Watch our World Fiddle Day 2025 Highlights!

World Fiddle Day 2026 North Country Events

April 17 • 1:30-2:30 • The TAUNY Center/ Canton, NY

Fiddle Styles Interactive Lecture for “listeners” & “musicians” w/Gretchen Koehler

May 2 • 1:30-2:30 • Potsdam Public Library/Potsdam, NY

Jamming 101! Bring your instruments and learn how to jam w/Gretchen Koehler

May 2• 2:30-3:30 • Potsdam Public Library/Potsdam, NY

Challenge Jam! Playing the finger twisters w/Gretchen Koehler. Listeners welcome.

May 7 • NCPR’s String Fever -listen live • 3:00-5:00

Radio Jam! Play along with the radio with Gretchen Koehler, Annie Davey, Jeremy Rusu host Barb Heller.

May 9 • 2:00-3:30 • Potsdam Public Library/Potsdam, NY

World Fiddle Day Community Jam & Potluck!!! Come early! Music starts promptly at 2:00. Bring your instrument and play. Listeners welcome!

World Fiddle Day 2026 in Northern New York!

••WORLD FIDDLE DAY RESOURCE PAGE••

What does the North Country do to celebrate World Fiddle Day?

Fun for the whole family! The McKenna family on cello, mandolin, banjo and fiddle. (McKenna photo)

Whether you’ve been playing fiddle music for years, or you’re brand new to old-time music, welcome! We will celebrate on May 9, 2:00-3:30 with a jam and potluck at the Potsdam Public Library, Potsdam, NY.

Here in the North Country of Northern New York, we join musicians around the world each May to celebrate the fiddle on World Fiddle Day. Bring your acoustic instruments and join us for local jam sessions, online play-alongs, and friendly workshops that introduce what to expect at an old-time jam.

Because we come together from many musical backgrounds and skill levels, we build community by featuring 12 old-time tunes each year. We play those tunes, then the jam “opens” up and musicians are welcome to call tunes freely.

Below you’ll find slow audio tracks, sheet music, chord charts, and videos to help you prepare for this joyful celebration.

What are this year’s featured tunes?

In addition to our “theme tune” of Boil ‘em Cabbage ‘Down (A) we will play:

Angelina Baker (D), La Bastringue (D), Cindy (D)

Golden Slippers (G), Chase Me Charlie (A), Kesh Jig (G)

Road to Lisdoonvarna (Em), Swallowtail Jig (Em), Log Driver’s Waltz (G)

Tennessee Waltz (D), Tombigbee (G), Faded Love (D)

Each year I choose 12 tunes to feature. Start by listening to the audios below - listening is central to this aural tradition. Next, if you’re a reader, explore the chord charts and sheet music. (Don’t skip listening, my friends!!)

At our World Fiddle Day Community Jam & Potluck (May 9 2:00-3:30pm, Potsdam Public Library, Potsdam, NY) my students The Madstop Fiddlers -and YOU- will play these tunes together at a comfortable tempo. After we’ve played all 15, the jam opens into a “round-robin”: each musician chooses a tune, sets the tempo (or asks me to start), and we continue making music together.

Wanna practice with others?

Ahead of the “big day,” join us for an Intro to Jamming workshop at The Potsdam Public Library, May 2, 1:30-2:30 where musicians can learn, or brush up on, the featured tunes in a relaxed, welcoming setting. This session are free and open to all ages with basic proficiency on an acoustic instrument. You’re welcome to play by ear or use the sheet music and chord charts provided at the workshop or print your materials (below!)

Wanna practice from home?

Join us from anywhere! Visit North Country Public Radio at ncpr.org and click LISTEN to stream directly from your browser. Our on air jam will be May 7th 3:00-5:00PM!

Barb Heller hosts String Fever, a weekly celebration of North American traditional acoustic music. Gretchen Koehler is the special co-host, helping broadcast a live old-time fiddle session across the rural listening area for a long-distance gathering over the airwaves. Musicians tune in, play along from kitchens and porches, and share photos of themselves playing, dancing, or humming along at home.