The 32nd Annual Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival is this weekend, July 10-12, at Cannonsburgh Village in Murfreesboro TN. A master banjo player and performer, Uncle Dave Macon is considered one of the first Grand Ole Opry superstars. He died in 1952 and was elected, posthumously, to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1966. Considered one of America’s premier summer festivals, the family-oriented event annually attracts more than 45,000 people, and has been selected as one of the Top 20 events in the Southeast for 2009 (Southern Tourism Society). UDMD is one of the few old-time music competitions in the country. A purse of more than $10,000 is at stake during Friday and Saturday’s competitions. In 1986, the US House of Representatives proclaimed these competitions to be the National Championships in Old-Time Banjo, Old-Time Clogging, and Old-Time Buckdancing. Festivities begin at 4:00pm on Friday, and start back on Saturday at 8:30am, going well into the evening. There will be plenty of food and arts & crafts vendors, a motorless parade, historic photo exhibit, workshops, and of course plenty of spots for shade tree picking. This year a Children’s Area has been added, which will have inflatable rides, carnival games, and concessions. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Musical Petting Zoo will allow budding musicians a hands-on experience to play instruments. The Trailblazer Award will be presented on Friday night to Thomas Maupin, an old-time traditional buckdancer, and the Heritage Award will be presented on Saturday to the Roan Mountain Hilltoppers String Band. WSM-AM 650 will be on site all day on Saturday, featuring Mike Terry and Eddie Stubbs. Admission to the festival is free; lots of free parking available at the city parking garage includes a free shuttle across the street to the festival site (there is also parking available by Cannonsburgh for a small fee). Festival is at Historic Cannonsburgh Village, Broad Street, Murfreesboro, TN. Directions: take I-24 to Murfreesboro to exit 81. Proceed toward Murfreesboro on Church Street; turn left onto Broad Street. Cannonsburgh is just a couple of minutes down on the left (city parking garage is across the street). Murfreesboro is about 30 minutes southeast of downtown Nashville.
