ROXBURY — The Roxbury Arts Center at 5025 Vega Mountain Road in Roxbury announced it will host the 31st annual Fiddlers! music festival from 3 to 7 p.m.
According to a media release, this fiddle-focused festival began as a way to honor music traditions of the Catskills and local fiddle legend Hilt Kelly. This year’s festival will feature the Pine Tree Flyers, the Downhill Strugglers and the Stoddard Hollow String Band between 3 and 6 p.m. People can bring their own instrument and and stick around to join the performers in the Community Jam Session at 6 p.m.
The Stoddard Hollow String Band will start off the music performances at 3 p.m., the release stated. The band is known for its mix of Appalachian old-time tunes, traditional and original music. The band consists of Marvin Zachow on fiddles and vocals, Ed McGee on clawhammer banjo, Frank Frazzitta on guitar and vocals, and Tom Ives on bass. The Downhill Strugglers will take the stage at 4 p.m. This old-time string band features Walker Shepard playing fiddle, banjo, guitar, harmonica, voice; Jackson Lynch playing fiddle, banjo, guitar, voice and Eli Smith playing banjo, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, Jews harp, pump organ, voice. They have albums on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and Jalopy Records and are featured on the soundtrack to the Coen Brothers film, “Inside Llewyn Davis” produced by T-Bone Burnett as well as other films and video games. The Pine Tree Flyers will perform at 5 p.m. The band will perform New England music, which is “a distinct and vital American tradition,” according to the release. All residents of Portland, Maine, Katie McNally, fiddle, Emily Troll, accordion, Owen Marshall, guitar, and Neil Pearlman, piano, cut their teeth playing for contra dances and learning from the greats. Individually, they’ve toured the world playing Irish, Scottish and Quebecois music and they bring this wellspring of knowledge and technical prowess to the American music that was born from these traditions.
In addition, there will be a Chili & Apple Pie Cook-Off contest at 1 p.m. People can enter their favorite recipes by bringing a chili or apple pie to be judged. Ticket prices vary. Tickets and information about the concert, chili and apple pie cookoff can be found at www.roxburyartsgroup.org.