CENTRUM’S ANNUAL CELEBRATION of American folk music celebrates the country’s birthday with a daylong series of concerts as musicians from around the world gather for the 37th annual Festival of American Fiddle Tunes at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend today and Saturday.
A free fiddle showcase will be at noon, when Festival Director Suzy Thompson plays alongside husband and musical partner, Eric, and daughter, Allegra, in the Nora Porter Commons.
Main stage performances follow at the fort’s McCurdy Pavilion, a World War I-era balloon hangar at 200 Battery Way. Tickets are $23 to $28.
The Fiddles on the Fourth performance at 1:30 p.m. features a special tribute to late fiddle great Bob McQuillen played by the Rhythm Rollers, along with featured fiddlers Dwayne Cote, Barbara MacDonald Magone Sauber, Brad Leftwich and Alice Gerrard and many more.
Missouri fiddlers Charlie Walden and Patt Plunkett kick off the Fiddles and Fireworks concert at 7 p.m.
Among other artists joining them on the bill will be the Foghorn Stringband and a bluegrass performance by Blaine Sprouse, Peter Rowan and Patrick Sauber.
Worldwide fiddle sounds take the stage Saturday for the Fiddles Without Borders concert at 1:30 p.m.
Claude Méthé and Pascal Gemme with Mario Loiselle will play Quebec styles, while Arto Järvelä and Manmay Lakay bring sounds from Finalnd and St. Lucia, respectively.
The concert caps with a Cajun dance concert by Sheryl and Russell Cormier, Courtney Granger, Jesse Lege, Joel Savoy and friends.
The weekend concerts cap off the week-long Fiddle Tunes conference, which had more than 300 participants, according to Centrum Executive Director Robert Birman.
Fiddle Tunes tickets and packages are available, while much more information awaits at www.Centrum.org or by phoning 800-746-1982.
