Celebrating 65 years of Canada’s premier fiddle championship

July 30, 2015 · 0 Comments

The 65th Canadian Open Old Time Fiddle Championship will take place Aug. 5 to 9 in Shelburne.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Shelburne, the event features Canada’s top fiddlers in competition for thousands of dollars in prizes. Community events in conjunction with the Championship include camping, a giant fiddle parade, an open air market and non-denominational church service.
Back by popular demand after fantastic show in 2014, the Rotary Club is excited to present Linsey and Tyler Beckett Aug. 6 at 7:30 p.m. The Beckett Family is sure to get toes tappin’ with their arrangements of traditional country music and old-tyme fiddling. Their show captures the corners of traditional music from Western Swing to Bluegrass, includes exhilarating step dancing, down home humour, ole-tyme fiddling and special guests. The Beckett Family have three recordings available, Fiddlin’ 4 Generations, which included great grandpa Elmer Beckett; Changing Times; and their latest, The Roots of Our Raising.
Since graduating from business honours administration in 2009, Tyler has worked with several musical artists, including the award winning bluegrass group, The Chapman’s. He has also established himself as a valued multi-instrumentalist, playing with Jason McCoy on a recent Canadian Service Tour to Afghanistan, and performing with CCMA winners Jason Blaine and Tara Oram. Along with his busy music career, he has enhanced his career path and has joined SunLife Financial in Owen Sound, where he specializes in insurance and investments.
Linsey has completed her degree in geography and music at Wilfrid Laurier University, and performs regularly with a variety of musical groups. In 2009, she began working with the international string production Bowfire. Her involvement in Bowfire has led to many exciting opportunities, such as performances with the Houston, Calgary and Colorado Symphonies, Sean Connery’s 80th birthday celebration in the Bahamas, and on the runway of New York Fashion Week’s Dressed to Kilt. She continues to freelance, perform and record with a variety of traditional fiddle, country and contemporary acts.
The Canadian Open Old Time Fiddle Championship starts with the playdowns Aug. 7 at 1 and 7 p.m. at the Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex (Shelburne Arena). Classes that will compete in the afternoon include the nine and under, 10-to-12 and 56 and over. The evening will feature the remaining classes.
The contest finals happen Aug. 8 at 6 p.m. and will feature the crowning of the Canadian Open Champion and Canadian Open Junior Champion, entertainment, and the judges’ showcase.
Kelli Trottier, along with bandmates Andy Thompson and Jerry Clancy, will be performing Saturday afternoon and evening (Aug. 8 at 3:15 and 6 p.m.) Come out and join the fun as they fiddle, step-dance and sing the day away.
Event Packages (including Thursday evening, al day Friday and Saturday afternoon and evening) are available for $50 for adults and $22 for youths 12 and younger. Tickets for the Beckett Family Show will be $25 for adults and $10 for youths; for the Competition Playdowns, $10 for adults and $3 for youths; for the Fiddle/Stepdance Show, $7 for adults and free for youths; and for the Fiddle Championship, $25 for adults and $10 for youths.
Tickets can be obtained by phoning 519-925-8620 or at www.ShelburneFiddleContest.com/tickets
For more information visit www.ShelburneFiddleContest.com