Mountain City Fiddlers’ Convention

One year after celebrating a remarkable 100-year milestone, the Mountain City Fiddlers’ Convention is ready to strike up the music once again—this time beginning its second century.

The historic convention returns Friday and Saturday, October 2–3, 2026, to Heritage Hall Square in downtown Mountain City, Tennessee, for two days of old-time and bluegrass music, spirited competition, food, fellowship, and family-friendly entertainment.

Admission is free for spectators.

Presented by The Kody Norris Show, this year’s convention will feature six live performances by Denim & Plaid, The Kody Norris Show, Lonesome River Band, Remedy Tree, Carson Peters and the legendary Riders in the Sky. Saturday’s competition will bring together youth and adult musicians competing for more than $12,000 in cash and prizes—including a custom Jason Barie fiddle valued at approximately $5,000 for the Grand Champion of the Fiddle Off.

It is a fitting beginning to the next chapter of a gathering that helped shape the sound of American roots music.

Where Old-Time Music Found Its Voice

The story of the Mountain City Fiddlers’ Convention began in May 1925, when musicians gathered in this small Appalachian town for what would become one of the most influential musical events in the region’s history.

Among the performers associated with that first convention were “Fiddlin’ John” Carson, Charlie Bowman, Dudley “Fiddlin’ Dud” Vance, G.B. Grayson and Clarence Ashley—pioneering musicians whose work would influence generations of old-time, country, bluegrass and Americana artists.

The music performed in Mountain City traveled far beyond Johnson County through recordings made by those early musicians. Music historians now recognize the original gathering as one of the formative events that helped bring the distinctive sounds of East Tennessee and Appalachia to audiences around the world.

For decades, the Mountain City Fiddlers’ Convention remained a treasured community tradition—a place where musicians could share tunes, exchange stories, and compete for prizes while helping preserve the mountain styles passed from one generation to the next.

The Mountain City Rotary Club, Johnson County Chamber of Commerce, Doug and Jackie Warden, and many others helped keep that tradition alive through the years. The Wardens hosted the convention at Old Mill Music Park in Laurel Bloomery until the event entered a three-year hiatus during the pandemic.

In 2023, Mountain City native Kody Norris and The Kody Norris Show took the lead in reviving the convention and carrying its legacy forward. Known nationally for high-energy performances, vintage style, and a deep respect for traditional mountain music, the award-winning group has helped introduce the convention—and the musical heritage of Norris’ hometown—to new audiences.

The convention reached another milestone in 2024 when Timon Veelenturf of the Netherlands became its first international Grand Champion Fiddle winner.

Then, in 2025, musicians, residents and visitors gathered for the convention’s centennial celebration, honoring the artists who started it all while celebrating the musicians carrying the tradition into the future.

The music now continues into a second century in the place where old-time music found its voice.

Friday Night Concerts

The convention opens Friday, October 2, with three live performances:

6 p.m. — Denim & Plaid

7 p.m. — The Kody Norris Show

8 p.m. — Lonesome River Band

Friday evening will offer audiences a full night of bluegrass and traditional music, from emerging regional talent to nationally recognized performers.

Saturday Competitions and Performances

Registration for Saturday’s competitions will open in person at 8 a.m. inside Heritage Hall Theatre.

The Youth Contest begins at 10 a.m., followed by the Adult Contest at 1 p.m. Competitors should be registered, warmed up and ready to perform at least 15 minutes before the beginning of their category.

Saturday’s schedule includes:

10 a.m. — Youth Contest

1 p.m. — Adult Contest

5:30 p.m. — Remedy Tree

6:30 p.m. — Carson Peters

7:30 p.m. — Riders in the Sky

8 p.m. — Awards

Competitors may enter individual instrument and performance categories, with the day culminating in the prestigious Fiddle Off and the naming of the 2026 Grand Champion Fiddle winner.

The entry fee is $15 per person, per category, payable by cash or card. Competitors may enter multiple categories, with a separate registration fee required for each one.

Individual contestants will perform two selections and may be accompanied by no more than two rhythm instruments. Bands must include between four and six registered contestants and will perform one instrumental selection and one vocal selection. Traditional song selections are required, and electric instruments, wind instruments, and percussion are not permitted.

Complete competition categories, prize information and official rules are available at MountainCityFC.com.

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Community event in Blountville, TN 37617.