EDITORIAL: The countdown to the Shelburne Fiddle Contest is on!

July 25, 2013 · 0 Comments

Music lovers and square dancers are chomping at the bit as they await the 63rd Annual Canadian Open Old Time Fiddle Championships, otherwise known as the Shelburne Fiddle Contest – set to take place in Shelburne Aug. 7 – 11, 2013.

This year you can expect the same heart pounding and jaw dropping performances that you’ve come to expect from an event of this magnitude, which draws audiences and participants from all over North America, without ever leaving your lawnchair.

Over the coming weeks, look to the Shelburne Free Press for in-depth coverage of the event that has put Shelburne, or ‘Fiddleville’ on the map.

In this edition, turn to PAGE 11 for a look back at the history of the Shelburne Fiddle Contest, which started in 1951.

In the weeks to come, we are working on a cross-section of articles to give our readers, and the tourists that will no doubt soon flooding the area, a deeper understanding of hat it takes to pull off this world class event. Our reporters, in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Shelburne, The Town of Shelburne, the Dufferin County Museum & Archives and event organizers, have already begun to gather information that we hope you, our dedicated readers, will find enlightening and deepen your appreciation for this event in all aspects.

We are covering: the judges – who are they, and what are they looking for?, the winners – who has won multiple times and what gives them an advantage?, the organizers – what does it take to pull this event off, the sponsors – how do they keep this event going and what do they do with the proceeds?, the Town – what is its involvement and how does the Shelburne Fiddle Contest coincide with the Master Plan?, the history – how did the event begin, and what makes it popular until present day?…and much, much more.

In our next edition, due to hit shelves August 1st, you will find many of these articles, plus the local news coverage you’ve come to expect from the Free Press.

In the August 8th edition, our keepsake ‘All things Fiddle’ edition, look for additional in-depth articles covering everything from the fiddle itself – how is it made, played and stored – to how Shelburne maintains it’s Fiddleville image throughout the year. The centre pull out section of the paper will also contain a colour coded map and full events listing. Extra copies of this edition have been ordered to ensure everyone gets their very own copy. Find your paper in our newsstands, at the entrance to Fiddle Park and at the arena. This commemorative edition of the Free Press will also be a great place for autographs from your favorite fiddlers.

Happy fiddling Shelburne!

By Wendy Soloduik