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6th Annual

Shakori Hills

Silk Hope, North Carolina

News & Updates

Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance

Come on out April 19 - 22 to the 10th Annual Spring Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival: four days, four stages and over 40 bands! Advance tickets now on sale. CLICK HERE...

Songs & Stories with Tim Wells

Saturday morning at 10am in the Dance Tent! Geared for children ages 3-5, young ones will love learning new songs, fingerplays, and stories they’ll even re-visit at home. Parents are welcome to join the circle and participate along with their children!

Tim Wells has been an early childhood educator for the past decade and has provided children's music programming with Hoppin John and the Grassroots Festival for the past several years.

Musicians’ CD Sales!

Hoppin’ John will sell your cds for you! If you have made a cd and wish to sell it at the convention, bring a box to the merchandise shack at the top of the stage field, make a $10 donation, and collect your sales and remaining cds on Saturday night.

We‘ve Gone Electric!

but don’t worry...It’s NOT for instruments -- just campers. There is now opportunity to hook into 110V power. First come, first served; 20 hooks-ups available.

Historic Fiddle Workshop

Don Rickert Lutherie will be conducting workshops on historic and contemporary fiddle set-up. This workshop, of particular interest to historic fiddling enthusiasts, will be in the area by the Don Rickert Lutherie and SG Fiddles vendor tents. This hands-on workshop will cover how to install the right strings and accessories, as well as proper bridge adjustment, on fiddles for various periods and genres going back to the 1700s. In addition to covering the basics of historically authentic fiddle setup, master period fiddlers will demonstrate the predominant playing styles of each period. Check at the vendor tent for times!

Contests & Prizes

2012 Hoppin’ John Old-Time & Bluegrass Fiddlers‘ Convention

September 13th - 15th

Pausing here for a moment to honor the life of Joe Thompson, who passed this February 20th. He was inspiration to so many. We are especially grateful to Joe for being a big part of the success of the first Hoppin’ John in 2007.

Well-established now, having been christened by the rain last year, we all know what a great time folks are having at Hoppin’ John! Mark your calendars now and plan a long stay at this year’s Hoppin‘ John Fiddlers’ Convention, Thursday September 13th – Saturday, September 15th. Camping begins as early in the week as you’d like to arrive. Finish up your fun at Rockbridge then come on down to North Carolina!

On the occasion of mardi gras, someone mentioned that they wished there were more cajun music at Hoppin’ John...and then someone else chimed in that more Irish fiddle would be good. And still someone else thinks that honky tonk adds a little spice to any good fiddlers’ convention. It’s all true, we know, but we’ll be sticking with the old-time program, since that’s what it’s about. When the dance tent is not in use, though, come on in and throw together any old dance (unplugged, of course) that you want! Get all your friends and circle around at 3 am or dance an early morning wake up before you go to bed jig.

We’ll post information as soon as it becomes available. Stay tuned, and as always, feel free to contact us with ideas and suggestions.