Old Fiddlers' Convention Guide

Every August, the little Blue Ridge town of Galax hosts the Old Fiddlers’ Convention at Felts Park — the oldest and largest event of its kind on earth, running since 1935 and drawing thousands of musicians and tens of thousands of listeners for a week of old-time and bluegrass. On the stage it’s a serious competition: fiddle, banjo, guitar, dulcimer, dobro, and full bands compete for cash and bragging rights. But the real convention is out in the campground, where hundreds of impromptu jam circles run late into the night, players wandering fiddle-to-fiddle, and any competent picker is welcome to sit in. This is the beating heart of the Crooked Road music trail and about as authentic as American traditional music gets.