Fiddleville offers more than the contest: 'Fleet'

It's almost as if Shelburne had its own version of a weeklong Mardi Gras, out here on the landlocked Roof of Ontario, for Fiddleville.

Without detracting from the international popularity of the 56-year-old multi-class contest itself, and despite the outrageous costs of fuel, motor homes and camping trailers of all sizes have been pouring into Fiddle Park since last Saturday.

Some had never been to the contest.

Most have been coming from some distance, but at least one that arrived Monday was from within the town of Shelburne itself.

At it, Clarence "Fleet" White said he's been camping there for nine years, as "it's where the action is."

At another site, Josh and Jason Genova of Meaford splashed in a little pool while their father, Chris, relaxed in the shade of his trailer's canopy and their mother, Linda, was in Shelburne shopping for ladies wear.

There was a motor home and two trailers at the Genova site, parked in a "U" formation. Others, from such as Kitchener-Waterloo, Walter's Falls, Brantford and other centres further removed, had yet to arrive at the Genova grouping Monday.

Mr. Genova said the same group of relatives and friends has been coming for 20 years, where they reserve their spaces a year in advance, and hold a reunion of sorts.

He and his own family set up camp on the Saturday preceding the contest - as most likely the first of any to arrive at the park - but he had to return to his Meaford employment Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday, and come back to the park on the Friday of the contest.

In 20 years, he has never been to the contest. Nor has anyone in his family competed, although "we all kind of play a little." Josh is taking up the fiddle, he said, and Linda plays the piano.

For this group, Fiddleville represents more than a contest.

It's the atmosphere, friendship, and downtown shopping. "My wife likes to go downtown to the ladies-wear store," he said.

Meantime, as a never-ending lineup of vehicles crawled its way through the MainOwen Sound St. intersection on the weekend, the fiddleplayers' platform had already been set up facing Owen Sound St. as something of a welcoming beacon prepared for the annual serenade expected to begin Wednesday morning.

Here and there throughout the town, residents were preparing floats for Saturday's parade. Royal Canadian Legion vice-president Reg Anderson said the club's 24-hour meal service will go as usual beginning Friday, but he still needs a few more names for the volunteer slate.