PORT TOWNSEND — The thing about the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes: It’s far more than fiddling.
Sure, major folks are gathering at Fort Worden State Park today for Fiddle Tunes, as the 36-year-old party is affectionately known.
Byron Berline, rock ‘n’ roll and country fiddler with The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Tammy Wynette, is here, and so are Cajun master Al Berard and Danish fiddler Kristian Bugge.
But in concerts today and Saturday, a hot bunch of accordionists, singers and other players will dish up big, bubbling gumbos of music.
Today’s festivities start with the 11 a.m. Concert for Kids in the Fort Worden Chapel.
Adults pay $5, while children get in free to this sharing of American, Acadian and Quebecois songs by Dejah Leger.
Next comes the Free Fridays at the Fort concert at noon, with the Carr Family Band outdoors on the Nora Porter Commons.
Food and drink will be on sale during the hourlong show.
Cajun Dance
Tonight on Littlefield Green outside the fort’s McCurdy Pavilion, the annual Cajun Dance will start at 7 p.m. with master accordionist Ray Abshire, fiddlers Brandon Moreau and Al Berard, and singer-accordionist Jesse Lege on the outdoor stage.
Tickets are $15 for adults and free for youths 17 and younger.
The Fiddle Grand Finale follows at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at McCurdy Pavilion and brings together banjo-piano man Jerron Paxton; Missouri master fiddler Vesta Johnson performing with her grandson, guitarist-fiddler Steve Hall; and 89-year-old accordionist Antonia Apodaca.
Berline also will step up Saturday, as will iconic West Virginia fiddler Franklin George and the Quebecois trio Genticorum from Montreal.
Grand Finale tickets run from $18 to $37 for adults, while youngsters younger than 18 get in free.
All tickets must be reserved via www.Centrum.org or 800-746-1982.
Tickets are also sold an hour before showtime at the venue, which is just inside Fort Worden State Park at 200 Battery Way.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
