When it comes to music, I’m a pretty open ear. But when my friend invited me to the Annual Fiddlin’ Bear OT Musicians’ 2008 Gathering, I suddenly had hearing problems. Camping at Lake Genero Park in the middle of Hamlin, PA for an entire weekend and listening to yodeling, bluegrass music just didn’t seem like a good fit.

But, knowing my weakness for free beer and grilled burgers, my friend successfully lured me out of my Society Hill apartment for a weekend deep in the PA woods.

Luckily for her, I had fun. Turns out it was really an “old-time” music festival. In a clearing with no stage, some tents, a few picnic tables and a fire, musicians from all over gathered together to play music through the midnight hour. With a lake nearby, you could even go swimming, or hop in a rowboat and float on to a soundtrack.

However, if you’re thinking of checking into this sort of event, here’s a heads up for you: they repeat songs over and over again. No singing, just stringing. Fiddles, guitars, upright bases, mandolins, banjos… one girl even had tap shoes and stomped to the music on a wooden box. (Apparently, she called this clogging. But I’ve seen cloggers and this was not that.)

Overall, the entire festival was a good time filled with diverse people and amazing landscapes. It was definitely a sparkle in my  ’08 PA Adventures Calendar.