Old Time Fiddle Session and Community Gathering

01/14/2026

Apply to play at NB Roots and Branches Festival! (Fest to take place July 18 2026). We're only accepting submissions until January 31. Get your name and info in to us soon. The festival prioritizes hiring of artists making original music, local artists, performers who help us represent the many peoples of our community. While we do prioritize "acoustic" sounds, we aim to be broad and encourage applicants of all genres to submit!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEU1ivYiNZZGjLdFYG9YQDvpYneJRhMoD303V3kBg4O6qIpA/viewform?fbclid=IwRlRTSAPUmwRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeRA4icZKpODXmoGtDQ14BA9LPFgntoDw9Dq4pfbpQbXc1YCryxfZVMxGoQYY_aem_7K0DmxV4AJPj_QopPVGyaw

Hello and thank you for your interest in performing at the Roots & Branches Festival this year! We are an acoustic music festival based in New Bedford "by and for the people" taking place on Saturday July 18th, 2026 that aims to be representative of the many communities and cultures of people living...

11/23/2025

Old Time Fiddle Session & Community Gathering
Today! 11/23, 5pm
@ No Problemo NB
My arms are like lead and I need the strength of 100 fiddlers to prop me up. Come play with me and we'll only need 98 more! Seriously though, fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles join us! No prior experience needed and we welcome players of all ability levels. And you listeners, we love a big community of music lovers as well!

01/14/2025

We are so excited to announce that the third annual NB Roots and Branches Festival, presented by Gallery X, will be taking place July 18th and 19th, 2025! See you there!!

12/23/2024

Join us Breaking up Christmas iv December 28th at the castle that is First Unitarian Church In New Bedford (12-6). We've got old time jams, instrument painting, contradance, strummer jams, silent movies to live music, cookie contest, parades, dark room bow lights music, concerts, open mic, cake walk, mask making, and more.
Come as you are; free!

10/24/2024

Saturday! Free contradance at First Unitarian Church In New Bedford's Triworks Hall. No experience necessary, come be part of the fun!

"Balance & Swing" - Contradance w/ caller Paul Wilde & Old Time Fiddle Session

10/02/2024

EPIC New Bedford's October edition is printed and folded. Distributing today to all your NB hangs where these kinds of things circulate. Scoop em up where they were last time and a few more spots too! More details tomorrow after drop off

Today, know October features:
Downtown New Bedford Inc.
dNB FallFest 2024
Anomaly Poetry
New Bedford Local Cultural Council
EforAll South Coast
AHA! New Bedford
New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center
October AHA! Night: Maritime Music Concert with Debra Cowan
Mimi’s Kitchen
Sarah Jane Mulvey
Kat Knutsen
BodyBodyBody
4752 Festival
Old Time Fiddle Session and Community Gathering
"Balance & Swing" - Contradance w/ caller Paul Wilde & Old Time Fiddle Session
a Symphony Music Shop event sponsorship
and stages hosted at
First Unitarian Church In New Bedford
Co-Creative Center New Bedford
Play Arcade
Destination Soups
Solstice Skateboarding
No Problemo &
New Bedford Community Health

09/23/2024

The first "Balance & Swing" contradance unattached to the festival was a huge success!

So many wonderful dancers and musicians joined us, Paul Wilde was wonderful (as always) on calls, and we had a vibrant multigenerational great time. I don't know when last there was a contra series (or even single dance event) in New Bedford, but there's been none for at least the 25 years since I've been here.

Thank you to Julianna Bernardi for anchoring the Old Time Fiddle Session community band, and thank you Mass Cultural Council, New Bedford Local Cultural Council, and First Unitarian Church In New Bedford for making this possible. More thanks still to Jessica, and Tony, and Christian, and Tom for helping get historic TryWorks Hall set up and sounding great for the dance. Thanks as always to Lauren Pusey for helping get the word out digitally and with posters. And thanks to Maureen for the majority of the photos below!

I am so stoked we get to do this every 3rd Saturday of the month!!!

09/21/2024

"Balance & Swing" community contradance!Tonight (9/21) with Jeff Angeley & Julianna Bernardi fronting the community band & Paul Wilde on the callingEverybody friendly, no experience necessary, no need to bring a partner, all ages, gender free