Save the Date – the 2025 Old Time Fiddlers & Bluegrass Weekend will be held June 5-7, 2025! Information will be updated in 2025 for this event!
New for 2024 – Band Contest! Details below!
2024 Fiddle Workshop & Contest Brochure
2024 Fiddle Weekend Registration Form
Workshops – June 6 & 7, 2024
International Music Camp presents the twenty-eighth annual FIDDLE, GUITAR, BASS, and 5-STRING BANJO WORKSHOPS June 6 and 7, 2024. The Fiddle Workshop will offer instruction in Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, Métis, Canadian Old-Time, and Bluegrass Fiddle styles. The Introduction to Bluegrass Banjo Workshop will focus on finger-picking styles and the Guitar Jam class will jam. The Bass Workshop will focus on finger picking accompaniment skills. Participants will learn new techniques to accompany old-time fiddling. The workshops will begin each day at 9:00 am Central Time and will conclude at 4:00 pm. Break-out sessions will be offered again with topics such as mandolin, bluegrass, and more!
Who May Enroll: Beginning through advanced players, all ages.
2024 Fees: Full Workshop Package: $215 USD Includes tuition, meals, and lodging for Thursday and Friday ($200 USD early bird registration if registered by June 1, 2024). Cancellations by June 1, 2024 will be refunded all but $25. No refunds after June 1. Workshop participants staying on to compete in the Fiddle Contest will be exempt from paying the Fiddle Contest entry fee.
Family Rate: $150 per family member for three or more participants from the same home.
Location: International Music Camp at the International Peace Garden. All events at the International Music Camp are subject to the International Peace Garden Gate Fee. 2024 Admission is either $10 per day per person or $50 for a family annual season pass. If you do not have a passport, a birth certificate (everyone) and photo ID (16 and older) is required to cross the border. Check the IPG website for the more details – www.peacegarden.com.
How to Register: Call the IMC Office at 701-838-8472 or mail us the registration form found on the Old Time Fiddle Brochure (Brochure Coming Soon!).
Festival of the Arts Concert – June 7, 2024
The 2024 Friday Night Spectacular will feature The Stanley County Cut-Ups!
The Festival of the Arts Concert will take place at the International Music Camp in the International Peace Garden. Tickets are required if not registered as a Fiddle Workshop participant. Tickets for the concert are $10 USD. Gate admission to the International Peace Garden is also required. If you do not have a passport, a birth certificate (everyone) and photo ID (16 and older) is required to cross the border. Check the IPG website for more details – www.peacegarden.com.
Contest – June 8, 2024
Now in its 47th year, the INTERNATIONAL OLD-TIME FIDDLERS CONTEST draws fiddlers from both sides of the border to compete in categories ranging from Small Fry to Seniors. Some of the best fiddlers around the region will compete for cash prizes and trophies, plus the title of overall champion. Whether you come as a fiddler on stage or listener in the audience, you are sure to enjoy this day of great old-time music. Cash prizes totaling $2,000 and trophies will be awarded.
Who May Compete: The International Old Time Fiddlers Contest is open to contestants from all states and provinces. All contestants must enter in their age-specific groups. See Contest Rules for more information.
Fees: $25 USD entry fee for International Old Time Fiddle Contest participants. Small Fry and Junior-Junior contestants, and those registered for the Fiddle and Guitar Workshops on Thursday and Friday are exempt from the $25 fee. Entry fee can be sent in advance or paid upon arrival for the Contest. Contest admission for audience members is $12 USD for the entire day.
Registration: Registration and Check-In for the 2024 Contest Participants is open on Friday evening (5:30 to 7pm) and on Saturday morning (7:30 to 8:30 am). The General Meeting begins promptly at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, with the First Round starting immediately after.
Location: International Music Camp at the International Peace Garden. All events at the International Music Camp are subject to the International Peace Garden Gate Fee. 2024 Admission is either $10 per day per person or $50 for a family annual season pass. If you do not have a passport, a birth certificate (everyone) and photo ID (16 and older) is required to cross the border. Check the IPG website for more details – www.peacegarden.com.
Old Time Fiddle Weekend Schedule
Workshop Schedule
WEDNESDAY | June 5, 2024 |
7 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Registration/Check-In |
THURSDAY | June 6, 2024 |
7:30 a.m. | Registration/Check-In/Breakfast |
8:30 a.m. | Orientation |
9:00 a.m. | Workshops Begin |
10:30 a.m. | Break |
10:45 a.m. | Break-out Sessions |
12:00 p.m. | Lunch – Peterson Dining Hall |
1:00 p.m. | Workshops |
2:30 p.m. | Break |
2:45 p.m. | Workshops |
4:00 p.m. | Free Time/Practice |
5:30 p.m. | Dinner |
6:30 p.m. | Other Events |
FRIDAY | June 7, 2024 |
8:00 a.m | Breakfast |
9:00 a.m | Workshops |
10:30 a.m | Break |
10:45 a.m | Break-out Sessions |
12:00 p.m | Lunch |
1:00 p.m. | Workshops |
3:00 p.m | Workshops Conclude |
5:30 p.m | Dinner |
5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Registration/Check-In |
7:00 p.m. | Friday Night Spectacular – Stanley County Cut-Ups ($10 USD admission for those attending the concert only) |
All times are Central Time. Times listed are approximate and will be finalized upon arrival.
