6th Annual Holiday Lake
Old Time Music Festival
April 17-19,2009
Click here for registration form!(PDF)
Featured Presenters and Performers
The Slate Mountain Ramblers
For over 24 years this family old-time band from Ararat, Virginia has been playing music and establishing a winning tradition competing at festivals throughout western North Carolina and southwest Virginia.
Richard Bowman
Born into a well known musical family from Patrick County Virginia, Richard is a champion old time fiddler. Over the years he has won both individual and band competitions at many fiddler’s conventions including Galax, Mt. Airy and Fiddler’s Grove. He has been playing fiddle for over 36 years and has been the leader of the Slate Mountain Ramblers for the past 26.
Barbara Bowman
Richard’s wife Barbara began playing bass in the band about 18 years ago and has since developed a unique style all her own. Aside from competing with the band, over the years Barbara has brought home quite a few top place finishes of her own. Among her many accomplishments are top finishes at events like Grayson County Old Time & Bluegrass Fiddlers Convention at Elk Creek, Mt. Airy Fiddler's Convention, and Fries Fiddler's Convention.
Marsha Bowman Todd
The daughter of Richard and Barbara, Marsha is a hard driving claw hammer banjo player who has been around old-time music since birth. At age 9 she joined the band playing mandolin, switching a few years later to banjo which she has been playing ever since. In addition to being an award winning claw hammer banjo player, Marsha’s versatility includes two-finger style, three-finger “bluegrass” style, and vocals.
Anderson-Stricklnad
Gerald Anderson
Gerald Anderson began making mandolins thirty years ago in Wayne Henderson’s shop and has sincecrafted more than one hundred instruments. After he graduated from college, Anderson spent considerable time in the famous guitar maker’s busy workshop in Rugby, Virginia observingand playing music with Henderson. Soon he developed an interest in making his own fine-quality instruments and set out to reproduce the sounds of the classic Gibson-Loar mandolins of the 1920s. He shared a workspace with Henderson until recently when Anderson moved his tools and instruments into the bottom level of his home. Anderson now shares his expertise and workshop with apprentice Spencer Strickland. In the many years Anderson has been crafting mandolins he has also played old-time music with friends including Wayne Henderson and Butch Barker. Anderson has made more than twenty-five recordings and has more than 200 ribbons from musical competitions; the most prestigious being the award for best guitar player at the 2003 Galax Fiddlers Convention. Gerald was among the region’s twelve musicians who participated in the Crooked Road Goes to Scotland Tour in May of 2006.
Spencer Strickland
Spencer Strickland grew up in a family and community steeped in music. His mother and father played guitar in a bluegrass band that performed in churches and at community events. At age 10 Strickland began mandolin lessons and has since gone on to win prestigious awards, such as the ribbon for best all-around performer at Galax Fiddlers Convention in 2004 and mandolin competition at Merlefest in April 2005, both festivals that he had attended as a child. In the fall of 2004 Strickland began an apprenticeship with Gerald Anderson, sponsored by the Virginia Folklife Program. Spencer is currently part of the duo performing act “Anderson-Strickland. In 2005 the two released a CD entitled “Headin South” and in 2008 released their second CD “Been All Around This World” as part of the Crooked Road CD Series produced by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.
Trevor McKenzie
Trevor Mckenzie
Raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Trevor McKenzie first began studying traditional mountain music at the age of eight under the tutelage of Jim Lloyd of Rural Retreat, VA. After taking a crash course in musical saw playing from Maryland saw master Ivan Stiles, McKenzie devoted his time to perfecting his skills on “the singing saw” and in recent years has acted as a purveyor of this lost tradition. Come and learn the fundamentals of this historic instrument and understand its relevance to old-time music.
Featured Musicians Workshops
| Fiddle |
"Old Time" Rhythm Guitar |
Bass
|
| Banjon |
"Old Time" Lead Guitar |
"Singing" Saw |
| Mandolin |
Schedule
Friday Events
Gates open at 4:00 p.m.
Bonfire Jam: 8:30 PM -Until...
3
Saturday Events
Jam Sessions
Day Workshops: Fiddle, Banjo, Guitar, Bass, Mandolin, Square Dancing and more!
Evening Concert
Late Night Jam Sessions
Festival Fees
Price does not include meals and lodging fees.
Adults $25
($22.00 for early-registrants) |
Children under 12: $14
($10.00 for early-registrants) |
Lodging
All lodging areas either contain or are located near bathhouses. There are several options for you to choose from. Linen is not provided, so bring your own sheets or a sleeping bag and pillow.
Cabins: 15 (non-heated) cabins with 4 bunk beds(8 beds)each are located near the main pavilion. Cabins have electricity and are located near bathhouses.
Bunkhouses: there are 3 separate (heated) bunkhouse facilities on site, with the capacity to accommodate a total of up to 120 people. Two of the three contain their own shower and bathrooms, while the third is situated only 10 feet from one of the camps bathhouses.
Tent Camping: there will be two areas for tents, a quiet camp where from 10:00 PM until 8:00 AM we ask that folks respect others right to a good night’s sleep and an open area near the main pavilion where activities will take place. One household family per site please.
Parking beside tent site is limited.
RV’s: a lot for a limited # of RV’s is available with electrical hook-ups (no water) This lot is located 150 yards from a bath house. No dumping station available.
| Lodging Costs |
For Cabins
Adults: $15/person /night
Children under 12: $7/person/night |
For Tents
$7/person/night
|
For RV's
$15/night |
Motels: there are several motels and B&B’s located in the town of Appomattox, a short 20 minute drive from the 4-H Center. For more information, contact the Appomattox Chamber of Commerce at 434-352-2621.
Meals
Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center has a dinning facility that serves buffet style to Meal Ticket holders. The food is fabulous! Please pre- register for the meals you would like provided. Tickets will also be available at the registration table; however it would help the food service folks better prepare if you pre-register. Please see the registration form for meal costs.
Click here for registration form!(PDF)
