Road Trip – Day 4
Fries, Virginia
Volunteer Fire Department 44th Annual
Old Time Fiddlers & Bluegrass Convention
Saturday, August 21
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How would you pronounce Fries – just what it looks like, right! Like french fries.
But you would be incorrect – because the locals call the town “freeze”.
We arrived at Fries Ball Park about an hour before competition began, and walked among the campers, listening to a mixture of groups – some were camping neighbors just singing and picking. This was one of the best groups.
I like the painting on this camper…and the name.
This stage also had a beautiful mountain scene painted on the backdrop.
After walking around and listening to a few groups, we went to our lawn chairs which we had set up earlier. Most people sat on the high-rise bleachers behind us, but we were glad for the comfort of our lawn chairs. While waiting for the first competitor, I went to the food stand to get coffee for each of us and a funnel cake to share.
At 3:00 the MC announced the beginning of the children’s competition – age 15 and under.
They played one at a time – by instrument – first every child who played fiddle. They were permitted to have one backup instrument. Several had a parent or sibling accompany them. Time limit was 2 1/2 minutes.
Mandolin
Clawhammer Banjo
After the children’s singles there was the children’s bands.
These guys were called “Fancy Hats.”
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During the break, we got popcorn and Pepsi – how is that for having a junk food day. And that wasn’t the end of our junk food diet for the day. After dark we shared an order of nachos and cheese.
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Just before the adult old-time folk music competition, the skies became gray, and a gentle rain brought out umbrellas and plastic bag covers for the sound equipment. We moved our lawn chairs to the back of the field where the roof above the bleachers partially protected us.
There were some colorful, talented competitors.
The line of musicians waiting to play.
Notice her sign? She was singing a cute ditty called Pigs for Sale.
Children’s Flatfoot Dancing Competition
I didn’t know there was anything called “flatfoot dancing” or “flatfooting”. I understand flatfooting and clogging are similar, but flatfoot dancing has slightly different rules. Only flatfooting was allowed at this show. The judges kept their eyes on the dancer’s feet – and the same band played one verse of the same song for everyone.
This little guy was quite a showman, and brought out smiles on the usually serious judges.
Next competition was single bluegrass instrumentals.
Bluegrass banjo
Adult flatfooting competition
We lasted until 10:30 p.m. – and the best was yet to come – the bluegrass bands. We had a wonderful day, and would have loved to stay, but we were getting sleepy. If we knew that it would soon be over, we could have stayed another hour, but I expect it lasted into the early morning hours.
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We enjoyed visiting with a couple who was sitting next to us, and when they discovered that we were here for the weekend and enjoyed this music, they said, “Then you would enjoy the homecoming service at Beech Grove Baptist Church in the morning, because The Easter Brothers are singing.”
They also told us about a singing on Sunday afternoon at Meadows of Dan on the Blue Ridge Parkway next to Mabry Mill. Both events were only a short distance from our motel – so guess what I will be posting about tomorrow? 
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