Rock in Road

10/03/2025

It was a beautiful day at the Gazebo in Columbia State Historic Park this past Saturday! The 41st Annual Columbia Fiddle & Bango Contest, presented by Rock in Road, was a smashing time.

Following is a list of the 2025 Fiddle & Bango contest winners in the various categories, and the judges, MC, sound, and volunteers.

Grand prize winner was Renee Anderson from La Grange, who played the harp in the Miscellaneous category.

Fiddle: 1st Rick Barlow, Sonora
2nd Zach Silver, Stockton
3rd Dave Muhlethaler, Murphys

Banjo: 1st Chuck Waldman, Columbia
2nd Doug Wilson, Soulsbyville
3rd David Carlson, Rocklin

Mandolin: 1st Zach Silver, Stockton
2nd Dave Muhlethaler, Murphys
3rd Gordon Kromer, San Ramon

Guitar: 1st Rick Barlow
2nd Ron San Miguel, La Grange
3rd none

Vocal: 1st Jerry Estes, Stockton
2nd Patti Dahlstrom, Merced
3rd Ron San Miguel, La Grange

Miscellaneous: 1st Renee Anderson, La Grange (harp)
2nd Phil Anderson, La Grange (harmonica)
3rd John Watson, Columbia (penny whistle)

Original Song: 1st Robert Tangney, Sonora
2nd Jerry Estes, Stockton
3rd Ron San Miguel, La Grange

It takes a village to preserve this beloved tradition and community event! Rock in Road would like to thank everyone who competed and attended the contest and express their appreciation for the efforts of all the participants and volunteers: Steve Lavine (MC), Pam Ivie (judge), Tina Louse Barr (judge), Bob Feigen (judge), Josh Weeks (Sounds), Jodi Barnett, Bix Beeman, Leslie Davis, Cecily Johnson, Jackson Loughmiller, Aubre McNamara, and Becky Whittington.

Several local businesses and individuals made the day possible with generous sponsorships. Thank you to Columbia Mercantile 1855, Strawberry Music Festivals, Columbia City Hotel Restaurant, Brown’s Coffee House & Sweets Saloon, Rock in Road, Ebler’s Leather & Saddlery, Kamice’s Photographic Establishment, Waterwheel Saloon, A. Nonymous, and Calaveras Customs.

Columbia’s Fiddle & Bango Contest was truly magnificent this year, and Rock in Road looks forward to seeing everyone again on the fourth Saturday of September in 2026!

Photo Credit: Leslie Davis

09/27/2025

OUR GRAND PRIZE FOR THE 41ST CONTEST

This beauty of a gold nugget is fitted with a bell cap clasp and will be wearable as a pendant. Thank you to Kamice's Photographic Establishment for sponsoring this gold nugget grand prize!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

We wanted to take a moment to acknowledge and thank this year's sponsors: Columbia Mercantile 1855, Strawberry Music Festivals, Columbia City Hotel Restaurant, Brown’s Coffee House & Sweets Saloon, Rock in Road, Ebler’s Leather & Saddlery, Kamice’s Photographic Establishment, Waterwheel Saloon, A. Nonymous, and Calaveras Customs. Thank you!

09/26/2025

We can't wait to see you all TOMORROW for the 41st Annual Columbia Fiddle & Bango Contest! This year is sure to be the best one yet. 🎻🪕

Join us at the Gazebo on Main Street at the Columbia State Historic Park from 10:30am-5:00pm tomorrow, Saturday, September 27th. Sign ups start at 9am. Contest entry costs $15 for adults and free for 18 and under. Contest attendance and parking is free.

For more information, including the contest rules, contact us at 209.352.7853 or [email protected]. The Fiddle & Bango Contest is sponsored by Rock In Road, a partner of the Strawberry Music Festival. Rock In Road supports youth music instruction in Tuolumne County.

THANK YOU!

09/17/2025

Rock In Road is pleased to present the 41st Annual Columbia Fiddle & Bango Contest, on Saturday, September 27th, 2025, at the Gazebo in Columbia State Historic Park.

The contest begins at 10:30am and ends around 5pm. Sign-ups to compete start at 9:00am. The entry fee is $15 for adults and free for youth ages 18 and under. All ages and abilities are welcome! Youth musicians are especially encouraged to participate.

Contestants will compete for cash prizes in each of the following categories: Banjo, Fiddle, Guitar, Mandolin, Vocal, Miscellaneous, and Original Composition. Winners from every category, except Original Composition, will square off for a chance to win the contest and the gold nugget grand prize. There is also a separate Columbia Songster award for the Original Composition category, meant to encourage original songwriting.

The rules are simple: Contestants may enter in multiple categories, are limited to five minutes per performance, and may have no more than three accompanists. No electric instruments or devices allowed. For a full list of rules and guidelines, please reach out to us at [email protected].

All are welcome to join us for this fun-filled, family-friendly day of music in beautiful Columbia State Historic Park! Attendance and parking is free. Bring your own lawn chairs, sunscreen, and sunhats, for first-come first-served seating in the street. Food, beverages, souvenirs, and one-of-a-kind Fiddle & Bango T-shirts can be purchased in the park.

