeling, and soul.
- Decisions of the judges are added together and are final. They will not be disclosed at any time.
Questions
Please email Mary.L@ArthurdaleHeritage.org for more information.