Registration for those competing in the Junior, Senior, Picking, or Band competitions is at Homestead National Historical Park's Education Center from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm the day of the competition.
Free Fiddle Workshop: 10 am on Saturday, May 24, 2025, Terry Keefe will present a free fiddle workshop for anyone interested.
NPS/Robert Hartwig
Junior Competition: noon, Saturday, May 24, 2025. This photo shows Mikayla Knott, who took first place in the Junior category at the 2024 Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival. The order of competitive events for the 2025 Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival is: Junior Competition (starts at noon), Special Guest Band, Senior Competition, Picking Competition, and Band Competition.
NPS/Robert Hartwig
Between the Junior and Senior competitions on Saturday, May 24, 2025, The McGovern Stringband will be performing. Acoustic Americana and Bluegrass - featuring the vocals of father & son, Kelly McGovern (guitar) and Brian McGovern (mandolin). The McGovern String Band’s repertoire includes songs from a variety of genres performed in Bluegrass style. The band also includes David Morris on bass, Resophonic guitar player Steve “Fuzzy” Blazek, Daren Blythe on 5-string banjo, and Sam Packard on fiddle. Kelly, David, and Steve have each been inducted into the Nebraska Performing Arts Hall of Fame. The band’s three- and four-part harmonies, combined with a percussive acoustic instrumentation, recall that legendary high lonesome sound of Bluegrass.
Senior Competition: Saturday, May 24, 2025, after The McGovern Stringband.This photo shows Joe Fedrizzi, one the winners in the Senior category at the 2024 Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival. The order of competitive events for the 2025 Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival is: Junior Competition (starts at noon), Special Guest Band, Senior Competition, Picking Competition, and Band Competition.
NPS/Robert Hartwig
Picking Competition: Saturday, May 24, 2025, after the Senior competition. This photo shows Monte Gaylord, who took first place in the Picking category at the 2024 Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival. The order of competitive events for the 2025 Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival is: Junior Competition (starts at noon), Special Guest Band, Senior Competition, Picking Competition, and Band Competition.
NPS/Robert Hartwig
Band Competition: Saturday, May 24, 2025, after the Picking competition. This photo of Rattlesnake and Pearls features one of the winning bands from the 2024 Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival. The order of competitive events for the 2025 Tallgrass Prairie Fiddle Festival is: Junior Competition (starts at noon), Special Guest Band, Senior Competition, Picking Competition, and Band Competition.
