Culture
Stuart’s Opera House reimagines Old Time Music Week as Happy Hollow Hootenanny
< < Back toNELSONVILLE, Ohio – This year Stuart’s Opera House presents their annual Old Time Music week as the annual Happy Hollow Hootenanny, happening Thursday, June 8 through Sunday, June 11.
The event, located at the Snow Fork Event Center (5685 Happy Hollow Rd.), will celebrate music, art and the culture of the Central Appalachian Foothills. Workshops in Old Time Music, dancing and calling, traditional crafts and more will be offered all weekend.
Early Bird Registration begins February 20 for the reduced price of $100. Main Registration will begin April 1 at $200 and scholarships are available upon request.
Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from prestigious instructors such as John Harrod, who has been performing traditional fiddle music for over 45 years, banjo player Nadia Ramlagan and mandolin instructor Zeke Hutchinson.
“There’s a big community of musicians and … I just love to be a part of something like that where everybody’s just coming together to do something they love,” Harrod said.
Harrod said he enjoys teaching fiddle music as a way of life and has learned from over 100 different fiddlers in his own career. He said he’s most looking forward to connecting with some of his favorite musicians and plans on teaching music from the Ohio River region.
Ramlagan, who has been playing the banjo for over a decade, said she loves the instrument because it’s a combination of rhythm, melody and string.
“I was really drawn to the mesmerizing nature of the music,” she said.
This year, Ramlagan said she’s looking forward to teaching a number of advanced banjo workshops all weekend and focusing on various banjo tune aspects.
“I love that experience of being around people who are just picking up their instruments for the first time and having everybody mixed together with musicians who’ve been playing this music for years,” she said. “It’s really special.”
Ramlagan said if you’re thinking about playing an instrument or getting into old time music, now is the time, and spoke highly of its welcoming community. So, get ready for a night of jamming, camping and nightly concerts!