The place to be October 11 through October 14 is Bennington, Oklahoma, home to the 11th Annual Winter Creek Reunion Dulcimer and Acoustic Music Festival.
It’s bluegrass with some blues thrown in for good measure. Some of the top performers of this genre will be coming from across the US and those who love bluegrass won't be far behind. In 2011, over 400 people attended this festival. Bring your chair and join us!
The festivities kick off on Thursday, October 11, with specialty workshops from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. presented by two of this year's headliners featuring the mountain and hammered dulcimer. If you haven't signed up, there is still time.
After the classes, be sure and stick around for the annual hotdog roast at 5:00 p.m. Then head over to the Chitwood Center - only 3 miles from the festival grounds - for a special concert appearance at 7:00 p.m. by the one and only Bing Futch of Orlando, FL. Coffee and desert will be served.
Friday and Saturday: Hour-long workshops run from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Learn to play a hammered and/or mountain dulcimer, autoharp, pennywhistle, guitar, bowed psaltery, or banjo. Whether you are a beginner or intermediate player, there is a class for you.
Learn the centuries-old art of Shape Note Singing then perform on stage Saturday night. The vendors this year include artists, luthiers, and massage therapists selling T-shirts, jewelry, instruments...the list is long!
All workshops Friday and Saturday PLUS the evening concerts are free!
On Friday night at 5:00 p.m., the Dandy Dulcimer Cowboy Chili & Stew dinner is served, ($9 per plate at the door) followed at 7:00 p.m. by the Friday night concert. Then it's jamming until dawn- or until you can’t keep your eyes open! Bring your instrument and chair and strum along.
On Saturday night, beginning at 5 pm the winner of many Iron Chef Competitions will once again be serving up his mouth-watering assortment of meats, fresh from the grill. $10 per plate at the door includes meat, veggies, drink, and desert. Then at 7 pm the Saturday night concert begins. Raffle prize-winners will be announced periodically throughout the concert.
You can get more info, including a map and contact numbers, at the Red River Valley Dulcimer Club website: www.rrvdc.com. There are still some tent sites and a few dry RV camping spots available.
Come early! Just head to David's Dulcimers in Bennington, Oklahoma. Watch for the signs!