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