For the third year, the Louisiana Folk Festival at Natchitoches July 21-22 will host the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship as a highlight of the two day exposition of Louisiana arts, crafts, and heritage events.

The Festival is scheduled at the Prather Coliseum on the Northwestern State University campus.

The Festival will begin with a Friday night music show beginning at 5:30, with music presentations continuing through the day on Saturday. The Friday night show features Cajun Dance lessons with Billy and Bobbye Keyes, Willis Prudhomme and Zydeco Express, and Hardrick Rivers and Rivers Revue.

The Fiddle Championship runs from 8 a.m. to 1 ;.m. on Saturday, July 22, on the Coliseum main stage. Fiddlers from around the state will compete for cash prizes and ribbons in two categories. Trophy only events are scheduled for age groups 12 and under, 13-18, and 70 and above. Championship division for cash prizes is open to age groups 0-21, 22-59, and 60 and above.

Other events include presentations and exhibits on Creole foodways, hunting stories, basketry, fishing stories, conservation of natural resources, wild plant uses, woodworking, wild game preparation, and tanning, taxidermy, and trapping.

Dan Chase is Honorary Chairperson for the 23006 Natchitoches NSU Folk Festival, recognizing his contributions to preservation of Louisiana's traditional cultures.

For information, see www.nsula.edu/folklife

2006 Louisiana State Rules for the Fiddle Championship, announced by the Festival, are:
The purpose of the Louisiana State Fiddlers' Championship (LSFC) is to perpetuate the traditional music and styles of fiddling integral to many kinds of Louisiana music, to help develop an appreciation and understanding of traditional music, to encourage young fiddlers to pursue musical endeavors, and to encourage jam sessions and contests as a way to promote creativity and the continuation of the fiddle tradition.
Section 1: Contestant Qualifications
1. Contest is open only to Louisiana residents. Residents may be asked to show proof of residence.
2. Grand Champions will not be allowed to compete the year following their win and are asked to judge in the year following their win.

Section 2: Registration, Entry, and Playing Order
1. Pre-registration is the preferred method of entering. By pre-registering, contestants avoid having to pay admission to the Natchitoches/NSU Folk Festival.
Accompanists and one guest per stage performer are allowed on the pass list. If you pre-register, please fill out the form and mail it to the Louisiana Folklife Center, NSU Box 3663, Natchitoches, LA, 71497. Pre-registrations must arrive at the Louisiana Folklife Center by July 1,2006. Note that this is not a post-mark date, but that it is a delivery date. Order of play will be determined by a lottery system. Pre-registered contestants will then be mailed a list showing their order of play and their packet containing check-in information and other material.
2. Walk-in registration is permitted; however, walk-in contestants will pay Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival admission for him/herself, accompanists, and guests. Walk-in entrants must register no later than 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 22, 2006. Once the contest begins at 9:00 a.m., no entries will be accepted.
Walk-in contestants will play first (numbers will be drawn to determine playing order within the walk-in contestants); pre-registered contestants will follow.

Section 3: The Contest
1. Once fiddlers and accompanists have checked in, they will be directed to either a dressing room/preparation area where they may practice and warm-up, or they may be seated in the contestants' area near the Main Stage. Regardless of where fiddlers choose to wait, they are responsible for knowing when their turn to play is and should make themselves aware of order of play. Musicians may play and hold informal jam sessions in the dressing room area but not in the audience area.
Please pay attention to the Contest Steward, for s/he will call your name/number only three times when your time to play is nearing. When you are the next person to play, you should proceed to the on-deck area where you will remain until you are escorted to the stage to play. Once you play, you should remain in the Main Stage Area in case you are called to play in a fiddle-off or are called to the stage in order to receive a prize. Again, you will be called only three times to play in a fiddle-off or to receive a prize. Please listen for your name and/or number.
2. Contestants may play alone or with up to two accompanists. Please take care to enter and exit the stage promptly. Any contestant and accompanists who take more than two minutes to enter or exit will be penalized by the judges.
3. If a contestant or accompanist breaks a string or a peg slips, then s/he will exit the stage and will be given up to fifteen minutes to make the repair. The fiddler may then play the piece one more time.
4. In the case of a tie, the judges will call for a fiddle-off.
5. Three judges will assess the contest. Judges will be fiddlers and will make every effort to objectively evaluate fiddle contestants. The identity of the judges will be announced prior to the Championship. Fiddlers are encouraged to avoid talking or mingling with judges prior to the contest.
6. Judges will recuse themselves from judging if a conflict of interest appears to be imminent. In this case, an alternate judge will judge the division.
7. Fiddlers will be judged according to tone, timing, clarity, rhythm, and skill.\par }{\plain Audience applause will not be a factor in judging.
8. Fiddlers may play no longer than seven minutes per round. This time limit includes talking, introduction of tunes, or adjustment of instrument along with playing.
9. No tunes may be repeated during the contest.

Section 4: Divisions Trophy Division These divisions cannot compete for the Grand Championship. They play two tunes of their choice and the winners will receive a ribbon and the following prizes.
12 and under 13-18 lst- $40.00; 2nd- $30.00; 3rd- $20.00; 4th- $20.00, 5th--$15.00 70 and above Championship Division These divisions compete for the Grand Championship. Anyone from any age group can compete in the championship divisions but a fiddler cannot enter both the trophy and championship divisions. A fiddler can enter only one or the other.
First Rounds Fiddlers compete in the following age divisions, 0-21,22-59, 60-above, playing two tunes of their choice.
Prizes will then be awarded as follows:
lst-$100.00; 2nd $75.00; 3rd $50.00; 4th $40.00; 5th $30.00; 6th-$20.00 Championship Rounds
The top two fiddlers (6 in all) from each of the championship division categories will compete; each will play two tunes of the fiddler's choosing.
The top three fiddlers will be chosen from this group and will compete in the final round playing two tunes one from each of the following possible categories: breakdown, waltz, two-step, or tune of choice of fiddler.
Prizes will be awarded as follows:
$lst- $200.00; 2nd $100.00; 3rd $50.00; 4th $30.00; 5th $25.00; 6th $25.00

Section 5: Miscellaneous requirements
1. The Grand Champion Fiddler will perform a 30 minute set on the Main Stage at the Natchitoches/NSU Folk Festival from 5:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 22, 2006.
2. By signing the entry form, the contestant or his/her legal guardian agrees that any photographic images and sound recordings from the contest will be property of the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship and the Natchitoches/NSU Folk Festival. Images may be used for advertising or educational purposes.
3. Judges' decisions are final. This contest will be judged in an impartial manner, and every effort will be made to hold a fair contest which allows all participants to have an equal playing field. Judges, however, will make their decisions based upon the aforementioned criteria, and once they tabulate their scores and make their final decisions, the contest will be concluded. There is no appeal process.
4. The Natchitoches/NSU Folk Festival is a family event; no alcoholic beverages are allowed on-site. Additionally, we reserve the right to escort unruly or inappropriately behaved visitors or contestants from the premises.

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