Berea College will host the seventieth annual Christmas Country Dance School from Dec. 26-Jan. 1. Proceedings include evening dances, and daily classes on a variety of English, American, Irish, and Scandinavian dance, music, song, and craft traditions. Registration is due by Nov. 1. Visit www.berea.edu/ccds for schedule and fees.
Next year’s Gainsborough Old-Time Festival, presented by FOAOTMAD (Friends of American Old-Time Music and Dance) in Gainsborough, England, will take place February 13-15, 2009, and will feature the New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters. For details visit www.foaotmad.org.uk.
Louisiana Folk Roots is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2009 with a special edition of the Dewey Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Week, set for April 17-24 at Chicot State Park in Evangeline Parish. Info and registration forms: www.lafolkroots.org, 337-234-8360.
The California Gold Rush Country Old-Time Jam has outgrown its old location at the Dutch Flat Hotel and has moved to the Monte Vista Inn. This is an intermediate old-time teaching jam that includes tunes and songs of Uncle Dave Macon, Charlie Poole, and the Fuzzy Mt. String Band. The Inn is located at exit 145 off of Hwy. 80, about one hour east of Sacramento. Monte Vista Inn – 530-389-2333; 32106 Ridge Rd., Dutch Flat, CA; www.auburnbuzz.com/content/view/184/96/.
Every Wed. night from 9 PM to 1 AM there’s a folk, old-time, and blues jam, “Roots N Ruckus,” at the Jalopy Theater, 315 Columbia St., Brooklyn, NY, hosted by Feral Foster and featuring a stellar group of musicians. Info: 718-395-3214, www.jalopy.biz.
There’s an old-time jam in Madison, WI, at the Alchemy Cafe, 1980 Atwood Ave., every second Sun., commencing at 5 PM. The Alchemy Café is a new establishment, in what used to be called Wonders Pub. 1980 Atwood Ave., Madison, WI.
There is a well-established old-time jam that takes place at the Quarter Moon Saloon (smoke-free), 200 N. Main St, Elizabeth, IL. It occurs on the second and last Sun. each month, from 3 to 7 PM. Info: 815- 858-3878.
There’s a bluegrass and old-time jam at the Phipps Country Store every Fri. from 7:00-10:00 PM. The address of the store is 2425 Silas Creek Rd., Lansing, NC. All ages and skill levels and dancers are welcome. Info: James or Rita Wood, 336-384-2382.
Every Thursday from noon until 4:00 PM there is an old-time picking party at the Ciderville Music Shop, 2836 Clinton Hwy., Powell, TN. Info: 865-945-3595.
The Fourth Tuesday Mermaid Jam is going strong in Philadelphia, PA. The old-time music and clogging sessions run from 8:00-11:00 PM and a slow jam starts at 7:30 PM. Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown, Ave., Chestnut Hill area. Info: Carl 215-699-7835.
On third Wednesdays there is a houseboat jam on the E-Z Street starting at 7:30 PM. 2143 North Northlake Way, Seattle (Fremont), WA 98103. Info: Rick 206-910-8259. www.geocities.com/whamdiddle.
Every Wed. there’s “Pickin’ Indoors,” from 7:00-10:00 PM at the Hermanson Center lobby & lounges, Davis & Elkins College, Elkins, WV. Info: 304-637-1209, www.footmad.org.
The International Buffet and Live Local Music is on Thurs. from 6:00-9:00 PM at the Elk River Touring Center, Rt. 219, Slatyfork, WV. Info: 304-572-3771, www.ertc.com.
Each Fri. and Sat., Mountain Music Weekends at the Purple Fiddle include old-time and bluegrass music. DePollo General Store, 21 East Ave., Thomas, WV. Info: 304-463-4040, www.purplefiddle.com.
On the first Sat. of the month, the North Fork Opry is from 7:00-10:00 PM at the Clinton Hedrick Community Bldg., Riverton, WV. Info: 304-227-4535, www.visitpendleton.com.
On the first Sat. of each month, the Helvetia Square Dance is held “rain, snow, or shine” from 8:00 PM-12:00 midnight, Red Hall or Community Hall, Helvetia, WV. Info: 304-924-6438, www.helvetiawv.com.
