Mountain View, AR – This weekend the Ozark Folk Center State Park hosts their annual Old-Time Fiddle Weekend celebrating the rich tradition of Ozark fiddling beginning Thursday, August 9 and lasting through Saturday August 11. The weekend includes an all-day fiddle “master class” on Thursday, evening music shows on Thursday-Saturday from 7:00 – 9:00 pm, and Arkansas’ State Fiddle Championship on Saturday.
For nearly 45 years, the Ozark Folk Center has been home to fiddlers young and old who play old-time music, and once a year players from across the country descend upon the state park to hone their skills, perform for visitors in the OFC’s 1000-seat auditorium (voted Venue of the Year, 2018 Arkansas CMA Awards) and compete for the coveted title of “State Fiddle Champ”. Some folks in Mountain View recall when young Alison Krauss came in 2nd place competing against local fiddlers at the Ozark Folk Center before she made it big.
The line-up of musicians for evening performances at the OFC auditorium include home-town favorites Apple & Setser on Thursday, Fayetteville’s hottest old-time stringband the Ozark Highballers on Friday night, and Missouri native Jeremy Myers on Saturday. All performances will be recorded live for the fifth season of the park’s publically-syndicated Ozark Highlands Radio program. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Shows start at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $12 at the door and “combo tickets” include an all-day pass to the park’s artisan Craft Village and Heritage Herb Gardens for $19.50.
Interested in honing your fiddling skills or attending the Arkansas State Fiddle Contest? Call 870-269-3851 to speak with park staff 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Tuesday-Saturday or visit www.OzarkFolkCenter.com and click the events tab for “Old Time Fiddle Weekend” and “Arkansas State Fiddle Championship” for more details.
