National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Festival

Name: National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Festival
Address: 2235 Paddock Avenue, Weiser, ID, 83672, US
Telephone: +12084140255
Price range: $

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National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Festival

National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Festival The NOTFC is organized for the charitable and educational purposes of preserving and promoting oldt Some of the “old-timers” had trouble adapting.

History of Weiser's Fiddle Contest -

In 1953, the city of Weiser, Idaho began sponsoring an annual contest which has become one of the most formal and prestigious fiddler contests held. In this same year, a contest was held in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, which saw the result of the change in judging. It was now based on standards of skill, hokum was not allowed, and there was a strict time

limit for the contestants. One of the fiddlers, Eck Robertson played “Sally Goodin” which he usually played in about eighteen different ways, and at times took five to six minutes to play all the way through. This year, he was about half way through when the whistle blew, but he just kept on playing until someone came onto the stage and took him off. He was disqualified at this contest but in 1962 he won the senior division at Weiser. The fiddle contests at Weiser today have very clear rules. Each contestant plays three tunes; one of the tunes must be a hoedown, one must be a waltz, the other is a “tune of choice” (something other than a waltz or hoedown). Some contests are held with less restrictions and include audience participation. A time limit is enforced for each fiddler. Contestants are classified into different age groups and judging is based on danceability, oldtime style, rhythm, and tone. If a contestant wins the first round they move onto the second/final round or playoff. At Weiser, competing in all of the playoffs to win the championship takes five rounds and fifteen tunes. One change that has happened in the modern era that began in 1990 or 1991 is that most contests have eliminated the separate ladies division, as acknowledgment that today’s women are as competent as the men and capable of competing on an equal basis. History of the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest & Festival -

Fiddling came to Weiser in 1863 when the Logans established a way station here and covered wagon emigrants stopped for rest and recreation. Newspaper files report fiddling contests here from 1914 to WWI. The resurrection of fiddling in Weiser was due to efforts led by Blaine Stubblefield, Chamber of Commerce Secretary from 1948 until his death in December, 1960. Blaine was raised on fiddling in Oregon’s Wallowa Valley above Hells Canyon. He had spent several years researching fiddle music for the Library of Congress. His interest in the music led him to ask the Chamber Directors to allocate $175 for a fiddle contest. Nothing happened until January, 1953, when the idea was proposed to hold the contest during intermissions of the Fifth Annual Weiser Square Dance Festival. Prize money was underwritten by two individuals and the first official fiddling event came to life on April 18, 1953. It was billed as the Northwest Mountain Fiddlers’ Contest and was a huge success. The name was changed to the Northwest Oldtime Fiddling Championships in 1956 when a regional division was added for out-of- area fiddlers. The present National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest was inaugurated in 1963 in conjunction with Idaho’s Territorial Centennial observances. Through all these years of fiddling in Weiser, the town of 5,200 people pulls hundreds of volunteers together each year in support of their nationally recognized event. This week of intense competition and endless jamming brings together young and old for the purpose of perpetuating fiddling around the world. The National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest now certifies fiddling contests in 29 states in order to facilitate interest and maintain the integrity of fiddling contests. Almost 350 contestants compete in 9 divisions each year. The week long competition also includes musical entertainment nightly from groups from around the U.S. Once you’ve been to the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest you’ll see why Weiser has been recognized as the “Fiddling Capital Of The World”!

02/09/2025

Chicken Dinner at Slocum fundraiser...

01/20/2025

Camping Update:
The National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Festival is happening, as always, the third full week of June, so mark your calendars for June 15th-21st. Here's our event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Tv56j88Sv/?mibextid=9VsGKo
The Board (volunteers spending countless hours on all the work for this amazing event) is thankful for everyone's support. We are currently working on a some promising camping solutions and hope to share specifics very soon.
One thing the volunteer board is keeping at the forefront of discussions for perspective while working on a solution is that this shift in camping location is just one of many camping changes over time that the Contest and Festival volunteer Board has navigated over the years. Camping has been in many locations throughout our history, including:
•The rodeo grounds
•Mortimers Island
•Middle School parking area
•The old cinder H.S. track
•Pioneer field
•H.S. parking lot
•North field (where we are now)
A major change over these years is the size and weight of the RVs. Folks went from using mostly tents to small lighter trailers and tow vehicles, evolving into much larger and heavier ones...even tractor/trailer combos.
Event locations have also changed over the years. Past locations include the Junior High School gym, Pioneer Auditorium (the Band Shell that was at Memorial Park), the Armory and the High School. We are still holding the event at the high school, but it's important for folks to understand the amount of change over time that the NOTFC Board has navigated.
The moral of our camping story is that though it won't look the same, it will all be okay, just as it always has. It's always been dry camping, and standards of dry camping aren't any different in Weiser. Everyone always arrives prepared to camp, builds an amazing city of RVs and tents, and it'll all be just fine.

Your volunteer board thanks everyone for their support and trust, we're working hard and are determined to find a viable camping solution. Thanks for your continued support and optimism.
We are all grateful for the board volunteers' hard work on this.

