Annual Jamboree fiddles its way into Smithville
It’s that time of the year again. The temperature is high, tents have been up for days between city hall and N. Congress Blvd., and it’s getting close to July 4.
That all means that this weekend downtown Smithville will make its annual transformation from a small, rural community to a controlled beehive of activity as the 34th annual Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival kicks off Friday morning.
Hundreds of musicians from throughout the nation and crafters from 16 different states are expected. Coming with them will be thousands of visitors from near and far, all converging on downtown for a weekend bustling with activity.
Despite the high cost of gasoline, Smithville Jamboree coordinator Neil Dudney doesn’t expect a drop in attendance, based on vacation travel projections from AAA and the national Chamber of Commerce.
“I anticipate the crowd being a little larger than last year, if their predictions hold true,” he said. Dudney also predicted the number of contestants could be up as much as 5 to 10 percent over last year.
Usually featuring 31 categories of competition with over $12,000 in prize money, an additional category was added this year to the National Championship Country Musician Beginners competition.
For the more polished (and older) contestants, Saturday night’s Fiddle-Off determines the Berry C. Williams Memorial Trophy recipient. The defending champion is Ped Scruggs, 80, of Hartsville.
Activities begin Friday about 8:40 a.m. when Wilson County resident Rodney Haskin will play the national anthem on his fiddle that is over 250 years old. After comments from various elected officials and Chamber of Commerce representatives, the competition begins at 9 a.m. with Old-Time Appalachian Folk singing.
Other events on Friday include, in order: flat top guitar, junior clogging (ages 13-35), junior buckdancing (ages 13-35), dobro guitar, mountain dulcimer, hammer dulcimer, the novelty event (Appalachian related only), old-time fiddle band, autoharp, gospel singing (solo), country harmonica, old-time banjo, gospel singing (duet, trio and quartet), and mandolin.
The finals of those events will also be held before the first day comes to a close.
Saturday’s competition begins at 9 a.m. with the junior fiddlers (ages 13-39), the old-time appalachian flatfoot dance, senior buckdancing (ages 36 and over), senior clogging (ages 36 and over), bluegrass banjo, and bluegrass band.
Before the finals are held in those categories, the youngsters take the stage that afternoon to compete in seven categories.
Then it’s back to the adults as the senior fiddlers (ages 40 and over) take the stage, followed by the square dancing competition and all the adult finals from Saturday’s lineup.
Long after darkness falls, the tension rises and the crowd roars for the square dancing finals and the event that gives the Jamboree its name – the fiddle-off – between the junior and senior fiddler winners.