Bear on the Square in Georgia

Last spring, I spent some time poking around Georgia, a state which has won my heart.

In the 3rd post about that trip,
I promised that I would explain exactly WHY I spent time in the little hamlet of Dahlonega,
nestled at the base of the southern Appalachians.

It's worth sharing, even if I'm TARDY on fulfilling my promise.

(I know you weren't holding your breath. Well, maybe Jean was.)



I was interested in Dahlonega because of a small local music festival called Bear on the Square
which draws folks down out of the hollers in the Chattahoochee Mountains.

The Old Time style of music is alive and thriving there.
(Bluegrass was born out of Old Time. Frankly, I can't quite tell the difference.)



Talented groups like The Buzzard Mt. Boys played in the one tent erected for performing.

But the bigger part of the festival was more like this: "Come bring your guitars, banjos, dulcimers, fiddles, mandolins, washtubs,
scrub boards or whatever you've got and we'll JAM . . . for three days."


LEFT: Washtub Bass fiddle RIGHT: Appalachian Dulcimer

Do you know how to get different notes out of a washtub fiddle?
Pull on the stick to change the tension of the string.

Here's a guy who does rather well with his spoons, when he's not strumming his guitar.



I took this shot of a dobro guitar, also called a resonator guitar.
It's often played while being held like you see below:

(Thank you, Kristen, for properly identifying it for me.)


Go HERE if you'd like to see how it's played and how it sounds.



There are spontaneous gatherings all over the town square and surroundings.

Dozens of them.



Most of these musicians show signs of being just regular fellars who work the land.
There are lots of small farms in the nearby hills.





Yet, they get on their fanciest boots and cleanest jeans and they show up with their instruments.



This old guy (VIDEO BELOW) demonstrates how to play the fiddle (out of tune) on top of his head.
Then he tries playing it between his legs and concedes that he can no longer bend that far.
Everyone laughs in a sweet empathetic way.



Here's the last video of the music.
I liked this guy because he could really set his fiddle on fire.



As part of the festival, there was an auction with all kinds of local home-made items
. . .as well as items that might have (should have) ended up in a garage sale.

Auctioneering simply intrigues me. Fast thinkin'. Fast talkin'

I listened to this gentleman (BELOW) for a solid hour while neighbors and friends milled around chatting.

Listen to how he concludes with -

"Lord have mercy! Thank you Precious Dear!"

The whole experience was simply AMAAAAAZING to me.
With these low-quality video clips, it may not seem quite that amazing to you.

It wasn't just the music, it was the delicious combination of
the music and true Southern hospitality which I described in THIS POST.

Truth is, it was SO DELIGHTFUL that I'm planning to return in April 2013.
Let me know if you'd like to come along.

FINAL NOTE:

Do you wonder why they call this festival Bear on the Square?



In April 1996, a mama bear with two cubs made its way onto the town square, causing a big commotion.
Even brought the mayor out of his office.

The festival name is not a marketing ploy.
It's just a choice bit of history which many of the locals fondly recall.