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.