Since 1975, the City of Pembroke has been the host to the annual Old Time Fiddle and Stepdancing Competition which draws thousands each and every year during Labour Day Weekend.
Situated in the heart of the Ottawa Valley, Pembroke is one of Canada's great fiddling regions where the fiddle still holds tremendous importance. Here, loggers worked all winter in the logging camps with electricity only available through some areas as late as the 1970's. Pioneers from Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany and Poland came with their axes, saws and fiddles and cleared the way towards a unique style of playing that combines characteristics of them all.
Starting from 14 campsites' worth of visitors in 1975, the contest's attendance peaked in 2008 with an impressive 1,550 full site units at what has unsurprisingly come to be called "Fiddle Park", usurping the official name of Riverside Park for the week as music fans and competitors alike flock to the site to create a mini-village all its own - a festive, round-the-clock celebration of old friends' reunion and, of course, non-stop music.
Fiddlers, dancers and friends of the event begin arriving here at Riverside Park the week prior to the actual competition, transforming Riverside Park into what is known as Fiddle Park for the annual, weeklong event. Every available space is used as makeshift campsites, including all soccer and baseball fields!