15th Annual Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival
The 15th Annual Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival will return to the Brown County Playhouse on
Saturday, July 25, 2026, bringing together world-class musicians, rising guitar talent, and music fans for a full day dedicated to the art of fingerstyle guitar. The festival kicks off with a concert on Friday, July 24, at the Brown County Inn showcasing participants and winners from previous competitions.
The festival will feature both a daytime guitar competition and an evening concert featuring internationally recognized performers. Acoustic guitarists from around the world will compete in the Fingerstyle Guitar Competition from 11a. m. to 2 p. m., performing original arrangements and demonstrating a wide variety of techniques and musical styles. The top three finishers will receive custom-built guitars and the opportunity to perform during the evening concert.
The evening concert begins at 7:30 p. m. and will feature acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist Muriel Anderson alongside special guests Tim Thompson and Jack Wilson. The concert will also spotlight the competition’ s top three winners, giving audiences the opportunity to hear emerging artists perform alongside established masters.
Regarded as one of the Midwest’ s premier acoustic guitar events, the Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival has been celebrating fingerstyle music since 2012. The festival highlights a broad spectrum of guitar traditions, from classical and folk to contemporary acoustic performance.
Festival organizers note that fingerstyle guitar emphasizes the ability of one performer to create rhythm, melody, and percussion simultaneously, resulting in a uniquely expressive musical experience. Influential artists associated with the style include Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Tommy Emmanuel, and Andrés Segovia.
Tickets are available for Saturday’ s Brown County Playhouse’ s competition, evening concert, or as an all-day pass. Friday’ s kickoff showcase at the Brown County Inn also charges admission.
For tickets and information, visit indianastringfest. com or browncountyplayhouse. org •
46 Our Brown County July / August 2026