Our Purpose

The Northwest Regional Fiddle Contest is held annually to help perpetuate the fiddling culture and history of pioneer America; to help develop a more genuine audience appreciation, understanding and participation; to preserve the oldtime fiddling tunes; to develop and encourage jam sessions and contests; to permanently record and display the history, relics and mementos of the art of oldtime fiddling; and to acknowledge the present-day fiddlers who are helping to preserve these traditional expressions. We are a NOTFA certified contest.

Contest Categories and Eligibility

• Champion: Open to all contestants

• Senior – Senior: 70+ years young

• Senior: 60 - 69 years young

• Adult: 37 - 59 years old

• Young Adult: 18 - 36 years old

• Junior: 13 - 17 years old

• Junior – Junior: 9 - 12 years old

• Small Fry: 8 years old and under

Judging

Three (3)-accomplished fiddlers will judge each contestant. Judges’ scores will be tabulated, and cuts will be made based on cumulative scores. A play order will be posted as soon as possible before each round. Judging will be open.

Stopwatch

Stopwatch will be used to enable strict enforcement of the designated time limits. See below for specific times.

Registration

Entry form must be completed, and a non-refundable entry fee paid before becoming an official contestant of the Northwest Regional Fiddle Contest. If you end up not making it, please know your entry fee is a much-appreciated donation!

You may register no less than 10 minutes before the start of your division’s first round. However, you will be added to the bottom of the line-up.

Upon signing the contestant registration form, all commercial recording, photo and video rights are reserved and shall become the property of the Northwest Regional Fiddle Contest.

We encourage accompanists to pre-register (free). Accompanists wanting an accompanist badge must register. If you are registered as a contestant, you do not need to register as an accompanist; however, you will not get the extra ribbon.

Playing on Stage

Initial order of appearance for the first round of play will be randomly selected and posted in several areas.  A play order will be posted as soon as possible before each round. Contestants should remain in the practice room or close proximity and be ready to play when called.

Stage dress code: Proper stage dress for all rounds shall be appropriate and in good taste. We reserve the right to ask you not to go one stage if you are dressed inappropriately or clothing contains offensive words or graphics.

**Any contestant who harasses or threatens a judge or NWR Staff will be automatically eliminated for the current AND the following year’s contest.

Number of Rounds per Division

CHAMPION: 3 Rounds

SENIOR: 2 Rounds

SENIOR-SENIOR: 2 Rounds

ADULT: 2 Rounds

YOUNG ADULT: 2 Rounds

JUNIOR: 3 Rounds

JUNIOR-JUNIOR: 2 Rounds

SMALL FRY: 2 Rounds

Rules

Three judges will be used with cumulative scoring.

1. Contestants at each appearance must play a (1) hoedown, (2) waltz, and (3) a tune of choice (a tune other than a hoedown or waltz)—in that order.

2. If a division has more than 15 registered contests, each contestant will play only two tunes: anything other than a waltz, and a waltz. (ex. fast tune and then slow tune) the purpose of this is to keep the contest on time and reduce chances staying too late on Sunday.

3. No contestant shall play a tune more than once during the contest. If they do, the contestant will receive zero for that tune.

4. Four-minute playing time will be strictly adhered to in round one, and round two for Juniors. Final round competitors will be allowed to play up to five minutes (3rd round for Juniors and second round for all other divisions).
   Championship Division will have 6 minutes for all rounds.

5. Contestants going over the allowed time will lose 10 points per 10 seconds from the total score. If a contestant goes over time, the penalty will be posted on next lineup or score sheet. A 9-second grace period will be allowed after time limit.

6. NWR Fiddle Contest uses open judging.

7. Judging criteria on individual tunes will include but is not limited to Oldtime Fiddling Style, Danceability, Rhythm and Timing, Intonation, and Tone Quality.

8. Scores will be cumulative.

9. Points will be deducted for any violation of the rules.

10. All divisions are allowed up to three accompanists. If an unwanted accompanist comes on stage, the contestant may stop and ask the person to leave. The contestant may start over with no penalty on time or from the judges.

11. If a fiddle/guitar string breaks on stage, the contestant will have the option to continue or stop at that point. If the tune is completed it will be judged as played. If the contestant stops play, due to a broken string, they will be allowed to begin with that tune and complete their round without penalty.

12. A tie occurring in the top 5 of any division will be broken by the two contestants agreeing on one type of tune (hoe down, waltz, choice). Playing order will be determined by a coin flip.

13. Contact microphones and amplified instruments will not be permitted during any competition.

14. No trick or fancy fiddling allowed during the contesting appearances.

15. No cross-tuning on stage.

16. No sheet music shall be allowed on stage.

17. PLEASE, SILENCE YOUR PHONES BEFORE GOING ON STAGE!

18. Any contestant winning three consecutive years in the championship division must either judge the following year’s contest or sit out that year. Any contestant winning three consecutive years in their division (besides champion) will be asked to move to the champion division or sit out that year.

19. Unless prior arrangements have been made with the contest committee, any contestant/accompanist winning a trophy or money must appear on stage to receive their awards or the awards will be forfeited and placement will be adjusted accordingly. Accompanists’ awards (scored by number of times on stage during Saturday and Sunday) will be awarded Sunday after the contest.

20. Accompanists are NOT required to register to receive an award. However, we do encourage all accompanists to register (free) and get a badge so you can be identified.

21. Any protest(s) must be submitted in writing to the Contest Chairman and signed by not less than three contestants of the contest within three hours of protest occurrence.

22. Although we do our best to prevent it, if a tabulation error occurs, the Contest Committee will do everything we can to remedy the situation and be fair to all parties involved.

23. All decisions of the Judges and of the Contest Committee will be final.

24. NWR Fiddle Contest reserves the right to ask anyone attending the contest to leave.