Blab Music
Evart FunFest 2026: Hammered Dulcimer Festival Opens July 16 with Workshops, Jams, and Family Activities
When the first rays of July light spill over the Evart fairgrounds on July 16, a vibrant chorus of hammered dulcimers will swell into the summer sky. The Evart FunFest 2026, the nation’s largest gathering of dulcimer players, is slated to open in Evart, Michigan, with a full slate of workshops, vendor stalls, stage shows, and open jam sessions that welcome musicians of all levels.
The festival is the brainchild of the Original Dulcimer Players Club (ODPC), a group founded in 1963 by Gene Cox and Elgia Hickock. What began as a modest meeting of fewer than twenty dulcimers has evolved into a major event that attracts hundreds of instruments and thousands of attendees each year. The ODPC’s mission—to foster a community where dulcimer players can share knowledge and keep the instrument alive in contemporary music—remains at the heart of FunFest.
Pre‑festival buzz kicks off on July 14 and 15. The fair board breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. in the community building, followed by a beginner clawhammer banjo class led by Joe Steiner from 9 a.m. to noon. A sloth jam takes place at the ODPC Pavilion at 10 a.m., and the afternoon features a beginner guitar workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. and an intermediate/advanced guitar workshop in the same time slot. Another sloth jam returns at 10 a.m., while a presentation on “The Battle Cry of Freedom Music and Revivals of the Civil War Era” is held at 11:45 a.m. in the Lion’s Club Pavilion. The day ends with a fundraiser dinner for the Osceola County 4‑H Small Animal Program from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Evening programming includes a Dixieland Jam in the community building, a Silver Strings Open Jam in the Silver Strings Tent, and a late‑night Squirrels’ Nest Open Jam.
The main festival days—July 16 to 19—offer a tightly woven schedule. On Thursday, July 16, children’s activities run at the Rabbit Barn from 9 a.m. to noon and again from 1 to 4 p.m. Workshops operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while volunteer signup, membership renewal, and T‑shirt sales are handled at the festival office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendor sales run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the evening stage show at the grandstands plays from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. A Silver Strings Open Jam starts at 7 p.m., followed by the Squirrels’ Nest Open Jam in the evening.
Friday, July 17, mirrors the Thursday schedule but adds a Friday Night Dance in the Community Hall from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 18, opens with a youth concert at the grandstands from 10 to 11:30 a.m., an open mic concert from 2 to 3:30 p.m., and an Irish Jam in the late evening. Sunday, July 19, begins with a gospel sing led by Pastor Jim Janofski from 9 to 9:50 a.m., a FunFest wrap‑up meeting at 10:30 a.m., and the disassembly of the stage at the grandstands. Volunteers are needed on the final day to help bring the event to a close.
Evart FunFest 2026 offers a comprehensive experience that blends education, performance, and community engagement. By supporting local vendors, encouraging instrument learning, and raising funds for community programs, the festival reinforces hammered dulcimer culture and its place within broader musical traditions.
The festival is the brainchild of the Original Dulcimer Players Club (ODPC), a group founded in 1963 by Gene Cox and Elgia Hickock. What began as a modest meeting of fewer than twenty dulcimers has evolved into a major event that attracts hundreds of instruments and thousands of attendees each year. The ODPC’s mission—to foster a community where dulcimer players can share knowledge and keep the instrument alive in contemporary music—remains at the heart of FunFest.
Pre‑festival buzz kicks off on July 14 and 15. The fair board breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. in the community building, followed by a beginner clawhammer banjo class led by Joe Steiner from 9 a.m. to noon. A sloth jam takes place at the ODPC Pavilion at 10 a.m., and the afternoon features a beginner guitar workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. and an intermediate/advanced guitar workshop in the same time slot. Another sloth jam returns at 10 a.m., while a presentation on “The Battle Cry of Freedom Music and Revivals of the Civil War Era” is held at 11:45 a.m. in the Lion’s Club Pavilion. The day ends with a fundraiser dinner for the Osceola County 4‑H Small Animal Program from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Evening programming includes a Dixieland Jam in the community building, a Silver Strings Open Jam in the Silver Strings Tent, and a late‑night Squirrels’ Nest Open Jam.
The main festival days—July 16 to 19—offer a tightly woven schedule. On Thursday, July 16, children’s activities run at the Rabbit Barn from 9 a.m. to noon and again from 1 to 4 p.m. Workshops operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while volunteer signup, membership renewal, and T‑shirt sales are handled at the festival office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendor sales run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the evening stage show at the grandstands plays from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. A Silver Strings Open Jam starts at 7 p.m., followed by the Squirrels’ Nest Open Jam in the evening.
Friday, July 17, mirrors the Thursday schedule but adds a Friday Night Dance in the Community Hall from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 18, opens with a youth concert at the grandstands from 10 to 11:30 a.m., an open mic concert from 2 to 3:30 p.m., and an Irish Jam in the late evening. Sunday, July 19, begins with a gospel sing led by Pastor Jim Janofski from 9 to 9:50 a.m., a FunFest wrap‑up meeting at 10:30 a.m., and the disassembly of the stage at the grandstands. Volunteers are needed on the final day to help bring the event to a close.
Evart FunFest 2026 offers a comprehensive experience that blends education, performance, and community engagement. By supporting local vendors, encouraging instrument learning, and raising funds for community programs, the festival reinforces hammered dulcimer culture and its place within broader musical traditions.