Contest Schedule
FRIDAY | June 7, 2024 |
5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Registration/Check-In |
SATURDAY | June 8, 2024 |
7:30 a.m. | Registration/Breakfast |
8:45 a.m. | General Meeting with judges and drawing for First Round Competitions |
9:00 a.m. | First Round Competitions for Senior, Adult, and Small Fry Divisions |
10:15 a.m. | First Round Competitions for Junior, and Junior-Junior Divisions |
11:30 a.m. | Announcement of top 5 scores for Championship Draw, and Drawings for all Second Round Competitions |
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
Lunch |
1:00 p.m. | Second Round Competitions for Senior, Adult, Junior, and Junior-Junior Divisions |
2:45 p.m. | Second Round Competition for Championship Division
Announcement of top 4 in Junior, Senior, and Adult divisions for final draws. Present awards to winners of Junior-Junior and Small Fry divisions |
3:30 p.m | Drawings for Finals Round |
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. | Dinner |
6:00 p.m. | Band Contest and FINALS for the Junior, Senior, Adult, and Championship Competitions (Top four in Junior, Senior, and Adult Competitions; top five in Championship Competition). |
ADMISSION FOR NON-PARTICIPANTS: $12 USD
AWARDS CEREMONY – Winners of all competitions will be announced. Selected Small Fry and Junior-Junior Competition participants will perform.
All times are Central Time. Times listed are approximate and will be finalized upon arrival.
Contest Categories
The International Old-Time Fiddlers Contest is open to contestants from all states and provinces. All contestants must enter in their age-specific groups. The division categories are as follows:
Small Fry Division – Contestants age 8 & under
Junior-Junior Division – Contestants age 9-12
Junior Division – Contestants age 13-18
Adult Division – Contestants age 19-64
Senior Division – Contestants age 65 or over
Band Division – Contestants of any age
At the end of the first go-around, the top five scorers in the Junior, Adult, and Senior Divisions will be moved from their registered division to the Championship Division.
Cash prizes totaling $2,000 and trophies will be awarded.
Contest Rules
- Each contestant must play a hoedown, a waltz, and a selection of his or her choice (not a hoedown or waltz), in that order. Small Fry contestants are only required to play a hoedown and a waltz. Novelty tunes such as “Orange Blossom Special,” “Listen to the Mockingbird,” and “Rocky Mountain Rag” will not be permitted. All tunes must be of danceable quality. You must use different tunes for each go-around.
- Contestants in all divisions except Small Fry will play at least two go-arounds each. Contestants will draw for their position in each go-around of the contest. Contestants advancing to the Finals will play one additional go-around (three go-arounds total).
- Small Fry Division contestants will be required to play one go-around only. They will not advance to the Finals round. Contestants will, however, have an opportunity to perform while finals are being tabulated on Saturday night. Certificates and a small cash prize will be awarded to each contestant in this category.
- Junior-Junior Division contestants will be required to play two go-arounds only. They will not advance to the Finals round. Prizes and trophies will be awarded in the Junior-Junior Division based upon the cumulative points of the two go-arounds. Junior-Junior contestants will, have an opportunity to perform while finals are being tabulated on Saturday night.
- Band Division will be required to play one go-around only. The contestants can select two tunes of their own choosing. Bands can consist of any number of performers and instrumentation.
- A maximum of five minutes will be allocated to each contestant for his/her performance in each contest go-around.
- Scoring by the judges will include the following point system:
- Technical Ability: 0 to 100 points
- Tone Quality: 0 to 100 points
- Rhythm: 0 to 100 points
- Intonation: 0 to 100 points
- All points earned will be cumulative.
- All contestants will be allowed one or two accompanists. No accompanist will be allowed to use a bowed instrument. However, the acoustic string bass may be used if it is plucked. One standing microphone will be provided for each participant, but no contact microphones will be allowed.
- No sheet music shall be displayed in the contest area.
2024 Old Time Fiddle Workshop Scholarship Information
IMC is offering scholarships for anyone 18 and under who is participating in the fiddle workshop. Please click the link below for the scholarship application and information. The application is due on May 15, 2024.
2024 Fiddle Workshop Scholarship Form
International Peace Garden Information
All events at the International Music Camp are subject to the International Peace Garden Gate Fee. 2024 Admission is either $10 per day per person or $50 for a family annual season pass. If you do not have a passport, a birth certificate (everyone) and photo ID (16 and older) is required to cross the border. Check the IPG website for more details – www.peacegarden.com.