Granddaddy of Midsouth Fiddlers Conventions Brings Music, Crafts & State Championship to North AL

By Karen Beasley on Aug. 20, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Karen Beasley, Vice President of Marketing & Communications
Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association
PHONE: 256.350.3500 / 800.648.5381
EMAIL: karen@northalabama.org

“Granddaddy of Midsouth Fiddlers Conventions” Brings Traditional Music, Crafts and State Championship to North Alabama

Decatur, Ala. (August 20, 2026) – Thousands of old time music lovers and musicians will make their way to the North Alabama town of Athens, Ala. in October for the “Granddaddy of Midsouth Fiddlers Conventions.” The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention returns to the campus of Athens State University for the 59^th year September 30 through October 3, 2026. Along with the crowning of a new Tennessee Valley Old Time and Alabama State Fiddle champion, the four-day event offers concerts, food vendors and arts and crafts on a theme of authentic workmanship while celebrating traditional old time music.

The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention is an annual musical event and competition where the Alabama State Fiddle Champion is crowned, along with state champions in over a dozen other categories, including several fiddle and guitar categories, mandolin, band, banjo, old time singing and Appalachian buck dancing. Competitions are held on the main stage in front of Founders Hall, Brown Hall and the Delmore Brothers Stage in McCandless Hall and get underway Friday, Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. and resume Saturday, Oct. 3 at 8:30 a.m. Finals are held on the Founders Hall stage immediately after all preliminary rounds of competitions have concluded. The Convention culminates on Saturday evening when the new Tennessee Valley Old Time and Alabama State Fiddle champion is announced.

In addition to the competitions, the Fiddlers Convention features concerts, which will take place at McCandless Hall. Access to all Fiddlers Convention entertainment is included with the purchase of an admission ticket. The concert line-up includes:

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m. – The Larry Sparks Show (free preview night/no admission ticket required)
Thursday, Oct. 1, 7:00 p.m. – Mike Compton & Andy Todd, followed by Dale Ann Bradley
Friday, Oct. 2, 6:00 p.m. – The Isaacs
Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. – The Del McCoury Band

Approximately 150 arts and crafts booths offering an assortment of handmade items and traditional artwork will be open for business during festival hours and a variety of food vendors will be on hand to provide anything from a quick snack to a full meal.

Free strings workshops will be offered from noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 1 and Oct. 2, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Athens State University, Kares Library, 407 Pryor Street E in Athens. A schedule and registration form are available here.

Be sure to visit the Jerry McGlocklin Music Store located in the Sandridge Hall Ballroom for vendors selling instruments and accessories, along with the Fiddlers Museum located on the ground floor of McCandless Hall. A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers will be on display at the Nazaretian Alumni Welcome Center.

Single day admission is $20 per adult for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A three-day weekend pass is available for $30 per adult. Children under 12 will be admitted free with a paid adult. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online at www.athensfiddlers.org. Pets, with exception of service animals, are not allowed. Festivalgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. For more information, visit www.athensfiddlers.org.

The Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention is a stop on the new Music Trail of North Alabama. From the legacy of Muscle Shoals to today’s dynamic live music scenes, the Music Trail of North Alabama offers a self-guided tour of 29 must-visit music-related stops across the 16-county North Alabama region. Those who check in at least 12 participating stops will earn a free prize from Visit North Alabama. The Music Trail of North Alabama passport is available here.

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About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA)
The official destination marketing organization for Visit North Alabama, AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the $4.9 billion North Alabama travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consisting of attractions, festivals, accommodations, chambers of commerce, convention & visitors bureaus, communities, campgrounds, golf courses, restaurants, local retailers and vendors. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available by calling 800.648.5381, by visiting www.NorthAlabama.org and by following us on social media @VisitNorthAL.

Author

Karen Beasley

After unexpectantly losing her husband of 29 years, Karen returned to the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA) in 2023 as the vice president of marketing and communications where she helps guide the organization’s marketing and communications activities to position the North Alabama region as a must-experience destination for leisure travel. She has over 30 years of marketing experience, most recently working as a behind-the-scenes freelance public relations consultant for AMLA and other tourism organizations and festivals in north Alabama and Tennessee. From 1999 to 2004, AMLA employed her as the organization’s marketing representative, introducing her to a lifelong career in the tourism and travel industry. Following the birth of her second child, she transitioned to part-time freelance employment so that she could focus on family life.

She was named the Alabama Restaurant & Hospitality Association Tourism Promoter of the Year in 2025. She serves on the board of directors for the Huntsville/Madison County Hospitality Association, is a member of the Decatur/Morgan County Hospitality Association and the Tennessee Valley Chapter of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and volunteers with the Woody Williams Foundation and Vets Like Us.

She holds a B.S. degree in marketing and a MBA from the University of North Alabama and received her TMP – Travel Marketing Professional – certification from the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College. She and her late husband, Michael, have two children, Keller and Logan.