also performed so well that“ Scores of former music pupils of Mrs. Wright and the entire audience enjoyed and appreciated the three selections she played.” This was“ Turkey in the Straw,”“ Silver Threads among the Gold” and“ Golden Slippers.”
And it was just the beginning – the first of many Old Fiddlers Contest and Reunion events to come in Athens. Previously, we’ ve covered several of these events along with a bit about the origins, but let’ s explore some other aspects of these major programs as described by the folks at the athensfiddlersreunion. org website.
First, maybe we should explain an early reference mentioned in the 1932 article. Says the foundation sources:“ The contest began in 1931 in the small community of Bethel, just six miles north of Athens. Organizers were J. A. Mayfield, A. M. Smith and C. H. Stanton, members of a Farmers’ Association. The first event attracted around 900 people despite poor weather, showcasing 14 fiddlers competing for prizes.” The website sources further describe how the event was designed to“… preserve old time fiddling traditions, encouraging traditional playing, hosting organized contests, and bringing fiddlers together across
East Texas.” However, when 1932 rolled around the event was moved to the Athens High School auditorium which could hold the large crowds the event attracted. As the foundation put it,“ Due to its popularity, April 29, 1932 was the first formal contest moved to Athens to accommodate the larger crowds.”
The foundation goes into more detail about this type of event. They explained:“ Competitions emerged to showcase the distinct Texas fiddling style from other regions like Appalachian and Cajun fiddling.” And over the years“ The contest has preserved traditional fiddling music, including styles like bluegrass, polka and country, with competitions divided into various age categories.”
So as we’ ve seen the 1932 program was of course the beginning and the high school remained its setting for several years until it moved to its current location on the Henderson County courthouse grounds. There it remains a feature with the fiddle contest itself as of 2024 now located in the Texas Theater. The foundation puts it well:“ The festival is a continuation of tradition being held on the square with live music.”
Greater Athens Magazine | March 2026 | 15