OLYMPIA OLD TIME FESTIVAL
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Thank you to MicWerks for doing sound for this year's festival!


​No Festival in 2021.
Below is the 2020 schedule.


Scroll down to see the Workshop Schedule.  


Concerts, Shows, and Dances
​

Thursday Night Kick-off Dance (2/13)

7pm - 10pm            South Bay Grange
            Band:            Piney Gals & Pals
  

            Caller:           Charmaine Slaven

Saturday All Ages Dance (2/15)

 2pm - 3pm              South Bay Grange
          Band:               River, Sage & Friends
                                  
         Caller:               Caroline Oakley

Friday Night Events (2/14)

Saturday Night Dance (2/15)

 5pm - 7pm              Lounge Acts - South Bay Grange
                                   Briar - Featuring Joe Seamons
                                   The Sassafrass Sisters


7pm - 10pm             Main Concert - South Bay Grange
                                   Ella Korth
                                   Evie Ladin & Keith Terry
                                   Brad Leftwich and The Humdingers

​​                                  
10pm - Midnight     Late Night Square Dance
                                    South Bay Grange

                     Band:     Atlas 
Stringboard

                    Caller:     Conner Maguire

​
Sunday Cabaret (2/16)

 5pm - 7pm               Lounge Acts - South Bay Grange
                                    Brograss
                                    Yodelady

                                   
​7pm - 10pm              Main Square Dance - South Bay Grange
           Band:               The Humdingers


           Caller:               Evie Ladin

10pm - Midnight     Late Night Cajun Dance
                                    South Bay Grange

            Band:              Les Coeurs Criminels         
                                                        
​1pm - 3pm     South Bay Grange
Our traditional close-out of the weekend festivities. The Cabaret is open to anyone and we get a mix of festival performers, instructors, participants, and kids. If you've never been you're missing out, and if you have attended, well then, you know what we mean. A sign up sheet is  usually floating around the registration table all weekend. Amazing things happen when we open ourselves up to possibilities!!


Workshop Schedule (all workshops are free!)

Workshop Locations:
Click HERE for directions to workshop venues

*All workshops run for 1 hour unless otherwise noted*


Friday (2/14) Workshops


Saturday (2/15) Workshops

11am - 4pm
(Please note the different workshop locations)
11am - 5pm
(Please note the different workshop locations)

11am - 12pm
Cajun Fiddle

Arbutus Back Room
Lisa Ornstein
Lisa is a masterful fiddler in multiple genres including Cajun, Quebecois, and old time. She's done deep dives into all those styles and provides helpful insight into the style, origins, and backstory of the tunes she teaches. She'll give you some Cajun tunes and discuss techniques that make Cajun fiddling unique.


11am - 12pm
Old Time Fiddle
Arbutus Back Room
Lisa Ornstein

Master old time fiddler and skilled teacher Lisa Ornstein will help you get some solid old time tunes under your belt. Lisa is known for her insightful tips on bowing that give tunes that old time drive and syncopation.
​

12pm - 1pm
Make a Crankie
Grange Lounge
Emily Teachout & Shanty Slater
Illustrate a tune or ballad on a scroll of paper, then perform it by illuminating it from behind and rolling it by in time to the music. Emily and Shanty will demonstrate a crankie they've already made and then the class will make one together. Bring yourself and your creativity. All supplies provided.

12pm - 1pm
Mountain Dulcimer
Grange Hall
Tom Merrett
Tom will teach a couple of simple tunes, and will show a few basic chords and how to incorporate them into songs and melodies. There will be a couple of extra dulcimers on-hand for those who want to try it out.

12pm - 1pm
Ukulele
Arbutus Front Room
Briar

Beginning ukulele with Briar (Tina Dietz). Briar will teach the basics of playing the ukulele in an old time music setting.

12pm - 1pm
Songs
Arbutus Back Room
Joe Seamons

Woody Guthrie's songs from the Northwest. Multi-instrumentalist and educator Joe Seamons will teach some of the songs Woody wrote for the Bonneville Power Adminstration back in 1941. Joe produced a collection of the 26 songs Woody wrote during his time in the northwest and released them through Smithsonion Folkways Recordings.

1pm - 2pm
Make a Crankie continued
Grange Lounge
Emily Teachout & Shanty Slater

Continued from earlier workshop. 

