27th Annual Fiddle and Bango Contest
The 27th Annual Fiddle & Bango* Contest (yes, “bango”) is Saturday, October 3, at the gazebo in Columbia State Historic Park. The theme is “Columbia Forever” – the State Park is OPEN and Columbia’s concessionaires are continuing with business as usual, including hosting special events in this unique Old West town. More than 40 musicians are expected to compete, vying for cash prizes in six categories: fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, vocal and miscellaneous. Grand prize is a gold nugget, and the musician displaying the most “guts” will also win a prize. Contestants can register from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Entry fee is $10 per category. All ages and music genres are represented in the Fiddle & Bango Contest, which is FREE to the viewing public. There will also be a Chili Cook-off this year, concurrent with the musical contest. Teams made up of Columbia Chamber members will compete for bragging rights to “Columbia’s best chili,” and the public will do the tasting and voting. Bring your lawn chairs, hats and sunscreen and enjoy some great music and food. T-shirts with a striking design by Peg Reza of “Blue Shoes” will be available for sale to commemorate this fun event. Competition begins at 10:30 a.m. and continues all day, except for a lunch break. Sponsored by the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call 209-536-1672 or visit columbiacalifornia.com. *Bango was a misprint on the contest T-shirts 27 years ago, and the name stuck!
Tina Louise Barr of Modesto playing her autoharp. She won the grand prize (1/4 oz gold nugget) in last year’s Fiddle & Bango Contest.
