Dulcimers List Info

Maps to and of Festival.

ODPC Website

Main Dulcimer Page
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Photos of the Festival

The collection of photos taken at the 2006 festival
PHOTOS!

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Workshops

221 workshops were scheduled for the 2006 festival. You can print out the program which is the same program you used at the festival.
2006 Workshops

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You might be interested in what the funfest bunch looked like in 1980 (which we've concluded is probably the date of this photo)!

Click on the above photo to see a much larger image, complete with names.

 

We have just received another old photo of a jam that included California Bob and Jill Rowland, Judi and Glen Morningstar, and Paul Goelz (among others). Help us date this photo. Bob thinks it might be 1981, but he's not sure.

 

 Folks who attend the festival will tell you that the ODPC Funfest is unlike any other. It's a unique experience. The attendees have a close kinship. They are like family. Sharing the love of this instrument inspires a special bond. Several folks wrote messages to the "email list" after the 2005 festival (and similar comments are coming in for 2006). Those messages express their feelings and demonstrate the emotions that attending the festival inspires. Here are some of them:

Rochelle's Comments
Kathy's Comments
Bill's Thank-you

 

Friday and Saturday evenings there's a tradition of assembling all hammered dulcimer players on stage for a pre-show event. Unfortunately rains dampened the 2005 assembly and heat hit in 2006. So no records were set in 2006, but 175 souls played together Saturday night.

 

 

It's always fun to review what's happened in previous years. Photos and copies of previous years' workshop programs can be found in the archive. (It's also a great way to become acquainted with the event, if you're thinking about attending for the first time.)
The archive

 

 

At the 2004 event there were lots of fun goings on including an amazing performance on the last night in the Swine Barn featuring Gail Schwandt and Linda Foley:
"Ghost Chickens in the Sky"

 

 

If you have any questions about the festival, feel free to email me.

 

The Osceola County Fairgrounds, Evart, Michigan, is the site of this fabulous event.

You probably have questions, but we think we've covered all of the answers. If not, we have several ways for you to find out everything you need to know. Why not start by reading the "frequently asked questions" (aka FAQs).

At the 2004 Saturday night show, there were 275 dulcimers playing together. The record was 302 dulcimers in 2001. 2005 there was rain so very few risked their instruments and 2006 it was really hot.

The first of the festival campers arrive about June 1st (more than a month before the official start.) In 2004, there were 687, about 700 in 2005 and 572 in 2006 (in 2006, gas prices really hit hard). Most of us spent at least a full week on the grounds. The highest number of campers was 748 camping units in 2001.

If you need a place to stay for 2007 and camping isn't your "thing," check with Sandy Holder. She has a list of the local motels and hotels. E-mail her for that information. Ask for the "Motel and Hotel List". The earlier, the better. Don't delay. You can always cancel.

Here is some music recorded live at the 2001 and 2003 Evart Funfests!! Hope you enjoy these tunes.

If all this sounds interesting, and you think you'd like to attend, or if you are an annual attendee and know you'll want to be part of the fun every year, you may want to subscribe to an e-mail "list" known as dulcimers@yahoogroups.com. The list will help you stay informed of plans for the festival and will help share information on the event.

The "list" holds a reception the Wednesday evening before the festival, which generally draws over 100 members of this group. We've held these receptions for eight years.

Click the "yahoogroups" button to subscribe to the list "dulcimers@yahoogroups.com". It's a fun, friendly year-round link to Evart festival folks and information.

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