The Bob Walsh Memorial Fiddle Convention will be held May 14 through 17 at Branson’s Compton Ridge Campground, says campground owner Robert Speight, who bought the campground a year ago.
He said he’s excited about the chance to bring people to the tree-shaded campground to enjoy this annual tradition. Fiddler Bruce Hoffman says they expect more than 100 fiddlers from all over the country to come for the jam sessions that go on all day and into the evening.
The public is invited to stroll the grounds and enjoy the music. It’s free except for a fee for the fish fry on Friday and the pig roast on Saturday.
It’s called a convention because there’s no competition. Just a sharing of a longtime Ozark tradition, said fiddler Wayne Massengale, who plays at Grand Country Music Hall. The event is named for the late Bob Walsh, a renowned fiddler who began the gathering at his Cape Fair home, Massengale said. Walsh also was responsible for getting the fiddle named the Missouri state instrument, he said.
There will be one new event this year. Massengale and Hoffman plan to conduct a “fiddle camp,” Massengale said, “where fiddlers who are starting out can sit down with us, and we’ll show them how we learned to play our songs and back up people.”
Several other professional fiddlers from the music shows are expected to be there. Hoffman said they hope to interest a younger generation to carry on the traditional music and “to see what the Ozarks was made of.”
For more information on Compton Ridge Campground or to make a reservation, visit www.comptonridge.com or call 417-338-2911 or 800-233-8648. The facility has two camping areas, a 25-room lodge and amenities including a conference center, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, a game room and more.
For additional information about Branson, its live entertainment, theme parks, lakes, golf courses, family attractions, shopping and other features from the Branson Tourism Center on line click here or by phone please call 800-785-1550.