The Annual Festival of Texas Fiddling is a celebration of the unique styles and traditions of fiddling found both historically and today from across the regions and diverse peoples of the state. Now in its sixth year, the Festival of Texas Fiddling is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the diversity and uniqueness of Texas fiddling and dancing in historic and unique Texas dance halls. We accomplish this mission at our growing annual Festival with a weekend of music and dance that is fun for all ages and welcoming to all. The Festival features all day and night dancing to bands playing a variety of styles of Texas fiddle music inside the hall as well as showcase concerts, instrument and dance workshops, jamming, and a symposium on Texas fiddling.
The fiddle has always taken a central role in the overall richness and diversity of Texas music and dance traditions. Only Texas boasts such a diverse and historic array of fiddle styles and tunes. The fiddle traditions of the state embrace a vast array of styles such as Western Swing, Texas Contest, Old Time, Country, Texas-Mexican (Tejano) fiddling, Creole, African-American, and the unique and engaging Texas-Polish fiddling, as well as fiddle traditions from Czechs and Germans. The state also features hybrid Texan styles of country, Cajun, Blues, Bluegrass, Jazz, and Mariachi fiddling, and increasingly popular but still very little studied styles like Mexican Son Huasteco, which today flourishes in Central Texas.
The core mission of the Festival of Texas Fiddling as both an event and a non-profit organization is to help the public understand the diversity and depth of the fiddle traditions of the state and to bring attention, resources, and support to the musicians who help keep their singular traditions sustainable for future generations. The festival offers on-site camping among beautiful acres of live oaks, all day and night jamming, excellent Texas BBQ, other diverse food options, many vendors, and ice cold beer.
Texas features a unique variety of historic dance halls in towns and regions across the state. The Festival of Texas Fiddling is held in the beautiful Hill Country town of Blanco, Texas at historic Twin Sisters Dance Hall, which has been in continuous operation since 1879. The festival features dancing to an array of live bands and dance workshops in the Hall as well as concerts and other sessions at the Texas Traditions Stage adjacent to the hall.
