Flags Presented to Jamboree Visitors from Australia, Washington, and Memphis

July 1, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Visitors from places near and far are in town this weekend for the 52nd Annual Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and Crafts Festival and a few of them were recognized with special honors during Friday night’s welcoming ceremony.

(View scenes from Fiddlers Jamboree by clicking link below)

https://www.wjle.com/fiddlers-jamboree/

After the introductions of several local public officials and community leaders, Congressman John Rose, State Senator Janice Bowling, and State Representative Michael Hale presented flags to persons who came from the longest distances to get here.

Congressman Rose and his family greeted the family of Jeremy Bell of Australia who recently moved here and acquired a business. State Senator Bowling presented a flag to Sue Conger, formerly of Smithville, who now lives in Camas, Washington while State Representative Hale had a flag for Elise Fleming of Memphis.

The opening ceremony at 6 p.m. began with a prayer by Jonathan Anderson of the Smithville Church of Christ and a performance of the National Anthem by Emily Phillips as two members of the Smithville Fire Department posted colors.

The Smithville Community Chorus later took the stage delivering a stirring patriotic performance and a tribute to blue grass. Near the end of the show, Faye Fuqua, who founded and has led the chorus since the 1970s was honored by the Jamboree Board. Fuqua’s daughter Kim Luton, President of the Fiddlers Jamboree presented her mother a plaque in appreciation.

Zeb Ross and the J. Creek Band, a star attraction of the evening, followed the chorus and was to be the last act before the finals competition, when the storms came and forced cancellation of the evening’s lineup.

The morning began shortly after 9 a.m. Friday with welcoming remarks by Luton, an opening prayer by minister Terry Little of the Smithville First United Methodist Church, and a performance of the National Anthem by Sarah Cripps. The preliminaries in each of the sixteen categories of music and dance competition then followed and were completed before the welcoming ceremonies at 6 p.m.

For more about the Fiddlers’ Jamboree including the weekend events from the festival click the links below

http://smithvillejamboree.com/

http://smithvillejamboree.com/scheduleEvents.html

June 30, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

FRIDAY WINNERS OF THE FIDDLERS JAMBOREE WILL BE AWARDED FROM THE STAGE TODAY (SATURDAY) AT 11 A.M.

The first day of the 52nd Annual Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and Crafts Festival was cut short Friday evening after severe thunderstorms moved through.

Zeb Ross and the J. Creek Cloggers, a non-competitive star attraction, was in the midst of its crowd-pleasing performance during the 7 p.m. hour when word came that a severe thunderstorm was approaching from the north and the show had to be halted.

Like prior years, Jamboree organizers tried to wait out the storm, but it wasn’t to be this time with the threat of more severe weather on the way. After a couple of hours, the decision was made by members of the Jamboree Board of Directors to call it a night.

Since preliminaries in all sixteen categories of music and dance competitions had been completed earlier, the Jamboree Board decided that without being able to start and complete the finals, scores from the preliminaries would determine the top three places in each category.

The Friday winners will be announced after the Saturday show starts at 9 a.m.

June 30, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A tradition renewed!

The Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and Crafts Festival begins today marking the 52nd year for one of Tennessee’s most favorite summer events. Thousands are expected to brave the heat to take in all the sights and sounds of the music and dancing featured on stage as well as the shade tree picking around the courthouse lawn. For craft lovers, there will also be plenty to experience as streets surrounding the public square will be lined with booths displaying lots of handmade crafts. Of course, you won’t go hungry either as several food booths are set up on both the north and south sides of the square.

The Community Chorus headlined a pre-jamboree patriotic program Thursday evening at Evins Park downtown joined by four-square dance teams, Smithville Select, DeKalb Dancin’ Delights, Center Hill Hoedown, and Caney Fork Circle Eights led by Mary Ann Puckett.

Today’s program kicks off at 9 a.m. and will continue non-stop, except for any rain delays, until the winners in today’s categories are decided. The community chorus will be featured on stage during the festival’s welcoming ceremonies around 6 p.m. following remarks by local and state dignitaries.

WJLE AM 1480/FM 101.7 will have LIVE radio coverage from the stage all day today and Saturday starting at 9 a.m. and TV viewers can watch on several DTC platforms

For more about the Fiddlers’ Jamboree including the weekend events from the festival click the links below

http://smithvillejamboree.com/

http://smithvillejamboree.com/scheduleEvents.html

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