The Central Fraser Valley Fiddlers celebrate their 50th anniversary with a free family-friendly barn dance in Abbotsford on Saturday, May 20.
The event runs from 1 to 4 p.m. (doors open at 12:30) at the Abbotsford Social Activity Association (ASAA) hall at 33889 Essendene Ave. There is free parking behind the hall and on Cyril Street.
Donations will be collected for the food banks in Abbotsford and Mission, and there will be cake, snacks, coffee and tea at no charge.
In the late 1960s, a group of dedicated musicians and community builders got together to build the Old Age Pensioners’ Hall on Essendene Avenue, which is now the ASAA hall.
Some of the people who helped build the hall also played old-time Canadian music and, like all musicians, they needed a place to play and one with a dance floor. They paid off the mortgage for the building within two years.
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Most of the fiddlers didn’t read music and rarely had any music lessons. They learned tunes by ear from each other and often changed some notes along the way, which is why fiddlers often have their own version of tunes.
They have played waltzes, foxtrots, two steps, jigs and reels for dancers at the ASAA hall for more than 50 years. Today, there are regular dances, dance lessons, square dances and exercise classes that take place throughout the week.
There are fiddle clubs across B.C. and many of them are members of the B.C. Old Time Fiddlers’ Association, which was formed over 40 years ago. The group promotes and encourages old-time music, fosters connections among the fiddling communities throughout B.C. and Canada, and encourages young people to take up fiddling and violin playing.
The Central Fraser Valley Fiddlers has members from Hope to Surrey who play old-time music for public and private events, seniors’ residences, and festivals.
Visit centralfraservalleyfiddlers.com for more information.