West Virginia State Folk Festival

Contests are held in the GSC Fine Arts Auditorium and begin at 2:00 on Friday and Saturday afternoons.  The Friday contests are for contestants age 50 and over, while the Saturday contests are for contestants under the age of 50.  There is no charge for admission, but donations are gladly accepted.  Each afternoon, the fiddle contest is held first and the banjo contest follows.  Prizes in both categories are awarded at the conclusion of the banjo contest.

Contestant registration begins at 1:30 on the ground floor of the Fine Arts Building near the backstage entrance to the auditorium.  There is no entry fee, and contestants will draw numbers to determine the order of play.

Contest rules are as follows:

• The contests are old-time fiddle and banjo contests.  Therefore the fiddle style should be an old-time style as opposed to the style prevalent in more progressive "contest-style" fiddling.  The banjo style doesn't necessarily have to be clawhammer, but should not be bluegrass or other non-old-time style.

• Each contestant will register before the contest and be present when called to perform.

• Contestants will play two tunes of their choice.

• Tunes should be from the genre of old-time music.  Orange Blossom Special and Foggy Mountain Breakdown are not good choices.

• Contestants may have a maximum of two accompanists, and accompanists may not play the same instrument as that which is being judged.

• Medley style tunes are not allowed.

• Electric/amplified instruments are not allowed.

• Accidents beyond the control of the contestant may result in a replay (broken string, slipped tuning peg, etc.).

• Contestants will be judged in the categories of intonation, timing and technique; appropriateness of selection; and expression/taste, feeling, and soul.

• Each judge will score contestants independently and the scores will be added.  Judges' decisions are final.