Anyone on this forum planning to be at the Palestine Old Time Music and Dulcimer Festival and Concertinas in East Texas? I’ll be there and would like to meet others from the forums. I’ll have my whistles, mandolin and I’ll also bring along my newly arrived bowed dulcimer. Will be in some concertina workshops part of the time but let’s get together if we can.
Check out the website:
http://www.geocities.com/pickinwright/oldpal
Hope to see you there
Coming all the way from Iowa? This must be a big deal! Sounds like fun, but I won’t be able to make it, even though it’s only about 4 hours from me.
Quick aside - my cousin set himself on fire in Palestine once.
Thanks for the heads up though,
Jason
Jason,
This will be the first time I’ve been to this festival. I have heard good things about it but for me it’s like a “perfect storm” of reasons to travel down from Iowa. My dad lives about an hour south, in Trinity, and I’m trying to see him as often as possible. He’s still dealing with the grief from my mother’s passing last fall.
I’ve been trying to learn concertina and they are having a contigent of concertina players and some workshops at Palestine. And finally, I just received a bowed dulcimer from Ken Bloom of Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, and there will be three or four other bowed dulcimers and players at the festival. Not that many bowed dulcimers around so this gets me in touch with some others.
What’s this got to do with whistles? Well my whistles go with me everywhere and I’m probably a little more fluent in whistle than I am my other instruments so I’m always looking for other whistle players to get together with.
Maybe I’ll see in Palestine, TX another year.
take care
Namaste’
jim
Hi Jim,
Sorry to hear about your mother’s passing. Your dad will certainly appreciate the visit.
It does sound like you have several good reasons to come down, and it’s great that you’re able to take advantage of the opportunity.
Safe trip,
Jason
Thanks for posting this Jim. How far do you have to drive? I missed this last year also, but might be able to get up there Saturday.
Tommy,
It’s aboutan 11 hour drive for me. I do it several times a year to I just put on a “book on tape” and start driving. I love it when I get into East Texas and roll down my window to let in the smells of the piney woods. Coming home is always nice. Let me know if you’ll make it to the festival and maybe we can arrange a place and time to meet. It’ll be my first time there.
jim
Jim: pretty soon you’re going to have a meeting place designated at every festival West of the Allegainies (sp) and East of the Sierra Madres. We’ll be needing stars on the sidewalk commemorating whistle and flute displays 
I didn’t catch you in Milwaukee last year but maybe this time. Still too early to plan for Milwaukee Irish Fest; but pretty soon. . .
Wish I could come to Texas too but a required trip several weeks ago ate up the workshop funds.
Mike
Mike,
That actually sounds like a good plan…to have designated festivals to check in with friends. Yep, Irish Fest will be here before we know it. Let’s touch base just before then to see about a meeting time/place.
take care
Namaste’
jim