Everyone is invited to the 42nd International Musical Saw Festival! The festival’s main event begins at 10 am Sunday, August 11, at Roaring Camp in Felton, California. The world’s greatest saw players will join other acoustic musicians in a variety of musical performances. You’ll hear bluegrass, country, folk, gospel, blues, classical works, and show tunes throughout the day.
The highlight of the festival is the musical saw contest, which takes place from 11-1 on Sunday. All saw players are invited to compete in the contest, beginners and experts alike. Participants in the contest are asked to play “Auld Lang Syne” twice through without accompaniment and another song of their choice with any sort of accompaniment they like. The presentation of awards takes place at 3pm, followed by the chorus of saws, when up to 50 saw players play together, and at 4pm there will be a free workshop for those who want to learn to play the saw.
On Saturday, August 10, the day before the contest, saw players will gather at 2 pm in beautiful Santa Cruz in front of the world’s only life-sized statue of a saw player for a fun and relaxed acoustic jam. The jam takes place in front of Bookshop Santa Cruz (1520 Pacific Avenue). Bring your saw or other acoustic instrument and join in. There will also be a potluck and jam at 6:30 pm at the Roaring Camp outer parking lot in Felton, CA, on Saturday the 10th.
This one-of-a-kind event is free and fun for the whole family. You can wander the marvelous grounds of Roaring Camp, see live steam trains, eat, and listen to the wonderful sounds of the musical saw. Whether you’re a musician, a fan of music, or just a fan of the unusual, this special event is for you. For more information, check out www.sawplayers.org. You can also find lodging information at the link.
