Watermelon Pickers’ Workshop

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CAMP

Thursday, September 4

Fiddle workshop participants at River and Roots seated in a circle playing together.

Improve your playing and learn to jam!

Make the most of your Thursday Early Entry ticket by joining the Watermelon Pickers’ Workshop. Whether you’re picking up an instrument for the first time or looking to refine your skills, this workshop offers something for all levels. Learn new tunes, improve your jamming, and get ready for campfire sessions—or even the band contest!

Participants must have both a Thursday Early Entry Ticket and a Workshop Ticket.

The Workshop Ticket does not include General Admission or Camping Passes, which must be purchased separately. Kids 12 and under can attend free with an adult.

Schedule

Settle in and set up camp with an Early-Entry pass on Wednesday, or on Thursday morning. Then head over to the Pick-nic shelter to join the fun! Workshops begin at 10:30.

Two women playing mandolins at their campsite

10:30–12:00 & 12:30–2:00: Instrument-specific workshops for banjo, fiddle, guitar, and mandolin. Stick with one instrument or divide your time between two instruments. There will be something new to learn, whether you are a beginner or an advanced picker!

2:15–3:00: Harmony singing and vocal workshop. Improve your harmony singing, pick up a new tune, and become confident when singing in a group.

3:15–4:00: Join the group and learn to jam! Instrument groups will come together for a jam. Share the tunes and skills you learned throughout the day and get ready to pick around the campfire or join the band contest on Saturday! Depending on your level, you can join an advanced group, or get your feet wet at a slow jam. Move from group to group to find the best fit!

Instructors and Instruments

Instructor Announcements Coming Soon!

FAQ

Beginners are welcome! Whether you are brand new to your instrument, switching to a new instrument, or trying a new genre, you’ll have a great time.

There’s always more to learn. Improve, learn new tunes, and make connections with our expert instructors. You’ll be glad you did!

Feel free to bring multiple instruments and move from group to group, or stay with one group for instrumental instruction and another for the jam.

Kids are welcome! If a parent or guardian is not participating in the workshop, we ask that someone stay on site and can be contacted if needed.

We will do our best to accommodate you! Most of our teachers are multi-instrumentalists and we will find a way for you to join. We are still gauging interest for bass and dobro groups, so please let us know if this is what you’d like to learn.