Strumming in Shakori Hills
The weather is cooling off, which makes spending time outdoors in North Carolina even better. Make the most of the weather by joining the 13th Annual Hoppin’ John Fiddlers’ Convention September 12th – 14th at Shakori Hills in Silk Hope, North Carolina.
All weekend long, the festival will host a variety of events and activities for attendees of all ages. With advance tickets on sale now, all proceeds from Hoppin’ John go to benefit the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center, which is a proud sponsor of the Chatham County Junior Appalachian Musicians.
Children’s Activities: Free Admission for Kids 15 and Under
Hootenanny Hayrides: Saturday 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Join early childhood educator and children’s music programming leader Tim Wells and a band of musicians on a musically-themed hayride through Shakori Hills. Meet behind the ticket booth and be prepared to sing along!
Songs & Stories with Tim Wells: Saturday 10 a.m.
Children ages three to five are invited to learn new songs, fingerplays and stories in the Dance Tent with Tim Wells.
Family Dance & Cake Walk: Saturday 6 p.m.
Everyone loves cake, right? What about the combination of square dancing and cake? Before the cake walk, lace up your dancing shoes! The family band rendition of the Hoppin’ Jonnies will play tunes with Anna Lena Phillips-Bell to go along with the teaching of simple square-dancing steps!
Children’s Fiddle & Guitar: Friday 6 p.m.
Eliza, a student at Broughton High School in Raleigh, will lead a workshop to share her expertise on the fiddle and guitar. She will demonstrate techniques, chord charts and stylistic methods. Other instruments are welcome, as she is also proficient in the banjo, autoharp and ukulele.
Kids’ Clogging with Kendall Harkey: Saturday 11 a.m.
A long-time member of the Apple Chill Cloggers, Kendall Harkey’s workshop will teach kids ages five and up the steps of basic circle dances and clogging.
Kids’ Activities Tent
On Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., visit the Kids’ Activities Tent for a variety of crafts, musical activities, face painting and much more.
Musical Showcase: Located in the Dance Tent
From banjos, to fiddles, to singers galore, a plethora of musical showcases will be occurring throughout the weekend. The Banjo Players Showcase will take place on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and will feature Richie Stearns, a musician who has travelled the world, written film scores and collaborated with artists across a wide range of disciplines.
The Singers Showcase will be held on Saturday at 1 p.m., featuring seventh-generation ballad singer, storyteller and claw-hammer banjo player Sheila Kay Adams. Tim Wells and Eliza Meyer will also be making appearances at the Singers Showcase.
Last, but not least, the Fiddle Players Showcase on Saturday at 4 p.m. will boast a collection of talented artists including Tatiana Hargreaves, Betty Vornbrock and Aila Wildman.
Want to learn to play like a professional? Artists will be hosting several workshops for adult learners over the course of the weekend. Visit the site to learn more about the artists and the classes they are offering: View the site.
Additional Activities:
As if attending concerts, workshops and showcases was not enough, there are plenty of other activities to get involved with! The Hoppin’ John Cook-Off will be held on Saturday, September 14 at 5:30 p.m. If you are familiar with the Hoppin’ John dish, you know it must contain black-eyes peas and the rest is up to your own creativity! A minimum of six quarts is needed per entry. Register Now.
The Quilt Raffle will take place on Saturday night at the Carson’s Grove Stage after the band contest. Ticket sales are available at the Merchandise Shack, the top of the stage field and the Coffee Tent.
Speaking of band contests, don’t miss out on the three categories of band contests as well as individual contests in categories including guitar, mandolin and folk song.
Tickets & Camping:
Tickets are available in advance and prices will increase at the gate. Kids under the age of 15 have free admission. Tickets for weekend camping in vehicles, tends and RVs are also available. For campers, outdoor showers are available with hot water.
Get Involved:
Hoppin’ John invites you to GET INVOLVED throughout the weekend. If you want to be more than a spectator, sign up to volunteer, sponsor, be a contestant, or even a vendor. There is a bit of something for everyone!