Welcome to the homepage of the World's oldest and largest Old Fiddlers' Convention. This website was designed to provide you with all the information you need to plan your trip to this year's convention.
since 1935!

You have arrived at the official website of the Smithville Fidders’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival! We’re proud you’ve stopped by and would love to see you in person at our 39th Annual Jamboree on July 2-3, 2010. Make yourself at home here on our site, and let us know if you have any questions or suggestions. Thanks for visiting us online, and mark your calendar for the real thing! Hope to see you on Smithville’s town square this summer!

Early in 1969 my wife, Marty, submitted an article to the
Indianapolis newspaper. Instead of using her story, they sent their own
reporter to verify her information and write his own piece on the subject.
Marty's was much better, I think, in terms of writing style and actual
bluegrass content; but their person did get interviews with local people
(maybe Silverspur Ragsdale & Birch) about some of the daily details. The piece is uncredited, probably because it was staff written.

They DID use our photographs, however. They were, likewise,
uncredited (and were not very well paid for!) She and I took them
at several different places over the preceding couple of years. The
lead picture of Monroe in glasses with his mandolin was taken at
Frontier Ranch, near Columbus, Ohio, around 1966. Jim and Jesse were performing at Bean Blossom in 1968. The picture with Baker off to the left and Bill, Vic & Roland singing in one mic was at Chatauqua Park, Franklin, Ohio, in 1967, and NOT at Bean Blossom in '68.
Baker and Mac were at BB '68. Some of these pictures have also appeared in Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine.

Frank Godbey

1st Annual Colorado Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival
August 24-26, 1973. Adams County Fairground
Bill Monroe • The Country Gazette • Hylo Brown • The Mclain Family • Lester Flatt • The Bluegrass Alliance • Ray & Ina Patterson • Hubert Davis • City Limits • Denver Gross • Haystack Mountain Boys • Possum Trotters • Wheeling String Band • Goldrush • Liberty

The Walnut Valley Festival
30 Years As Pickers Paradise
1972 - 2001

The Walnut Valley Association was formed in 1972,with its sole purpose to produce the Walnut Valley National Guitar Flat-Picking Championships Festival, also known as the Flat-Picking Championships, currently known as the "Walnut Valley Festival" or simply "Winfield" to the long time attendees.

Evolving from 2 days in 1972 to its current 4-days the 3rd weekend of September annually, it endeavors to produce "family fare" entertainment on 4 stages simultaneously, a large quality, juried arts and crafts fair, workshops, and acoustic instrument contests. What began with 10 acts and 2 contests now boasts over 40 acts and 8 contests, including one international contest, 5 national contests and 2 Walnut Valley contests.

The contests are a major part of the festival. Along with the National Flat Pick Championships and the National Finger Pick Championships, the Walnut Valley Festival hosts the International Autoharp, National Mountain Dulcimer, National Hammered Dulcimer, National Bluegrass Banjo, Walnut Valley Old Time Fiddle, and Walnut Valley Mandolin Championships.

Hier gab es wohl eine Beispiel mit Venezolanischer Musik - Der direkte Link funktioniert nicht mehr, offensichtlich ist das gelöscht. Es gibt aber Konzertmitschnitte zum Streamen