It was another wonderful week and a half filled with music—jam sessions of every kind, workshops covering a huge variety of instruments and styles, countless opportunities to make new friends and reconnect with friends from previous years, and, of course, fiddle contests for musicians of all ages. Contestants ranged from the Small Fry division (ages 8 and under) to the Senior Senior category, where players brought decades of musical experience, wisdom, and spirited performances to the stage. This year, winners in the official fiddle contests also took home beautiful custom belt buckles in addition to the traditional prizes. (You will see some of those belt buckles in the photos.)
The festivities also include the always lively Banjo Contests and the Fiddle & Banjo Contest, both held in the days before the official National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest begins. Banjo contestants even compete for one of the festival’s most beloved prizes—a homemade pie made by Sally Carpenter—along with the standard awards! And, of course, the annual dance featuring a hot live band on the museum’s top floor is always one of the week’s highlights.
The music actually begins days before the official contests. The jam sessions and workshops in the Stickerville campground are a festival unto themselves. The main camping area surrounds a cool series of historic buildings that used to be the Intermountain Institute, providing high school education and boarding starting back in 1899. These buildings now house a fascinating museum in one building, and rooms that one can rent in one of the other renovated buildings.
Part of the campground, affectionately known as “Stickerville,” has been a hotbed of jamming and camping during the festival time since the early 1970s. It was purchased in January 2001 by musicians and campers who learned their beloved camping area was up for sale. They pooled their resources, bought the land, and that campground has been going strong with music during the middle of June each year for the past 56 years, creating a welcoming musical community where people come to camp, jam, learn, and build lifelong friendships during the week leading up to the contests, and throughout contest week itself.
This year, the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest and Festival was honored with the 2026 Esto Perpetua Award, one of Idaho’s highest recognitions for cultural heritage. Presented by the Idaho State Historical Society, the award recognizes the festival as one of the state’s most enduring and influential community traditions.
A friend who joined me for his very first trip to Weiser repeatedly commented on how incredibly welcoming and friendly everyone was. He was amazed by the quality of the musicians, the nonstop jamming, and the abundance of opportunities to play with people from all over the country, both during the weekend before the contests and throughout contest week.
Weiser is so much more than fiddle contests! It is a celebration of community, music, and friendships. Jam sessions continue day and night, giving everyone the chance to learn new tunes, share music, and meet fellow musicians. While it isn’t one of the country’s largest music festivals, it attracts exceptional players and music lovers from across the United States, along with visitors from several other countries each year. The atmosphere is relaxed, the people are genuinely friendly, and the music is outstanding. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or simply someone who loves acoustic music, you’ll find some great music to listen to or take part in.
Below are a few videos and plenty of photos that offer a glimpse of the music that was played, taught, watched, danced to, and enjoyed throughout the week-and-a-half-long festival in Weiser, Idaho. Along with the incredible music are plenty of lighthearted traditions, including the humorous Certified Contests and even a pie-making class. If you love bluegrass, old-time, western swing, gypsy jazz, or other styles of acoustic music, the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest and Festival deserves a place on your bucket list. The jamming begins days before the official contests, continues well into the night, and creates an atmosphere unlike any other music festival.
Once you’ve experienced Weiser, it’s easy to understand why so many people return year after year. I know I am already looking forward to going back next year!
Here are the winners below.
Advanced Banjo
1st place – Jason Chixchen
2nd place – Jesse Martin
3rd place – Danick Jensen
Intermediate Banjo
1st place – Declan Homey
2nd place – Bart Carpenter
3rd place – Raynae Redmond
Banjo & Fiddle Contest
1st place – Tashina Clarridge Lindley & Orin Lindley
2nd place – Jessie Martin & Vince Costen
3rd place – Vi Wickam & Derek Costen
The official National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest & Festival Results. The winners won an amazingly cool big belt buckle along with the regular prizes.
Small Fry (8 years old and under)
1. Lainey Walrath
2. Miriam Pearce
3. Hadley Walrath
4. Bradley Guptil
5. Bode Bartoletti
Junior-Junior
1. Vanessa Gridasova
2. Isley Dierich
3. Ethan Teeter
4. Maggie Buckley
5. Hartford Coyle
Junior
1. McKenna Peterson
2. Ranelle Dietrich
3. Jetta Brooks
4. Jude Steward
5. Adrienne Jenson
Young Adult
1. Shelby Murdock
2. Justin Sherfey
3. Haden Duncan
4. Libby Rogers
5. Alexander Sharps
Adult
1. Julie Miller
2. Vi Wickam
3. Aaron Fewkes
4. Andy Emert
5. Brian Maney
Senior
1. Monte Gaylord
2. Tim Hodgson
3. Jeanine Orme
4. Bobbie Pearce
5. Sheri Eby
Senior-Senior
1. John Frances
2. Aaron Lowe
3. Starr McMullen
4. Eileen Walter
5. Mabel Vogt
Swing – 17 & Under
1. Max Francis
2. Adrienne Jensen
3. Daniela Gridasova
4. Mason Ludiker
5. Maggie Buckley
Swing – 18 and over
1.Katie Glassman
2. Monte Gaylord
3. Arlea Forbes-Prater
4. Vi Wickham
5. Keith Niehenke
Twin Fiddllin’ 17 & Under
1. Vanessa Gridasova & Daniela Gridasova
2. Jude Steward & John Steward
3. Kambri Jenson & Chloe Nicolayeff
4. Clark Matson & Lilly Edmonds
5. Evynn Bowden & Hadley Walrath
Twin Fiddlin/ 18 & Over
1. Tashina Clarridge Lindley & Tristan Clarridge
2. Shelby Murdock & Maggie Wight
3. Ranelle Dietrich & Jesse Quintana
4.Nancy Padilla & Jeanine Orme
4. Aimee Petersen & McKenna Petersen
Grand Champion
1. Tashina Clarridge Lindley
2. Tristan Clarridge
3. Jesse Quintana
4. Celeste Johnson
5. Max Francis
6. Katie Glassman
7. Doug Fleener
8. Danielle Meeks
9. Gary Shuh
10. Leah Huguenin
The very fun Certified Contests Monday through Wednesday night are highly entertaining. One of the categories for instance is “Best Costume.”
Monday Certified Contest Winners
- Fanciest Fiddler- Nancy Padilla
- Best Female Fiddler- Bobbie Pearce
- Best Male Fiddler- Bode Bartoletti
- Best Costume- Odessa Coyle
Tuesday Certified Contest Winners
- Fanciest Fiddler – Isaac Helland
- Best Female Fiddler – Tashina Clarridge Lindley
- Best Male Fiddler – Ben LiaBraaten
- Best Costume – Isaac Callender
Wednesday Certified Contest Winners
- Fanciest Fiddler – Trevor Jenson
- Best Female Fiddler – Lainey Walrath
- Best Male Fiddler – Bradley Guptill
- Best Costume – Trevor Jensen
Here’s a fun snippet of Sailor’s Hornpipe (the Popeye theme!) from the Certified Contest.
Katie Glassman performing in the Swing Fiddle Category.
Max Frances in under 17 Swing fiddle
Monte Gaylord doing Sweet Georgia Brown.
Arlea Forbes-Prater performing Redwing.
