Mid-Winter Festival
MID-WINTER FESTIVAL
Y'all come out to the Dougherty Arts Center on Saturday, January 28th, noon to 10:00 p.m. for a great music festival! We feature music from around the world such as the Reed Island Rounders from Hillsville West Virginia (old-time fiddle tunes), The Hays County Gals (cowboy and yodeling) , Yuanli Chang (Chinese harp), Hem and Haw (Country and Bluegrass), and Agbadz Sogo (African drums). This is just a sample of the wonderful traditional music at this show. We'll also have several musicworkshops and tasty food.
The Schedule of Performances
12 pm Austin Mandolin Orchestra
1 pm Blue Buckskin Whinchers (old time and more)
2 pm Yuan Li Chang (Gu Zheng/Ancient Chinese Harp)
3 pm Agbadza Sogo (African drummers)
4 pm Hem & Haw (vintage honky tonk/bluegrass)
5 pm Fiddlisa (international)
6 pm 3rd Rail (bluegrass)
7 pm Good Old Timers with caller Sharon Isaac, square dance!
8 pm Hays County Gals and Pals (old time country)
9 pm Reed Island Rounders (old time)
VOLUNTEERS
To visit the volunteer schedule click here.
Take a look and see which volunteer shift might interest you! We especially like when you have experience (especially for stage & lights) but no experience is necessary.
Filling one of these shifts gets you in the door free. However, if you prefer to donate a couple of hours for your time to one of these shifts (and still pay admission) we will gladly accept your offer. Just let me know what works for you. If you are interested in volunteering please email with your shift preference to AFTM.Volunteers@gmail.com.
THE PERFORMERS
Reed Island Rounders
Reed Island Rounders - The band is known for their variety of music. From the foot-stomping dance tunes of the Blue Ridge to romantic waltzes, and beyond to dark and lonesome mountain tunes or a chilling ballad, they evoke the soul of Appalachian life.
Hem & Haw
Hem & Haw is Austin's newest acoustic duo of Jenn Miori and Ben Hodges. With their mandolin and guitar and singing true-to-form harmony, they give a tasteful re-workings of the South's most beautiful music.
Fiddlisa
Austin Mandolin Orchestra
Austin Mandolin Orchestra is a community orchestra. The orchestra includes over 20 members playing mandolin family instruments - mandolin, mandola, and mandocello.
Hays County Gals and Pals formed in 1986 to help celebrate the Texas Sesquicentennial. After playing old cowboy songs locally for a few years, the band recorded a CD in 1992 and started performing at cowboy gatherings around the country. A latter version of the group, including Jill Jones (rhythm guitar and award winning yodeler), Ginger Evans (upright bass) and Greg Lowry (instrumentalist extraordinaire) recorded another CD and performed till the late 1990s. They are now doing a rare reunion set for the AFTM Mid-Winter festival with old traditional cowboy songs, hits from the silver screen era, and contemporary songs about cowboys.
The Good Old Timers
The Good Old Timers play old time music the old time way, nothing too fancy, just a fiddle, banjo, guitar and a bass. They play rare traditional tunes that have been passed down from friends, family, and old recordings. The type of music the Good Old Timers play is always lead by the fiddle playing the melody and supported by the other instruments. It creates a driving rhythm that is fun for listening and great for dancing.
Blue Buckskin Whinchers
Blue Buckskin Winchers are musicians who specialize in traditional music, songs & folk tales from the USA, British Isle, around the world and across the centuries. The music played is traditional & represents Medieval, Renaissance,15th-16th centuries and contemporary periods.
Yuanli Chang is from Taiwan and plays the Chinese Harp/Zither or Guzheng, as it is called in China. The Guzheng is the ancestor of several Asian zither instruments, it is a 26-stringed instrument with movable bridges. It has a very soft and beautiful sound. Yunali specializes in ancient Chinese instruments, she also plays the Yanggin (Chinese piano) and the Erhu (Chinese violin). Yuanli has been playing these ancient Chinese classical instruments since she was 12 years old. She has played in Chinese Symphony and placed in Chinese Chamber Orchestra Competitions in her home town of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.
Third Rail was founded in July of 2010, when mandolinist JP Shafer (Youngest Texas State Mandolin Champion) and bassist Susannah Armstrong met at Camp Bluegrass. Their repertoire includes bluegrass, classic country duets, and swing/jazz standards, among other things. Susannah and J.P. are both 16-years old.
“If you’re after some fast paced hot licks, check out the kids from Third Rail. They blend traditional bluegrass with a new wave infusion that is all grown up. Hot on the coat-tails of the great Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, these young musicians have seen fit to bring a fresh ring to their sound courtesy of the likes of Chris Thile and the science project sounds of Ricky Skaggs. It’s bluegrass with hints of the blues, folk, and gypsy jazz.” - Judd Strom
WORKSHOPS
Click here to see the workshop schedule and descriptions.
DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER
The festival is at the Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd in Austin (map). The Dougherty auditorium is a really sweet listening space with great sound and stadium seating so everyone can see and hear. You can move around the Center to attend workshops, get a bite to eat, bid on auction items, check out the art or just stretch your legs. Jamming is likely and encouraged!
Hope to see you at the festival! Email us at AFTMTexas@gmail.com if you have any questions.
PARKING
Parking is limited at the Dougherty Arts Center and so we have arranged for extra parking at the Elks Lodge for $5 for the day. Click here for a map.
Elks Lodge
