1of7'Just 'pickin'n fiddlin'
SPECTRUM/Mandolin player Bill Hamilton of Washington acknowledges applause from the sun-baked crowd at Hurlburt Community Park in Roxbury on hand Sunday for the town volunteer firefighters' annual benefit Pickin'n Fiddlin competition. The 36th edition of the popular event was postponed Saturday due to heavy rains but an enthusiastic crowd turned out Sunday for the show. For the story and more photos, see next Friday's Greater New Milford Spectrum.Trish HaldinShow MoreShow Less2of7SPECTRUM/Tuning up for their performance are, from left to right, Jenna Hutensky, 8, of West Hartford, Abby Sowa, 9, of Glastonbury and Mahima Rajesh, 10, of Belle Mead, N.J. at the Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department's annual Pickin' n Fiddlin' competition, July 10, 2010 at Hurlburt Community Park.Trish HaldinShow MoreShow Less3of7SPECTRUM/David Sewell of Woodbury performs "Old Time Fiddle" at the Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department's annual Pickin' n Fiddlin' competition, July 10, 2010 at Hurlburt Community Park.Trish HaldinShow MoreShow Less4of7SPECTRUM/Kayley Bresson, 14, of Roxbury peddles ice cream and other treats to raise money at the Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department's annual Pickin' n Fiddlin' competition, July 10, 2010 at Hurlburt Community Park.Trish HaldinShow MoreShow Less5of7SPECTRUM/Volunteer firefighter Bill Steers serves up food to the judges at the Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department's annual Pickin' n Fiddlin' competition, July 10, 2010 at Hurlburt Community Park.Trish HaldinShow MoreShow Less6of7SPECTRUM/Guy Wolff of Bantam celebrates his blue ribbon for banjo at the Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department's annual Pickin' n Fiddlin' competition, July 10, 2010 at Hurlburt Community Park.Trish HaldinShow MoreShow Less7of7SPECTRUM/Shealyn Kennedy, 10, and Owen Hibbard, 7, of Roxbury touch base with volunteers, from left to right, Christy Harty, Mary Sprong and Emily Hibbard, all members of the Booth Free School payground committee, during the Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department's annual Pickin' n Fiddlin' competition, July 10, 2010 at Hurlburt Community Park.Trish HaldinShow MoreShow Less
Folks were there from many miles around, an estimated 1,700 strong, to play their music, hear others' performances or just to soak up the atmosphere.
For a 36th straight year, the Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department's iconic Pickin' `n Fiddlin' contest proved a rousing success July 11 at Hurlburt Community Park in Roxbury.
The event had been postponed from July 10 because of rain.
Performances ranged from old-time fiddle, old-time banjo, mandolin, trick and fancy fiddle, finger picking and flat picking guitar and bluegrass banjo to a band playoff.
More than $3,200 in prize money, donated by Union Savings Bank, was earned by the musicians as patrons lounged in lawn chairs or blankets, indulging in picnic fare and beverages.
In all, 69 performers and 12 bands played their music.
The whole shindig was held as a fundraiser for the town's volunteer fire department.
"This is (our) major fundraiser, proceeds going towards new equipment for the department," said firefighter Andrew Kotas, who offered his appreciation to "all the volunteers and contributors who make it happen."
Among the Greater New Milford area's contest highlights were a second-place performance by John Bolster of New Milford in old-time banjo and third-place efforts by Friso Hermans of New Preston in old-time fiddle and Bruce Wheeler of Kent in finger-pick guitar.
