2023 Pre and Post Fest Fun
The Fun begins with a variety of pre-festival activities. There are jam sessions, tune exchanges, hiking events, and outings to local establishments. Please join us if you can!
Many of these pre-festival activities are included as Facebook Events on our Facebook page.
We try to list as many of the pre-festival and post-festival events as we can. Many of events that happen before and after the festival are organized informally, and the Original Dulcimer Players Club does not know about everything!
The following events take place daily, starting July 5th through July 12th:
- Hammer Dulcimer jams, 1 - 4 pm and 7 - 10 pm in the ODPC Pavilion. All instruments are welcome.
- Mountain Dulcimer jams, check the whiteboard at campsite A25 for times.
- Uke jams, 10 -11:30 am at the Lions pavilion. If you own a copy of the book, The Daily Ukulele, by Liz and Jim Beloff, please bring your book to the jam. This is the yellow book, from their three book series.
July 6th & 7th
- Rick Thum "Beyond A-Z of Hammered Dulcimer," Evart United Methodist Church, 619 N. Cherry St., Evart, MI. There is a cost for this activity. Details at www.rthum.com
Friday July 7th
- Dixieland Jam: 2-4:15pm daily through Wednesday July 12th at the Swine Barn
All instruments welcome; not limited to traditional Dixieland instrumentation.
Saturday July 8th
- 9:00 am - Jam at the Evart Farmer’s Market. Join us anytime between 9 am and 1 pm. Everyone is welcome!
200 South Main St, Evart, MI at the Evart Depot next to the Pere Marquette Rails to Trails.
July 8th through July 12th
- Fiddle jams, 2 - 4 pm at the Lions pavilion.
Sunday July 9th
- 10 am - Church Service Performance, Evart Free Methodist Church. Try to arrive by 9:30am to setup.
A musical service played by festival attendees. The church is located just to the west of the fairgrounds at 6151 95th Ave. All instruments are welcome. Here is the Playlist. For questions, contact Phil Hollar
- 7 pm - Gospel Sing in the Fairgrounds Community Building. Bring yourself, your voice and your backup instrument.
July 10th - 12th
- Butch Ross "3-day Workshops at Evart." There is a cost for this activity. Details at butchross.com/evart
- Rick Thum "A-Z of Hammered Dulcimer," Evart United Methodist Church, 619 N. Cherry St., Evart, MI. There is a cost for this activity. Details at www.rthum.com
-
10:00 am - Sloth Jam at the ODPC Pavilion. This is a slower then a slow jam for beginners
Monday July 10th
- Time - TPD Rock Painting with Fluid Pouring at the Squirrels Nest. Taught by Terri Sageman
- 10:00 am - Sloth Jam at the ODPC Pavilion. This is a slower then a slow jam for beginners
- 8:00 pm - 10:00 Jam at the SSDS Silvers Strings tent (B34). All are welcome.
Tuesday July 11th
- 7:30 am - Fair Board Breakfast in the Community Building. Annual breakfast sponsored by the Fair Board. You can also update/renew your membership information at this event.
- 10:00 am - Sloth Jam at the ODPC Pavilion. This is a slower then a slow jam for beginners
- 2:00 pm - Tye Dying at the Squirrels Nest. Bring your own clothing item to dye. Donations for supplies requested. Taught by Liesl Mom.
- 6:30 pm - Chair Volleyball at the Swine building. Squirrels Nest vs the Silver Stringers!
- 8:30 pm - 10:30 Jam at the SSDS Silvers Strings tent (B34). All are welcome.
Wednesday July 12th
- 10:00 am - Hammered Dulcimer Stage Show Practice (formerly 'pre-show') at the Swine Barn.
- 10:00 am - Sloth Jam at the ODPC Pavilion. This is a slower then a slow jam for beginners
- 11:45 am - The Battle Cry of Freedom - Music and Revivals of the Civil War Era at the Lion's Club Pavilion.
- 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm - Baked Potato Dinner in the Community Hall. This is a fundraiser for the Osceola County 4-H Small Animal Program. Cost: ages 5 & up - $12
- 7:00 pm - Dixieland Jam in the Community Hall
Sunday, July 16th
- 9:00 am - Sunday Church Service in the Community Building. Led by Pastor Jim Janofski.
- 10:30 am - Informal ODPC membership meeting in the Community Building.
This is an informal meeting for ODPC club members. We gather feedback on the festival, with an eye to improvements that can be made in 2024.
July 21st - 23rd
- Dan Levenson, full weekend Clawcamp Clawhammer Workshop in the Grand Rapids/Grand Haven area. There is a cost for this activity. Details at clawdan.com/calendar/
schedule is subject to change
