Music and the Stars at Homestead National Monument of America
The date for the annual Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival and Acoustic Band Contest has been set for Saturday May 25, 2019. With free fiddle and harmonica workshops in the morning, a luthier on-site, jam sessions erupting throughout the day, and over $3,000 in award monies, it is sure to be an event you will want to get on your calendar. The Tallgrass Prairie FiddleFestival and Acoustic Band Contest is the place to be for musicians and music enthusiast of all ages. The event will be free of charge and held at the Homestead Education Center.
It is a day for fiddlers of all ages and experience levels to come together much like they did when the first pioneers arrived in the 1800’s and began settling the prairie. The sounds of fiddlers were often heard whenever homesteaders got together and those same sounds will be heard on May 25, at the annual Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival and Acoustic Band Contest.
The day begins at 10 a.m. with free fiddling workshop. Following the workshops, participants will break for lunch and prepare for the competition starting at noon. The one rule which makes this competition unique is that all songs must have been in existence by 1936 when Homestead National Monument of America was established.
Winners are announced at the end of each division. Trophies are given to the top three finalists in the Junior, Senior, Legends, and Acoustic Band divisions. For more than a decade, the Coffin Family Foundation has provided funding for the cash prizes. This event is possible through the generous support of Humanities Nebraska and the Friends of Homestead.
Come a day early or stay another day. In addition to the Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival, Homestead National Monument of America will offer visitors the opportunity to explore the night sky using telescopes on Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25. The programs will begin at dark. These night sky programs will be offered by traveling National Park Service volunteers John and Brenda Nejedlo, who will be providing both day and night sky programming at Homestead National Monument of America from April 30-May 28. Learn more about their journey at geoastrorv.com
Remember, Homestead National Monument of America has an exciting schedule of events planned for 2019. Keep up with the latest information by following us on Twitter (HomesteadNM) and Facebook (HomesteadNM).
Homestead National Monument of America is a unit of the National Park Service located four miles west of Beatrice, Nebraska and 45 miles south of Lincoln. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free of charge. For additional information, please call 402-223-3514 or visit http://www.nps.gov/home/.
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The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
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Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
