Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree Kicks Off 4th of July Weekend

Thousands will be flocking to Smithville for the 35th annual Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival this weekend.
The musical competition is now underway.
Preliminaries are being held in the following categories:
Old Time Appalachian Folksinging (solos and duets); Flat Top Guitar; Junior Clogging (ages 13-39); Junior Buck Dancing (ages 13-39); Doboro Guitar; Mountain Dulcimer; Hammer Dulcimer; Novelty Event; Old Time Fiddle Band; Autoharp; Gospel Singing (solos); Country Harmonica; Old Time Banjo; Gospel Singing (duets, trios, and quartets); and Mandolin.
The top three acts in each category will be called back for the finals tonight and a first, second, and third place will be awarded.
In addition to the on-stage musical entertainment, the Fiddlers Jamboree will feature hundreds of crafts, plenty of delicious food; and lots of shade tree picking around the public square.
The DeKalb County Community Chorus is expected to perform sometime between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. featuring a patriotic program. The late Staff Sergeant Shannon Taylor of DeKalb County, who was killed in Iraq nearly a year ago, will be honored and remembered during the performance of the community chorus.
WJLE will broadcast most of the on-stage entertainment LIVE.
Meanwhile, the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce has presented awards to participating businesses in Project Welcome Mat.
Meigs Family Eye Care at 107 North Congress Boulevard, Smithville received the “Best Worded” sign award which reads, “Don’t Just Fiddle Around Enjoy Crafts Too”
Liberty State Bank on South Congress Boulevard, Smithville was presented the “People’s Choice” award for their two sided sign. On one side, the sign reads “Pick A Shade Tree and a Glass of Tea and Join us at the 35th Fiddler’s Jamboree”. The other side of the sign reads “A Little Ditty about the 35th Jamboree, Fiddling & Crafts and the Fun is Free”.
The “Most Original” sign award went to Smithville Food Store on South Congress Boulevard for their sign that reads “Don’t Clog By Come Fiddle in Smithville”