100 Years of the Iowa State Fair Fiddlers' Contest

[Narrator] Next we go to Pioneer hall for everyone's favorite, the fiddlers' contest. Now though it is a competition, everyone has a great time, even the losers. So get ready to snap your fingers, tap your toes, or maybe even cut a step or two with some rip roaring fiddle music.

[David Bellegante, Fiddle Contest Emcee] This is our 100th year of the fiddle contest. We're the longest running contest at the state fair and we're really proud of that. And we hope this tradition keeps going year after year after year.

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In the early years you had to be 50 to even be in the contest. I believe one year they had to play just one song, the same song. So imagine 100 fiddlers playing the same song over two days or three days, however long the contest was.

[Reporter] Tell us briefly about the fiddlers contest.

[Judge] We have three judges and there are cards fixed up like report cards and each judge has a card for each contestant and they're graded just like a school child.

[David] Hopefully they're kind of looking for… Is it in tune? Is the timing good? Is it pleasant to hear? You have a waltz, hoedown, tune of choice? You can play them in any order.

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[Angela Bellegante, Fiddle Contest Superintendent] The tradition is so embedded in this contest with the multi-generational, the people that hand down their love of their fiddle music to their children and grandchildren. And that is what is so pure and deep rooted in this contest is the generational families.

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Back in the day, the people had the barn dances and they enjoyed getting together, the get togethers, just the music and just wholesome dancing.

And that's how they let loose when they worked all day. And I think they really enjoyed that camaraderie. And then this takes them back because it's the old time music that is timeless and it takes them back to that moment.

[Contestant] I think whether I win or whether I come in on the finals or not, it don't make no difference to me because I go for the fun of it, I'm told stand up.

[Angela] It's so traditional and timeless. It brings a lot of love and happiness.

[David] It's toe tapping, it's rebel violin. How's that?

It is three o' clock time for our finals.

[David] It's like a little family reunion because there's people out in the audience that come year after year after year. Sometimes the fiddlers that come in, this is the only time we see each other.

[Judge] By one point difference.

[Judge] This year's runner up grand champion from Keokuk is Kirk Brandenburger. That makes your 2025 Iowa State Fair grand Japan fiddler from Des Moines, Kat Schmidt.

[Kat] I grew up playing in this contest and with these people. So it's really awesome to come back every year. It is like a family reunion every year. I mean, about half the competitors every year. Learn from David Beligante, who sort of runs the whole show. These. It's a great community, and any community these days is nice to have.