Shelton State Community College Brings Fiddle Fest and Southeastern Fiddle Championship Back to Tuscaloosa
February 25, 2020 – In the tradition of the McFarland Mall Bluegrass and Fiddle Championship and the Black Warrior Fiddle Fest, Fiddle Fest and the Southeastern Fiddle Championship will return to Tuscaloosa on June 12 and 13. This year’s event will be held on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The two-day festival will be a family friendly atmosphere celebrating the rich sounds of bluegrass and fiddle music and its talented musicians. Admission to the festival and entry to the competition categories are free.
This project has been made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Along with grant funding, the Community Foundation of West Alabama, Shelton State Community College, and the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission are working together to host this annual event. An ongoing effort to maintain the traditions of bluegrass and “old-time fiddle music,” sponsors hope to attract artists and audiences alike.
“It has been our desire from the start to pass the love for this music on to the next generation,” states Glenn Taylor, President/CEO of the Community Foundation of West Alabama. “If you attend the festival, you will see talent on display in young contestants and that the future of this art form is in good hands.”
The weekend festival will include the 6th Annual Southeast Fiddle Championship. Over $10,000 in prize money will be awarded in a variety of categories with $1,000 being awarded to the first place bluegrass band as well as the grand champion fiddle player. Arts, crafts, food vendors, and family activities will be ongoing throughout both days.
“This event is a fantastic way to showcase Tuscaloosa’s vibrant and diverse music culture, as well as highlight its talented musicians,” said Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports CEO Don Staley. “We fully expect local residents, out of town visitors, and fans from around the region to enjoy incredible live music in a festival atmosphere.”
In addition to the competition, this year’s festival will feature a Friday night performance by Henri’s Notions, a Celtic band based out of Tuscaloosa whose appearances include those with Bob Dylan, Richie Havens, and The Kingston Trio. Saturday will feature Iron Horse Bluegrass from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and an evening performance from two-time Grammy nominated and International Bluegrass Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year, The Grascals.
Shelton State’s President, Dr. Bill Ashley, is pleased to bring this event to the Shelton State Martin Campus. “We couldn’t be more excited to host this event, and we look forward to being home to the festival for many years to come.”
Additional funding has been secured from other sponsors in the West Alabama community. These sponsors include the 92.1 The Possum, American Fiberglass Products, Cartography Consulting, Jud & Lisa Cameron Music, McAbee Construction, Mozaic Software, Inc., SmartBank, TuscaBlue, WVUA, as well as memorial gifts in honor of Dick Miles and David Reynolds.
For more information on the festival and a complete list of competition categories, follow @alabamafiddle on Facebook.
