'Rosin Up the Bow and Here We Go!' Downtown Branson Fiddle Festival Scheduled for...

'Rosin Up the Bow and Here We Go!' Downtown Branson Fiddle Festival Scheduled
for August 28, 29 & 30

BRANSON, Mo., July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Time to pull out those
fiddles and rosin up those bows. The 21st Annual Downtown Branson Fiddle
Festival & Mid-American Fiddlers Championship is coming to the banks of Lake
Taneycomo in late August.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090730/DC54166)

Fiddling, according to event producer Bill Lennon, is an integral part of the
fabric of the Ozarks. "The Ozarks and Fiddlin' should be like New Orleans
and Jazz," Lennon said. "And this event has brought together the best in
Ozarks fiddlers for the last two decades.

The weekend kicks off Friday night, August 28, with a concert by Springfield
third generation family bluegrass legends "Big Smith" in front of the
fountains at Branson Landing.

Free and open to the public, Big Smith's concert is only the beginning of a
weekend packed with the best fiddle performances anywhere.

On Saturday, August 29, the competition will begin with preliminary heats,
running from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Then following a gospel celebration at 10 a.m.
on Sunday, August 30, the finals will get underway at noon.

More than $5000 in cash prizes will be awarded to winners, who will compete in
six divisions: Pee Wee (ages 9 and younger,) Junior (10-16,) Senior (60 and
older,) Cross Tuning, Seconding (guitar/bass accompaniment) and Open. The
winners in the Pee Wee, Cross Tuning and Seconding divisions will be decided
on Saturday. The Junior, Senior and Open divisions' finals will be held Sunday
with the winners and first runners-up competing for the overall Grand Prize.
The overall winner will have the opportunity to perform that evening with the
Clay Cooper County Express at their Branson theatre.

In addition to the competition, there will be seminars held in the Ozarks
Music and Culture tent up the hill from The Landing in Branson's Historic
Downtown area. Street performances and sidewalk sales will also be part of
the happenings in Historic Downtown, and throughout the weekend, Branson
musicians and entertainers will be making special guest appearances.

The best part of the event is that it's totally free -- free to watch and free
to enter, sponsored by The Downtown Branson Main Street Association, The
Historic Downtown Branson Business Owners, The Branson Lakes Area Chamber of
Commerce, The Branson Landing and The City of Branson.

As Branson's reputation has grown, the fiddle festival's reputation has grown
along with it, and Lennon thinks the sky's the limit. "There's no reason why
this event can't be an event of national importance," he said.

To enter the Downtown Branson Fiddle Festival or for more information, visit
downtownbranson.org or call 417-334-1548.

For additional information about Branson's more than 100 live shows, theme
parks, lakes, golf courses, family attractions, shopping and other features,
or to order a free Branson Vacation Guide, call the Branson/Lakes Area
Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-214-3661 or visit our website at
www.explorebranson.com.

SOURCE Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau

Lynn Berry of Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors
Bureau, +1-417-243-2137, lberry@bransoncvb.com