Enjoy world-class traditional music in historic venues at Fort Worden.

Centrum presents the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, a celebration of fiddle traditions and their global influence from June 28-July 5 at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend, WA. More than 30 faculty members from four different countries will share the instrument’s rich history and diverse styles of fiddle music.

“This annual gathering is family reunion of sorts, connecting friends new and old,” said Suzy Thompson, Artistic Director. Each year, Fiddle Tunes welcomes hundreds of musicians of traditional American music to Fort Worden State Park for a full week of immersion workshops, band labs, tutorials, open jams, parties, and spontaneous gatherings. These workshops culminate with three mainstage performances, July 3-4. Audience members can gather at McCurdy Pavilion, to listen to and watch the masters as they share the stage and display their heritage.

This year’s faculty includes a grandmother and grandson (Vesta Johnson and Steve Hall), a sister and brother (Rose Conway and Brian Flanagan), and a husband and wife (Kinnon and Betty Lou Beaton). Christine Balfa follows in the footsteps of her renowned father, the visionary Cajun fiddler Dewey Balfa, whose presence at the very first Fiddle Tunes helped set the course for what has become a life-changing experience for thousands of people through the decades.

“The joy and generosity with which our faculty shares their music with us and with each other continues to amaze me,” Thompson said.

Mainstage Performances

Purchase tickets online at Centrum.org or call (800) 746-1982.

Friday, July 3, 1:30 PM

Fiddles on Fire

McCurdy Pavilion, Fort Worden State Park

Tickets $28, $23 and $15

New England: Rodney Miller and Sandy Bradley

Kentucky: Bruce Greene and John Haywood

Denmark: Kristian Bugge, Morten Alfred Høirup, and Sonnich Lydom

New Orleans: Shaye Cohn and John James

Quebec: Lisa Ornstein, Andre Marchand, and Normand Miron

Friday, July 3, 7:30 PM

North and South

McCurdy Pavilion, Fort Worden State Park

Tickets $28, $23 and $15

Irish: Brian Conway, Rose Conway Flanagan, and Mark Simos

Georgia: Frank Maloy and Mick Kinney

California: Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin

Washington: Ruthie Dornfeld

Scotland: Calum MacKinnon and Lisa Scott

Louisiana Cajuns: Anya Burgess, Kristi Guillory, and Christine Balfa and friends

Saturday, July 4, 1:30 PM

Fiddles on the Fourth

McCurdy Pavilion, Fort Worden State Park

Tickets $28, $23 and $15

Cape Breton, Nova Scotia: Kinnon and Betty Lou Beaton

California: Suzy Thompson and friends

Bluegrass: Billy Baker, Jack Hinshelwood and friends

Missouri: Vesta Johnson and Steve Hall