​1pm - 2pm
Clogging Basics
Grange Hall
Abby Ladin

Learn the fundamental steps, how to string them together and keep a rhythmic pulse from Abby Ladin, of The Humdingers. If you already clog, Abby will challenge you with syncopation and beginning improvisation.

1pm - 2pm
Harmony Singing
Arbutus Back Room
West of Roan

Creating harmonies - explore ideas of intuitive harmony singing, and learn basic techniques to two-part singing. Channing and Annie, of West of Roan, have a “no rules” approach and love finding the powerful capacities of two unaccompanied voices. You'll use your true voices to sing, and your bodies to listen.

1pm - 2pm
Mandolin
Arbutus Back Room
Anna Sandys

Anna, of Portland's Hops & Honey Goodtime Band, will lead this informative class on old-time backup for mandolin. Explore using the mandolin as a rhythm/percussion instrument for backing up tunes and songs.

2pm - 3pm
Rhythm
Grange Lounge
Keith Terry

Keith, of the Evie Ladin and Keith Terry Duo, will lead this entertaining and informative workshop. Improve your rhythmic skills by exploring downbeats and upbeats, syncopation, polyrhythms, half time/double time, and more. Guaranteed to open ears and expand your rhythmic horizons.

​
2pm - 3pm
Oklahoma Fid
dle Tunes
Grange Hall
Brad Leftwich

Brad, of The Humdingers will teach interesting and unusual tunes from two Oklahoma fiddlers that were his mentors: Tom Fuller, from southwest OK, and John Dee Kennedy from Pawnee, in northeast OK.

2pm - 3pm
Old Time Songs
Arbutus Front Room
​Jen Witherspoon

Come sing some songs with Jen, of Yodelady! Old ballads, old country, nothin fancy, just fun. Lyrics sheets will be provided.

2pm - 3pm
Accompaniment
Arbutus Back Room
​River and Sage Scheurell

Olympia's own energetic multi-instrumentalist brothers River and Sage will help you explore creative chords in old time music. For those wanting to move beyond the 1, 4, and the 5.

3pm - 4pm
Mandolin
Grange Lounge
Sam Bartlett

Sam, of The Humdingers, will teach a few old-time tunes (at least one from the repertoire of Garry Harrison). Tunes will be taught using an embarrassing amount of singing, as you examine this peculiar instrument stuck at the crossroad of rhythm and melody.

3pm - 4pm
Dancing with Others
Grange Hall
​Evie Ladin

Evie, of the Evie Ladin & Keith Terry Duo will help you learn the basics of partner dance. Square dance, two step, waltz, more - learn basic skills for dancing with a partner - weight sharing, leading, following, turns, footwork - it's easier than you think and makes dancing together so much more satisfying.

12pm - 1pm
Harmony Singing
Grange Lounge
Evie Ladin

Using the Carter Family as a jumping off place, Evie will teach simple three part harmony in this beautiful style. Finding harmony lines that sometimes weave around the melody, sometimes cross or create unisons, you will develop a better ability to hear and find parts, and learn what gives these harmonies their particular old-time country sound, and power.

​
12pm - 1pm
Kid Jam
Grange Hall
Maggie Neatherlin

After growing up in the Olympia Old Time music scene, Maggie loves helping younger kids participate in making music. She'll lead a kid-oriented jam with familiar tunes. All acoustic instruments welcome. All interested youngsters are welcome to participate.

12pm - 1m
Mandolin
Arbutus Front Room
Tashi Litch

Tashi, of Brograss, will cover fundamental techniques for the right and left hand, and then help the class apply those techniques to a tune.

12pm - 1pm
Old Time Guitar
Arbutus Back Room
Jen Witherspoon

Jen, of Yodelady, will go over the basics, some simple and slick bass runs, and a little bit of how to create your own stylish signature in the rhythm section. Chord sheets provided.

​1pm - 2pm
Stuntology
Grange Lounge
​Sam Bartlett

Learn the best, dumbest tricks you wish you’d been taught by your grandfather. Sam is an authority on best, dumbest tricks and author of 4 books on the topic. “I wish I’d had his books when I was 12.” Ira Glass.

1pm - 2pm
Ozark Fiddle Tunes
Grange Hall
Brad Leftwich

Brad, of The Humdingers, will share tunes from Ozark fiddlers: Violet Hensley of Yellville, AR (who is still fiddling at age 103!) and Fate Morrison of Fox, AR. If time allows, you'll also explore one from Howe Teague from Salem, MO.

