Musicians coming to town for Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention

Moses Nelligan and Coleman Akin do a little pickin' on the lawn. Moses Nelligan and Coleman Akin do a little pickin' on the lawn.

By Barry Courter March 9, 2017 2 min read

Photo Gallery

No Fiddling Around: Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention part of a long history

Tyler Andal performs in front of a large crowd at 2014's Fiddlers' Convention.

Mick Kinney and sons perform during the 2013 convention.

Fans and performers pose for a group photo at the Great Southern Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention in 2014.

Brian and Austin Derryberry jam outside the Lindsay Street Performance Hall during a past convention.

If you go

› What: Great Southern Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention.› When: Noon Saturday, March 11.› Where: Lindsay Street Hall, 901 Lindsay St.› Admission: $10.› Website: www.oldchattanooga.com.

Matt Downer staged his first Great Southern Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention at Lindsay Street Hall in 2010 as a way to bring back a part of Chattanooga’s history. He also did it because he likes the music.

A picker himself, Downer was fascinated by “Chattanooga Fiddlers’s Convention History,” a collection of newspaper clippings from The Chattanooga Times and Chattanooga News put together by Ken Parr.

The 2010 event drew about 400 artists and fans with players competing in banjo, fiddle and string band events. This year’s convention, set for Saturday, March 11, will have all those instruments and also include a dance contest.

Downer says few people outside the fiddling world realize Chattanooga was home to a national fiddlers competition from 1925 to the ’40s when World War II brought it to an end.