The 51st annual Peabody Hale Fiddle Contest and Family Festival in Crawford is tomorrow at the Crawford City Park. The cost is $3.

The gates open at 8:00, the vocal contest starts at 11:00, and the highlight…the old-time fiddle contest…begins at 1:00. There’s also a quilt show, horseshoe tournament and an arts and crafts flea market.

The fiddle contest was started by Ellis “Peabody” Hale, a local radio broadcaster and musician who played around the region for decades. The Crawford Eagles Club has been running it since 1996.

The competition generally draws about 30 fiddlers of all ages. The youngest competitor was 4 while the oldest was 98.

Most are from the tri-state region and Colorado, but some contestants have come from as far away as Canada.

Last year’s Golden Anniversary contest drew 42 contestants, an apparent record, with 25 in the fiddle competition, 9 in vocals, and 8 in miscellaneous instruments.

13-year old Ana Merchant of Casper…the Junior Division winning…topped the 3 other age group winners in the Champions Fiddle Off to take the overall crown for the second time, having won in 2009. She is the contest’s youngest multiple champion.