Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention expands to two days this year, and there is a new Website to provide information. Go online to www.ashefiddlers.com to learn more, including details for the upcoming event.

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of The Jeffersons, the fiddler’s convention is celebrating its 39th year, with exciting new changes to complement the history of this event. The convention is planned for Friday, July 31, gates opening at 3 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 1, gates opening at noon, at Ashe County Park in Jefferson.

Convention organizers have sought musician input as they updated the convention with its first ever 2-day event, the addition of camping, revised rules and some new judges. There are also added cash prizes in the Youth Division, and over $3,400 in prize money for convention competitors.

The focus this year is to become musician-centered as the convention honors the old time and bluegrass music of the mountains and the musicians who make it. Ashe County has a rich history in the roots of what eventually evolved into the current country music industry, and continues to raise up some of the best musicians in the nation.

When the convention started back in 1971, it was a first for the Rotary Club of The Jeffersons as we moved from holding a horse show to raise scholarships for Ashe County students to hosting a Fiddlers’ Convention. First chaired by the late Earl ‘Doc’ Hightower, the committee responsible for coordinating the Fiddlers’ Convention continues to this day to begin working months ahead of time to open the gates on the first weekend in August.

From an original stage that was formed from the roof of an old porch that was jacked up with poles for support, Doc served as the first Emcee, welcoming eight bands to the competition while professional musician George Pegram was hired to entertain the crowds during slack times. That first convention awarded $1,000 in prize money, leading to a rich history that to this date has led to over $550,000 being awarded in scholarships over the years.

Held in Ashe County Park, which was originally purchased by eight Rotarians with a vision far beyond anyone’s expectations, the current stage was also built by those same Rotarians in a natural amphitheatre surrounded by these lovely old mountains.

Schedule for events is as follows:

Friday, July 31

3 p.m. - Gates open

5 p.m. – Folk Songs and Adult Invitational

7 p.m. – Introduction of 2009 scholarship winners followed by band competition in bluegrass and old time, and dance

Saturday, Aug. 1

Noon - Gates open

1 p.m. - Youth/Junior competition followed by Individual competition

7 p.m. – Introduction of 2009 Scholarship winners followed by band competition in bluegrass and old time, and dance.

Tickets are (advance) $8 each day or $13 for weekend or (at the gate) $10 each day or $15 for the weekend, and free for children 12 and under accompanied by paying adult.

Mountain crafts and instrument related vendors are invited with space available for $50 (no electricity).

Musicians are refunded their entry fee after performing in competition on Saturday.

Camping sites available with or without electricity on a first come, first served basis for a fee. Pets only allowed in camp area on a leash. No glass containers or open fires.

Look for more information in a special section inside the Tuesday, July 28 issue of the Jefferson Post. For more information, contact Vicky Moody at 977-1427.