Generations of musical talent have made their live debut at the Fiddle & Bango Contest, and Columbia counts on an enthusiastic audience to encourage contestants of all ages, styles, genres, categories, and abilities.

We'll see you all at the Gazebo next Saturday, and thank you!

This event is sponsored by Rock In Road, a local organization that supports youth music instruction in Tuolumne County.

09/17/2025

The 41st Annual Fiddle & Bango T-Shirt Design is here!

🪕 Thank you to Artist Alan Zimmerman for this awesome design.

🎻 We can’t wait to see you all at the 41st Annual Columbia Fiddle & Bango Contest next Saturday, September 27th, at the Gazebo at the Columbia Historic State Park.

Questions or concerns? Reach out to us at [email protected].

08/08/2025

Greetings Fiddle & Bango Aficionados!

🎻 The Annual Columbia Fiddle & Bango Contest is back for its 41st year! Join us Saturday, September 27, 2025 at the Gazebo on Main Street in the Columbia Historic State Park. More details about the event are coming soon.

Thank you to Tim McCaffrey for designing the poster!

🪕 This event is sponsored by Rock In Road, a local organization that supports youth music instruction in Tuolumne County. Contest attendance and parking are free.

✨ We'll see you all at the Gazebo, and thank you! ✨

10/11/2024

The 2024 Band Stand Concert Fundraiser is just around the corner! Join us Saturday, October 19th, at the Inner Sanctum Basecamp in Columbia, CA from 3:00–8:00pm for an afternoon of music, games, and libations! This event, sponsored by Rock In Road, supports the purchase and repair of instruments for local schools in Tuolumne County and beyond.

Tickets can be purchased at the link here: www.thelittleboxoffice.com/bandstand

We can’t wait to see you all there! 🎺 🎼 📣

The lineup includes. . .
Lucky CuZn Brass Band
Rockin' Rick & The Wranglers
Ty McCarthy
Honey Run
The Brothers Strong

09/27/2024

We'll see you all TOMORROW! 🎻 🪕

OUR GRAND PRIZE FOR THE 40TH FIDDLE & BANGO CONTEST!

This beauty of a gold nugget is being fitted with a bell cap clasp and will be wearable as a pendant. Thank you to Blue Mountain Minerals for sponsoring this gold nugget grand prize!

We are so excited to see you all this Saturday, September 28th, for the 40th Annual Columbia Fiddle & Bango Contest. Join us at the Gazebo on Main Street at the Columbia State Historic Park from 10:30am-5:00pm. For more information, contact us at 209.352.7853 or [email protected].

The Fiddle & Bango Contest is sponsored by Rock In Road, the non-profit partner of the Strawberry Music Festival. Rock In Road supports youth music instruction in Tuolumne County. Contest entry costs $15. Contest attendance and parking is free.

09/16/2024

📣 We are excited to confirm that The Brothers Strong Trio will perform at the lunch break at the 40th Annual Fiddle & Bango Contest! 🎼 🎻 🪕

Don't miss the cherished local event when it returns to Columbia State Historic Park on September 28th! We can't wait to see you all once again from 10:30am-5:00pm at the Gazebo. For more information, contact us at 209.352.7853 or [email protected].

09/10/2024

We are excited to announce the winner of the Columbia Fiddle & Bango T-Shirt Design Contest! 🎻🪕👕

Congratulations to Savana Lee!

If that name sounds familiar to any Strawberrians out there, that is because she is one-half of Sugarcane Jane. The duo performed (and killed it) at the Spring 2024 Strawberry Music Festival.

Thank you, and we can’t wait to see you all at the 40th Annual Columbia Fiddle & Bango Contest on September 28th at the Gazebo at the Columbia Historic State Park!

08/29/2024

REMINDER! COLUMBIA FIDDLE & BANGO T-SHIRT DESIGNS DUE SEPTEMBER 2ND!

The Columbia Fiddle & Bango T-Shirt Design Contest ends September 2nd! We can’t wait to see what you create!

The 40th Annual Columbia Fiddle and Bango Contest will be held on Saturday, September 28th at the Gazebo on Main Street in Columbia Historic State Park. The Fiddle and Bango Contest—yes, you read that right the first time—is named so because of a once unfortunate and now serendipitous printing error on the t-shirts at the first contest in 1983.

As the Fiddle & Bango Contest is open to contestants of all ages, experience, and styles, the T-Shirt Design Contest has decided to adopt the same parameters. Please read below for full contest details and entry requirements.

T-SHIRT CONTEST ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- Design must be transferable to a t-shirt.
- Please submit only one design per contestant.
- Design can only include two colors for print. The background (t-shirt color) can be considered a separate color (white, black, red, yellow, green, purple, blue, tan or gray). We do not guarantee that any submitted design colors will be matched exactly.
- Please provide your design as a JPEG email attachment. Submit design to [email protected].
- The deadline to submit is 11:59pm on Monday, September 2nd.

On Tuesday, September 3rd, a design will be chosen by a special committee. Notification will be sent to the artist and the design will be posted later that week. The winner will receive design credit during advanced promotion and at the contest, as well as one free t-shirt of their preferred size.

This event is sponsored by Rock in Road, the non-profit partner of the Strawberry Music Festival. Rock In Road supports youth music instruction in Tuolumne County. Contest attendance and parking is free.