Little has been written about the fiddle contest or convention, one of America's oldest folk institutions. Such events, varying in magnitude, have been held throughout the United States and Canada--in small hamlet and large city alike--for at least the greater part of a century. Usually, but not always, the fiddlers convention features a tournament, or tournaments, in which prizes and awards for various events are awarded to those judged to be the best of their type. Many of these assemblies have enjoyed a long history, providing for the annual selection of a local, state, or regional champion. Contests have also been staged for benefits, fund raisings, and simply for purposes of advertising. They have been held in schools, barns, street corners, assembly halls, at fairs, picnics, reunions, and even over radio stations. Some of these affairs are very short, lasting for the space of an hour or less; others may continue for a week or more.