SAFFORD – The Graham County Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the music, talent, and skill we’ve all grown to know and love: The annual Fiddle Festival!
A tradition spanning over 41 years, this year’s festival will include a dinner and a show on Friday night, dutch oven tasting and a country music dance on Saturday, as well as another day of continuous music on Sunday. Located at the Mount Graham Golf Club on 4250 West Golf Course Road in Thatcher, the festival will span from Friday February 11, to Sunday, February 13.
Kevin Derusha has been involved with the festival for the past 7 years. Derusha is excited about this year’s festival because there will be full bands to participate in performances, giving the players the opportunity to perform with accompaniment.
There will be multiple band performances, DeRusha said.
“Some of the finest fiddlers in the United States will be there,” he said. “The public is welcome to come and listen. It’s very personable, and comfortable. Anybody, if they have any interest, can come and listen, and learn.”
The festival will also include an Old Time Fiddlers Dinner and Show, a country music dance, dutch oven competition and Sunday Bluegrass Gospel. For Friday’s dinner and show, it costs $100 to purchase two tickets. Tickets for Friday’s dinner may be pre-purchased at the Graham County Chamber of Commerce. Saturday entry is $5, with dutch oven tasting tickets also being $5. The fiddlers competition has multiple age divisions, from half-pint, ages 0-8, to Young at Heart, 75 and up. There’s also the Show Your Stuff competition, which gives each competitor six minutes to show their skill. The first place cash prize for the Show Your Stuff competition is $500.
For more information on the competition, visit Facebook.com/grahamchamber or call 602-833-0258.
