Payson Roundup | Payson, AZ

Fiddle music by elementary students to senior citizens will provide lots of fun in the Rim Country this weekend.

The 40th Anniversary Vertilee Floyd Arizona State Fiddle Championships will be held Saturday, Sept. 25 and Sunday, Sept. 26 at the Payson Event Center.

Preceding the contest will be a special program at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 24 — The Old Time Opry concert at the Payson High School Auditorium featuring Providence and The Desert Sons with special friends. The music will include bluegrass and old-time western tunes and admission to the event is only $5 per person. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at the Parks, Recreation and Tourism office in Green Valley Park or the Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce, 100 W. Main St.

The championships will be Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 25 and 26 at the Payson Event Center with contests starting at 10 a.m. Saturday and running through 3:30 p.m., with a jam session starting at 6 p.m.; Sunday the championship division first round begins at 11 a.m. Awards will be presented at 2 p.m. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. both days.

Saturday schedule

8:30 a.m. – Gates open

9:30 a.m. – Opening ceremonies

10 a.m. – Small Fry division

10:40 a.m. – Junior Junior division

11:20 a.m. – Entertainment

Noon – Trick fiddling

12:30 p.m. – Junior division

1:10 p.m. – Senior division

1:50 p.m. – Young Adult division

2:20 p.m. – Adult division

3 p.m. – Cross-Tuned division

6 p.m. – Jam Concert, $5 admission

Sunday schedule

8:30 a.m. – Gates open

9 a.m. – Gospel time

11 a.m. – Championship division, first round

Noon – Fancy Fiddling

12:30 p.m. – Championship division, second round

1:30 p.m. – Twin Fiddling

2 p.m. – Awards ceremony

The champion from the 2009 event, Andrew Donald, has gone on to earn the national title for the young adult division.