National Fiddling Day Celebration in Regina

Fiddlers in Regina and area –– rosin up your bow and come down. The Cultural Exchange presents the first National Fiddling Day, celebrating its 30 years of fostering fiddle music in Saskatchewan with a gathering of fiddlers on Saturday May 16 in the Exchange.

The evening will begin with an “open mic” session allowing established or pick-up groups of fiddlers to showcase their music. For the rest of the evening, there will be a wide-open fiddle jam for players of all ages and skill levels to enjoy group fiddling and maybe even learn some new tunes. There’s no charge for admission and the public is invited. The show starts at 7 p.m.

“Fiddlers don’t get a lot of opportunities to gather and play,” said Malcolm McLeod, a fiddler for more than 40 years and the organizer of the event. “There are hundreds of fiddlers in Regina who love the instrument and the music and we hope to see most of them at this fiddle party.”

This spring, the Parliament of Canada gave unanimous approval to a private member’s bill sponsored by Senator Elizabeth Hubley to proclaim the third Saturday in May as National Fiddling Day. The bill took almost a year to be debated and approved by the Senate and then the House of Commons before it was given Royal Assent.

Fiddling has a rich history in Canada and has roots throughout our entire nation. Scottish, French, English, Slavic, Nordic, and Métis music have all influenced Canadian fiddling. Fiddle music connects all regions of Canada and is a delight to all those who play and listen.

In 1985, the Saskatchewan Cultural Exchange Society started the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp. For 10 years, it was the only fiddle camp east of Ontario and it sparked a movement for the preservation of the fiddle music and playing in Saskatchewan.

For more information, please contact the Cultural Exchange at 306-780-9494 or Malcolm McLeod at 306-527-6547.