Fiddlers’ Festival to Be Resurrected?
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – Community leaders are calling on Houston County residents to attend a meeting later this month to discuss if and how the traditional Crockett World Championship Fiddlers’ Festival should be resurrected, after it ceased operations, leaving the city without the legendary event. Traditionally a large draw for fiddlers and fans of the fiddle, the show brought much-needed tourism and revenue to the area.
After the death of longtime organizer Paul Stringer, the last festival went off without much notice or fanfare and risks becoming another memory for those who used to enjoy the show. Crockett is still in need of another large, anchor event like Christmas in Crockett to both support local businesses and bring tourism dollars into the city.
Local business owner Wade Thomas explained in an online post the history of the event and the goals of the meeting, open to the public.
“In 1937, V.B. “Barker” Tunstall, Sr., a fiddler himself, started what we now call The World Championship Fiddlers’ Festival. It was first held on the town square with the World Champion receiving $50.00 for his prize. Though the years the Championship has been held at several different locations around Crockett and has had many notable fiddle players provide entertainment including the legendary Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys in 1954.
In years’ past, entertainment has also been provided by Native American performers, prison bands and various non-fiddling groups. There have been steak cook-offs, antique tractor shows, classic car shows, craft shows, and flea markets.
Through the years, several different groups have been in charge of keeping the festival going here in Crockett and it seems that it is time for a new group to form up and keeping this festival running.
On Thursday, April 24, at 5:30 p.m. at the Houston County Community Room, 407 E. Goliad (south side of the square) there will be an open-to-the-public meeting to see if there is enough/any interest in keeping this Crockett tradition going. Some are saying that it has outlived its time and maybe that is so. But there are those would don’t want to see it die and be lost to another town, i.e. Athens, Nacogdoches, etc.
Thomas is active in Downtown Crockett Association (DCA), which is already promoting its second-annual “Camp Street Blues” Music and Arts Festival, set for Saturday, April 26.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
