Black Creek Fiddlers’ Reunion is an annual festival devoted to Appalachian string-band music, held over Memorial Day Weekend at the Altamont Fairgrounds (near Albany, NY).
People come to Black Creek to play music – there are no performances. The music we play is string-band music rooted in the Appalachian social dance and “front porch” music tradition, played with acoustic instruments – specifically fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, mountain dulcimer, bass, and a few others. You may occasionally hear music from related traditions – a Cajun jam or a mountain gospel sing – but you won’t hear generic folk or bluegrass style music.
All around the festival you’ll find small, informal jams – 4–5 folks in a tight circle under a pop-up, a fiddler and banjo player knee to knee under a tree, open community jams, and the all-day open jam in the Welcome Tent.
Black Creek is an all-levels festival – everyone is welcome! If you’ve never been to a festival before, there are plenty of open community jams to welcome you and show you the ropes.
Stop by for the day, or camp out Friday to Sunday in a tent or small trailer.
Extras at the festival include skills workshops, organized community jams, and a Saturday evening potluck. Additional traditions (held some years) are a square dance & a Sunday Sing.
Black Creek Fiddlers’ Reunion Organizers
Susan Farber, Jennifer Wilkin, Adam Kology