The Curwensville Days Old Time Fiddlers Contest is Friday, June 19, 2026
Contestant Registration 5:30pm
Contest 6pm
Cash prizes!
The Moore Brothers Band to follow
Allegheny Artworks proudly directs this event, celebrating and promoting American folk music heritage.
Photos
About the fiddlers contest
Purpose:
The original and purpose of the Fiddlers’ Contest is to help perpetuate the fiddling culture and history of pioneer America; to help develop a more genuine audience understanding and
to preserve the fiddling tunes; to develop and encourage jam sessions and contests; to permanently record and display the history, relics and mementos of the art of fiddling; and to acknowledge the present-day fiddlers who are helping to preserve these expressions.
Who may participate:
The Curwensville Days Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest is open to any “old time” fiddlers in their respective age division.
Contest Categories:
Four Contests will be held: Senior, Adult, Teen (ages 13-17), Junior (ages 12 and under)
Judging:
Three(3)-qualified judges will do the judging. Judges’ will score each contestants performance individually with a rubric. Scoring categories include tone, style, rhythm, and intonation. The three scores will be averaged to determine the winner.
The original and purpose of the Fiddlers’ Contest is to help perpetuate the fiddling culture and history of pioneer America; to help develop a more genuine audience understanding and
to preserve the fiddling tunes; to develop and encourage jam sessions and contests; to permanently record and display the history, relics and mementos of the art of fiddling; and to acknowledge the present-day fiddlers who are helping to preserve these expressions.
Who may participate:
The Curwensville Days Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest is open to any “old time” fiddlers in their respective age division.
Contest Categories:
Four Contests will be held: Senior, Adult, Teen (ages 13-17), Junior (ages 12 and under)
Judging:
Three(3)-qualified judges will do the judging. Judges’ will score each contestants performance individually with a rubric. Scoring categories include tone, style, rhythm, and intonation. The three scores will be averaged to determine the winner.
General Contest Rules
- Three judges will be used with all three scores added together..
- Contestants at each appearance must first play a hoedown; second a waltz; and third, a fiddle tune of choice, other than a hoedown or waltz.
- No contestant shall play a tune more than once
- Each contestant will have 5 minutes to play their songs. Contestants going over the allowed time will lose 10 points per 30 seconds from the total score.
- Judging criteria on individual tunes will include but is not limited to Oldtime Fiddling Style, Intonation, Rhythm and Timing, and Tone Quality.
- Each contestant may play with a guitar accompanist
- If a string breaks, the contestant will have the option to continue or stop at that point. If the tune is completed it will be judged as played. If the contestant stops play, due to a broken string, he will be allowed to begin with that tune and complete his program without penalty.
- A tie occurring in the top 5 of the final round of any division will be broken by the two contestants playing a three-tune round.
- Contact microphones and amplified instruments will not be permitted during any competition.
- No cross-tuning
- Any contestant winning a trophy or money must appear on stage to receive their awards or the awards will be forfeited.
