dancers

Contests

Contestant Perks! We value our musicians and, as much as we can being a non-profit, group of volunteers, will do everything to honor those who are carrying on our musical heritage. In addition to the prize money, competitors will 1) have admission fee reimbursed, 2) be given Saturday night camping free, 3) receive a participation ribbon and 4) receive a free festival t-shirt or hat.

Remember that we are non-profit and any donation back to the festival would be greatly appreciated. Our mission is "to preserve and promote the cultural heritage and resources of Happy/Yadkin Valley through an annual music festival that highlights traditional old-time and bluegrass music and rural traditions, doing so in a way that provides wholesome family activities and protects our farmland and community values while promoting trust between the community and the event."

Day-time Preliminary Contests

The individual preliminary competition is scheduled from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM. Preliminary competition for old time bands and bluegrass bands begin at 3:00 until 6:00 PM. The specific times and registration cut-offs are as follows: 

					Registration 
Categories 	Competition Time 	Deadlines
----------------------------------------------------
Autoharp 	10:00 to 10:30 		 9:45 
Mandolin 	10.30 to 11:00 		10:15
Old time banjo 	11:00 to noon 		10:45
Old time fiddle 12:30 to  1:30 		12:15
Bluegrass banjo  1:30 to  1:50	 	 1:15
Bluegrass fiddle 1:50 to  2:15 	   	 1:35
Guitar 		 2:45 to  3:15 		 2:30
Twin fiddles 	 3:15 to  3:30 		 3:00
Old time bands 	 3:30 to  4:30 		 3:15
Bluegrass bands  4:30 to  5:30 		 4:15
Flatfoot dance 	 5:30 to  6:00 		 5:15

The daytime preliminary competitions will determine the top three individual and band finalists to play-off in the evening for first, second and third place.

Evening Finals:

Category  	 Time  		Notes
-------------------------------------------------
Autoharp 	 7:00 to 7:10 	one song
Mandolin 	 7:10 to 7:20 	one song
Old time banjo 	 7:20 to 7:30 	one song
Flatfoot dance 	 7:30 to 7:45 	Top five dancers 
 
Break 		 7:45 to 8:00 	 

Old time fiddle  8:00 to 8:10 	one song
Guitar 		 8:10 to 8:20 	one song
Bluegrass fiddle 8:20 to 8:30 	Top 3 one song

Break 		 8:30 to 8:40 	 

Bluegrass banjo	 8:40 to 8:50 	one song
Twin fiddle 	 8:50 to 9:00 	one song

Break 		 9:00 to 9:30 	 

Old time band 	 9:30 to 10:00 	Top 3 two songs
Bluegrass band 	10:00 to 10:30 	Top 3 two songs
Band encore 	10:30 to 11:00

Note: All times are approximate. The festival management reserves the right to adjust the times based on the number of contestants, weather, etc.

Prizes

Category			1st	2nd	3rd 
-----------------------------------------------------
Old-time Band              	$400    $250    $125
Bluegrass Band             	$400    $250    $125
Fiddle (old-time)           	$100    $50      $25
Fiddle (bluegrass)         	$100    $50      $25
Banjo (old-time)           	$100    $50      $25
Banjo (bluegrass)          	$100    $50      $25
Mandolin                      	$100    $50      $25
Guitar                          $100    $50      $25
Autoharp                      	$100    $50      $25
Mountain Dance           	$100    $50      $25