On second Thursdays the Appalachian Fiddlers Association meets at the Hansford Senior Center, 500 Washington St., St. Albans, WV. Info: Bill Bunting 304-744-0095, www.footmad.org.
On the second Sat. of each month, there’s Jamming on the North Fork, 7:00 PM at the Riverton Community Building, Riverton, WV. Info: 304-567-2741.
On fourth Saturdays there’s the North Fork Square Dance, at the Riverton Community Bldg., Riverton, WV. Info: 304-567-2827.
Each second Tues., there’s an old-time jam session, Pickin’ for Fun, at the Pendleton Nursing Home, Franklin, WV. Info: 304-249-5506.
The Mountain Music Jam, for many years at Mrs. Hyatt’s house on Brevard Rd. outside Asheville, NC, has been moved to the Western North Carolina Farmers’ Market, held on Sat. from 2:00-5:00 PM.
Info: John Roten 828-456-8661.
The Lanesboro Barn Dance at the Sons of Norway Hall in Lanesboro, MN, is in its 13th season in 2007. Dances are scheduled for Sept. 8 with guests to be announced. Info: Bob Bovee & Gail Heil 507-498-5452, www.boveeheil.com.
The Old Liberty Theater Bluegrass & Old-time Music Class teaches guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, acoustic bass, dobro, and autoharp in a cooperative beginner group atmosphere on Tuedays, 7:00-9:30 PM. Hour lesson starts at 7:00, jamming until 9:30. Acoustic instruments only, drop-ins and jammers welcome. Info: 360-887-7260; 115 N Main, Ridgefield, WA (20 minutes north of Portland, OR on I-5, exit 14).
There’s an old-time music jam every Wed. at 7:00 PM on the lawn of the 1908 Grayson County Courthouse, Independence, VA. Musicians move inside in case of bad weather. Bring your own chair or use one provided by the courthouse. Info: 276-773-2000, www.graysoncountyva.com.
An old-time jam meets every Tues. in Bloomington, IL, at the McLean County Museum of History. The session starts around 5:30. E-mail for info.
There’s a new old-time jam at the Oro Valley Public Library, Oro Valley, AZ, the last Fri. of the month at 7:00-9:30 PM. Bring your acoustic instrument: banjo, guitar, fiddle, dulcimer, autoharp, psaltry, bones, or spoons. All levels welcome as long as you love the music and want to play with others. Oro Valley Public Library, 1305 W. Naranja Dr, Oro Valley. Info: Banjo Brad at www.PricklyPearMusic.net
The Austin Friends of Traditional Music holds a regular jam session on second Sunday afternoons, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at Threadgills South, Austin, Texas. All levels, all styles, all acoustic instruments, and all voices welcome! Contact Jerry Hagins at 512-873-7543, or 512-789-4572 to inquire before coming.
There are three open old-time jams and a square dance in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, area. There’s a new jam at the Open Eye Café, 101 S. Greensboro St., Carrboro, every first Thurs. from 7:00-11:00 PM in the back room to the right of the front entrance. E-Mail for more info. In Chapel Hill, there’s a jam on first and third Wed. at the Skylight Exchange, 405 Rosemary St., from 7:30-9:30 (inside), and much later (outside in good weather). Info: www.trianglerestaurants.com/skylightexchange. There’s a session every Tues. at the Broad Street Café,, 1116 Broad St., Durham, from 7:00-10:00 PM. Info: www.broadstreetcafe.org. Donald Zepp, of Zepp Country Music, hosts an old-time jam at his shop at 4 E. Third St., Wendell, every second Tuesday from 7:00-10:00 PM. Info: 919-365-5189; http://zeppmusic.com. An old-time square dance takes place every second Sat. at the Pleasant Green Community Center, Durham. Lessons at 7:30; dance at 8:00. Admission is $7, $5 for students. Past bands have included: Joe Thompson and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Big Medicine, the Ubiquitones, the Blueridge Road Gang, and the Forge Mountain Diggers. For info go to www.ncsquares.com. |
