The BC Old Time Fiddlers Association is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Starting as jam sessions in the 1960’s, Prince George remains the strongest branch with 120 active members, including 19 children/youth and 14 life members.
They had to grow with the times after numbers dropped in 2015.
“We’ve adapted by using some of our club money to fund lessons,” President Doug Borden explains.
“In 2014 we thought we needed to reach some new members so we started offering lessons during our jam times, that’s how we grew our club through those tough times.”
Moving away from competitions, an annual jamboree is the major event for the association. It draws in people from across BC including Burns Lake and Williams Lake.
“We do playing and learning together as a larger group of people, we will bring in instructors from out of town, and that helps promote the club, it helps bring new people in, and just build the fiddle community.”
Weekly lessons and jam sessions continue to be put on by the group.