Fiddlers Convention sees date change
By Mary Anderson
Staff Writer, The Courier-Tribune
STAR - The Star Fiddlers Convention will be on April 9 this year.
The Star Halcyon Woman's Club has taken a bold step in breaking a 77-year-old
tradition of having the granddaddy of fiddlers conventions on the last Saturday
night in February.
Janet Deaton, chairman of the Fiddlers Convention committee, said they
made the decision after all these years, because for all these years, the
weather has always been a factor.
That was the main reason for the change, Deaton said.
"Every year, we are on pins and needles, waiting to see what the
weather will be. Also, so many of the faithful fans are getting up in years
and don't like going out in cold weather."
The convention has never been canceled, but attendance has suffered when
a winter storm hit the area.
Deaton said the committee, after talking with fans and bands, chose the
second Saturday night in April as the new date. It will be the "finale"
of local fiddlers conventions, a move the Woman's Club hopes will be saving
the best for last.
"That is toward the end of the fiddlers convention season. We hope
it will be a more convenient time for the fans and the bands who always
want to play in Star," Deaton said.
Everything else about the convention stays the same. The location will
be East Montgomery High School on U.S. 220 Business just south of Biscoe.
Registration for the bands starts at 3 p.m. and the music is on at 5 p.m.
until all the bands, singers and dancers have competed.
Home-cooked food and drinks will be available in the school cafeteria.
Deaton said they expect to carry on the same hand-clapping, toe-tapping
good time - just play it forward a few weeks.
Copyright 2002, Stephens Media Group
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