 |
Throughout the 28th Annual Lyons Fiddle Festival on Sunday, groups of musicians gathered to jam together on a variety of instruments. Left to right are Sonny Donchez, Ralph Clemson and Bill Reber.
|
The tiny borough of Lyons in Berks County was alive with the sound of music on Sunday as the Lyons Fiddle Festival took center stage for its 28th year. More than 5,000 visitors came for the good music and good food.
The festival combines the flavors of fiddle music from bluegrass to country-western and Pennsylvanian to all-American sounds, with the wonderful food and people that make the small towns of Berks County a popular place to visit.
Large iron kettles heated up gallons of soup while a pig roasted and fiddlers, in three age groups, competed for awards. Performers came from as far away as North Carolina and West Virginia to compete. While many compete, they also play for the love of the sound.
As “expendable income” becomes less and less available for families in today’s economy, community events like the Fiddle Festival provide a great alternative at a nearby location. While fiddlers strummed, banjo players picked and guitarists strummed on stage, the same could be found in the shaded areas around the park as musicians joined up for impromptu jam-sessions.
A donation of $2 was requested to attend the all-day event with the proceeds targeted for maintaining Lyons Community Park (where the festival is held) and hosting Christmas, Easter and Halloween parties for local children.
With the successful wrap-up of the 28th annual festival, organizers will now plan for 2012.
For more photos please see this weeks print edition or click on the Photos tab at the top of this page.