June 17, 2020
By:
The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival has cancelled their LIVE music competition due to challenges presented by Covid-19, opting to create an innovative Virtual Jamboree for the first time in 49 years. The Jamboree is one of many festivals across the nation that have been forced to cancel in recent months, but one of the only festivals to develop a virtual platform for contestants. The online competition, however, seems to be an overwhelming success, receiving praise from musicians and dancers that have had nowhere to perform or compete.
“In the initial planning phases of the 49th Annual Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree, we were still under a stay-at-home order from the Governor, and cases were escalating. At that time, we had to make a very difficult decision to cancel the live competition and festival for the safety of our community,” said Sam Stout, President and Coordinator of the Jamboree, “In lieu of just cancelling and waiting around for next year, our marketing team suggested that we host a virtual competition via our FaceBook Page. Our board supported the decision, and the response was overwhelming, with cloggers and fiddlers submitting videos from across the nation.”
Longtime clogging competitor, Sherry Guenther (a crowd favorite), has been to every Jamboree since 1972, along with her family ‘The Lanana Drifters’. Sherry entered the Virtual Jamboree this year with her two granddaughters to continue the tradition, “I competed in my first Jamboree at the age of 13, and haven’t missed a single year,” Guenther says, “I entered the Senior Clogging category this year, and my two granddaughters entered the Beginner Clogging. The youngest is 3 years old.” Sherry’s competition video submission received 6,400 views on social media showing off her impressive clogging capabilities, her nimble knees, and a wall full of awards from previous years. Those numbers will likely grow after the PBS special airs next month.
“The competition started a little slow out of the gate, but grew quickly in talent and contest submissions as the idea of a virtual competition caught on,” said Shan Williams Stout, Director of Marketing for the Jamboree, “WCTE-PBS, along with DTC-TV3 were excited to present a televised version of the Virtual Jamboree, continuing the long-running tradition of having a televised event. We appreciate our media partners helping us to navigate this unusual situation by using virtual interviews from contestant’s homes, along with bringing hosts into the PBS studios with social distancing in place. A few surprises are in store, along with many of the hosts and local talent that we associate with the Jamboree year after year. Everyone has worked together, and had to think outside the box to make this possible. Due to the ability to open up the competition to everyone in the nation, we have had contestants from California to Pennsylvania, along with our first-ever contestants with special needs. We have now created a ‘Bluegrass Inclusive Dance Category’ just for them! We couldn’t be more excited for this wonderful addition to our festival.”
The special feature broadcast featuring the Smithville Fiddlers’ Virtual Jamboree will air on Saturday, July 4th at 5pm & 11pm (Central) on WCTE-PBS, along with being featured on DTC-TV3, and the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree FaceBook page at a later date. The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree would like to personally invite your to next year’s 50th Annual Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival entitled, “The Jamboree Family Reunion” on July 2nd & 3rd, 2021 on the courthouse square in Smithville, Tennessee.
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Pictured: Shan Williams Stout and Jennifer Hobbs Phipps, longtime hosts of the Jamboree on WCTE-PBS, are seen here filming part of the upcoming Virtual Jamboree 2020 airing July 4th at 5pm on WCTE-PBS.