11/18/2024

Dear Fiddle Family and Friends,

Hope you All are doing well and life is treating you Great!!

The one thing in life that is constant is change. This year the Fiddle Contest is having to change in a Big way.

The School District has made the decision to have us vacate Fiddletown / Sports Complex. There will be no more camping on the grass.
The Fiddle Contest & Board is forever grateful for all the School District has done for us over the many years. We are forever in their debt and thankful for their trust in us.

We are working with all parties to find solutions to this issue. Please Be Patient with us as we work through this change.
The High School facilities are still available to us, and we are thankful for that.
More information to follow as we move forward.
Please No Negative comment. We will adapt.
Thank you for you patients, Gary Hill

10/27/2024

Country Harvest Hoedown, November 16th 2024

Roberta Pearce is planning her 42nd annual Country Harvest Hoedown.
This toe-tapping concert will take place at the Kuna Performing Arts Center, November 16th, 2024 at 2:00 pm. Located at 637 Deer Flat Road, Kuna ID

This program features the Idaho Junior Jammer Fiddlers. This group of Fiddlers ages 6 through 18 has enjoyed entertaining audiences for the past 4 decades! They perform locally at community events, Nampa and Boise Festival of Trees and at the National Old Time Fiddlers Contest located in Weiser ID the 3rd full week of June.
The Jammers will open the show by honoring our Veterans with a medley of songs from each branch of the Military. Following with an "Old Time" Set which includes traditional and folk fiddle tunes. During "New 5 cents," "NOTFC", (National Old Time Fiddlers contest) finalists Kasen Milburn and Logan Venner will be featured. "NOTFC" Finalist, Chloe Nicolayeff and Northwest Regional Champion Roslyn McCarver will be featured on "Waynesboro"

Twin Fiddle music has always been popular with audiences. This year Pearce has added this set to the program. This fiddling style will have the melody and harmonies being played together. Music includes Blue Grass, Texas Swing, and Celtic "genres". For the Jammers final set, a "Glen Miller" rendition of "In The Mood" featuring seniors Dureyin Plyes and Jessica Hipwell is sure please!

Also taking center stage will be our beginning fiddlers, (ages 2 to 13) "Hoedowners". They will be Fiddling and singing "The Crawdad song".

Other featured performers will be, National Young Adult Champion Fiddler Makaela Ruggs, and 6x National Grand Champion Katrina Nicolayeff. Other State and Regional Champion fiddlers will be featured.

Doors open at 1:15. Ticket prices are Adults $13, Seniors and Students $11 and under 12, $6

All proceeds will help purchase Buckles for the NOTFC Champions and finalist in 2025.

Mark the Date! November 16th at 2 PM. Come on out and support your local fiddlers and enjoy as we celebrate 42 years of the Country Harvest Hoedown.

For more information:
Bobbie Pearce, [email protected]

09/28/2024

Clark Skeans was one of our many long-time supporters, and will be missed. Thank you, Clark, for supporting the musicians, young and old, at the National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Festival all these years. The Board sends their deepest condolences to your family and friends.

Clark Harold SkeansFebruary 1, 1939 – September 25, 2024Clark Harold Skeans was born February 1, 1939, in Portland, Oregon to Harold and Flore…

08/31/2024

We’re so excited to announce a new fiddle contest coming to the Treasure Valley in 2025! Stay tuned for more info!

08/06/2024

Fiddle Family: The Fiddle Office will be closed until first of April (our normal seasonal closure), though we will be checking phone messages occasionally. We're setting up new camping and Slocum room contacts, as well as all the other exciting things for our 2025 event, held the Third Full Week of June (6-16 through 6-22-2025).
More info to come - keep a lookout here! Thanks!

08/06/2024

This is one of our certified partner events, and a really great contest. Registration is open, and a win here gets you an entry at the National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest & Festival in Weiser, Idaho next June!
Go to https://www.grandmasterfiddler.com/ to check out their event and get registered!

07/10/2024

Please send us the news reports you find. We'd love to share them all!
Here's a good write up by Nancy Grindstaff

07/10/2024

Another great article from the other side of the state.
If you see or get a nice write-up, please let us know so we can share!
This one mentions Tessa Dalton, Shelby Rae Murdock and Ridge Roberts

(Ridge Roberts)

WEISER — The National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest and Festival ended in June and featured contestants from all over the country competing for cash prizes and belt buckles.

07/06/2024

Scores and Division Rankings are now posted on the NOTFC&F website!
https://www.fiddlecontest.org/contest-results/

06/28/2024

For all of our "unsigned" 😉 musicians here's a little competition you may be interested in. How cool would it be for one of our contestants to put something together!

06/26/2024

The NOTF Board wants to thank the Weiser Chamber of Commerce for their amazing efforts in coordinating this years parade. It was a wonderful day and we've received great feedback. Thanks again to the wonderful folks at the Chamber!

Address

2235 Paddock Avenue
Weiser, ID
83672

Telephone

+12084140255

Website

http://fiddlecontest.com/

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