Monday, April 20, 2015

84th Annual Athens Old Fiddlers Reunion Set for May 30

The 84th annual Old Fiddlers Contest and Reunion is known nationwide, and as far as we know it, is the oldest such contest that has run continuously year after year.

The big attraction is the Fiddlers Contest, which is broken down into 5 divisions, senior ages 66 and over, adult ages 30-65, young adult ages 19-29, youth ages 18 and under and the Open Division which is for all ages. There will be a playoff between the 1st place winners of each of the five divisions. This will be the Grand Champion and this person will get a Grand Prize of $600, in addition to the $200 which he or she has already won by being the 1st place winner of his/her division.

At 6 p.m., there will be an Acoustic Guitar Picking Competition for all ages. The Fiddlers Contest will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning, May 30 and will run throughout the day. Beginning at 8 p.m., there will be a country western band with professional musicians playing until Midnight for the famous Street Dance.

On Friday night, before the Fiddlers Contest, a Jam Session will take place on the Courthouse lawn at 7 p.m. There will be concession stands along the sidewalks, and a carnival will be set up just off the Courthouse Square.

Schedule: Saturday, May 30
9 a.m. Invocation, Welcome Address, Western Swing Band
10 a.m. Seniors 66 and Over Contest
11 a.m. Adult Ages 30-65 Contest
12 noon Western Swing Band
1:30 p.m. Adult Ages 30-65 Contest Continued
2 p.m. Young Adult Ages 19-29 Contest
3 p.m. Youth Ages 18 & Under Contest
4 p.m. Open Division, All Ages Contest
5 p.m. Grand Champion Playoff
6 p.m. Acoustic Guitar Picking Contest
8 p.m.-12 Midnight Street Dance

For more information about this year's event, please click here.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Henderson County Go Texan Rodeo April 24 & 25

Hosted by the Athens Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Elder Chrysler-RAM-Jeep, the Henderson County Go Texan Rodeo promises to be one of the most exciting yet!

Contestants compete in events including team roping, barrel racing, calf roping, the popular 21 and older women's calf scramble and bull riding.

In addition to the rodeo, the Go Texan BBQ Cook-Off will take place on Saturday.

Following the rodeo on Friday night, there will be live entertainment provided by the Wesley Pruitt Band and on Saturday night entertainment will be provided by Randy Brown. Both concerts are free with purchase of a rodeo ticket.

Pre-sale tickets are $10 and are available at Elder Dodge, Cavendar's, Citizens National Bank, First State Bank or the Athens Chamber of Commerce. Tickets at the gate are $12.

Gates open each night at 5 p.m. and the rodeo begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Henderson County Regional Fair Park Complex.

For more information about the 30th annual rodeo, please click here.