1pm - 2pm
Flatpick Guitar
Arbutus Front Room
Kaj Litch

Kaj, of Brograss, will focus on foundational flat picking technique and then he'll help the class apply those techniques to learn a tune.

1pm - 2pm
Clawhammer Banjo
Arbutus Back Room
​Monica Peabody

Monica, of Yodelady, will teach the basic clawhammer stroke and rhythm as well as a tune to get you started.


2pm - 3pm
All Ages Dance
Grange Hall
River, Sage & Friends with Caroline Oakley caller

This is a square dance that is especially geared towards inclusion of youngsters. Caller Caroline Oakley specializes in welcoming and fun dances for all ages and abilities and will teach all the necesary moves. Brothers River and Sage Scheuerell will provide energetic and lively tunes. A favorite festival event for many, smiles always abound!

​
2pm - 3pm
Community Discussion
Grange Lounge
Joe Seamons

American roots music was created by a wide range of cultures, and yet we don't see that range reflected in the audiences at many of our festivals. How do we, as musicians and community members, create a more welcoming environment for all types of people to celebrate our music and culture? Joe Seamons, director of The Rhapsody Project, will facilitate a discussion and offer some tools and resources for people interested in these issues. All are welcome to listen or take part!

2pm - 3pm
Harmony Singing
Arbutus Front Room
West of Roan

Harmony singing repertoire - join Channing and Annie, of West of Roan, in learning two-part harmonies to some beautiful songs. You'll sing everything acapella, and learn each part note for note.

2pm - 3pm
Pitchfork Banjo
Arbutus Back Room
​Cameron DeWhitt

Cameron is the innovator behind pitchfork banjo, a three-finger clawhammer technique that allows the player unprecedented access to melody, harmony, and rhythms that are impractical with the standard clawhammer stroke. He'll demonstrate some advanced applications of pitchfork, lead an exercise to develop the right hand technique, and teach some basic applications to a well-known tune.


3pm - 4pm
Grange Hall
Teen Jam
Maggie Neatherlin and Friends

Maggie, and friends, will host a jam geared toward older kids and young adults. All acoustic instruments welcome. This is a chance for young adults to get to know each other and have fun sharing tunes. This jam typically picks up some speed and may blur the lines of genres. Familiarity with basic chords and ability to pick up tunes on the fly, by ear, will help players join in on more tunes, but players of all levels are most welcome!

​
3pm - 4pm
Bass
Grange Lounge
Abby Ladin

Beginning techniques and basic framework for backing up old time tunes in the keys of D and A. Abby, of The Humdingers, will discuss rhythm and timing, communication, and how to find a session’s rhythmic sweet spot.

3pm - 4pm 
Cajun Accordion
Arbutus Folk School
Paul Denison

Learn the basics of Cajun Accordion from Paul, of Les Coeurs Criminels. Work on playing out of different positions as a foundation for Cajun rhythm and ornamentation. And a tune too! (Paul will be playing a C accordion.)

3pm - 4pm
Cajun Singing
Arbutus Back Room
Jinny Macrae

You will learn as many tunes as we have time for and get a few pointers on the unique Cajun French pronunciation. Bring instruments if you want to accompany yourself and recording devices if desired. Lyric sheets will be provided. If you can carry a tune and like to sing loud, you're good.


​4pm - 5pm
Guitar Accompaniment
Grange Hall
Ella Korth

In this workshop geared at intermediate level guitar players, Ella will talk about ways of adding variety to your rhythm playing to serve the song you are singing, especially if it is just you and your guitar, and ways of approaching the melody of the song on your guitar.

4pm - 5pm
Cajun Twin Fiddle
Arbutus Front Room
​Joanne Pontrello and Paul Denison

Joanne and Paul, of Les Coeurs Criminels, will explain some basic chord shapes, how they work across the neck, and different bowing patterns that create that Cajun/Creole rhythm. Learn a tune and apply the method to come up with some fun seconding (the gateway into Cajun music).

4pm - 5pm
Cajun Guitar
Arbutus Back Room
​Jinny Macrae

Learn how to be that powerful rhythm that drives the Cajun 2 steps and waltzes. You'll need to be able to play the 1, 4 5 in C, G, D, and A and be able to nail the major bar chords.  Chord charts will be provided and recording devices encouraged. 


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