It’s shaping up to be an incredible year for Berks Fiddle Fest, with exciting new programming and unforgettable performances added to the 2026 lineup! Check out the schedule!
New this year, the festival will feature a special headliner concert by Nyke Van Wyk, an internationally recognized violinist known for blending classical and Celtic traditions with contemporary energy. His appearance offers a rare chance for our community to experience world-class artistry in an accessible, hometown festival setting—and it’s a performance you won’t want to miss.
Opening the festival’s featured concert is Midnight on the Water, weaving traditional fiddle tunes into pop, jazz, and R&B songs. Their performances and educational work across the country reflect the very heart of Friends of Fleetwood Parks’ mission—honoring tradition, fostering cultural preservation, and bringing people together through music.
In celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary, Berks Fiddle Fest will also welcome the Brandywine Colonials Fife & Drum Corps. Their stirring music and historic pageantry provide a living connection to our nation’s past and add a powerful, patriotic moment to this year’s festivities.
The fest also offers free workshops - fiddle with Addyson Young, mountain dulcimer with Appalachian Ed Conover, clawhammer banjo and hammer dulcimer with Deborah Justice.
With these three exciting additions—and so much more planned—Berks Fiddle Fest 2026 promises to be one of our most memorable festivals yet. Mark your calendar, spread the word, and get ready to celebrate music, history, and community all in one place! See you September 20th!
Presented by Friends of Fleetwood Parks
History of Berks Fiddle Fest
Berks Fiddle Fest
The Berks Fiddle Fest is one of Pennsylvania’s premier celebrations of Americana, bluegrass, folk, and traditional acoustic music. For more than four decades, the festival has brought together musicians, families, and music lovers to honor the rich heritage of fiddling and old-time music while creating new traditions for future generations.
The festival traces its roots to the early 1980s when it began as the Lyons Fiddle Fest at Lyons Community Park. Held annually on the third Sunday in September, the grassroots event grew from a small gathering of musicians into a beloved regional tradition that attracted thousands of visitors each year. Following a two-year interruption caused by severe flooding at the park and the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival returned in 2021 with a new name—the Berks Fiddle Fest—and a new home at Bear Creek Mountain Resort. The move allowed the event to continue growing while welcoming a broader audience of musicians and festivalgoers.
In 2024, the festival found its current home at Fleetwood Community Park, where expanded grounds, a permanent amphitheater stage, and ample space for jam sessions provide the perfect setting for a day of music, community, and tradition.
At the heart of the Berks Fiddle Fest is its renowned fiddle competition, featuring divisions for musicians of all ages and skill levels. Over the years, the competition has helped launch the careers of talented young performers, with past champions going on to perform at the Grand Ole Opry and share stages with nationally recognized artists. Beyond the competition, the festival is famous for its spontaneous jam sessions, where fiddlers, guitarists, mandolin players, banjo pickers, and other musicians gather in circles throughout the park to play together and celebrate the spirit of traditional music.
Today, the Berks Fiddle Fest, under the direction of Chairman Larry Ross, features live concerts, workshops, competitions, craft vendors, food stands, and family-friendly activities, all while preserving the welcoming atmosphere that has defined the festival since its beginnings. More than just a music festival, it is a celebration of community, heritage, and the enduring power of acoustic music to bring people together.
FRIENDS OF FLEETWOOD PARKS
Friends of Fleetwood Parks is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the Fleetwood community through parks, recreation, arts, culture, and community events. Through the efforts of volunteers, sponsors, donors, and community partners, the organization works to preserve and improve Fleetwood’s parks while creating meaningful opportunities for residents and visitors to come together. Friends of Fleetwood Parks presents a variety of signature events throughout the year, including the Fleetwood Blues Festival Pennsylvania, Berks Fiddle Fest, the annual Community Yard Sale, summer concerts, and participates in other family-friendly community celebrations. The organization also honors outstanding individuals and businesses through Fleetwood’s Finest, featuring the prestigious Fleetwood Cadillac Award and Fleetwood Hometown Hero Award, which recognize those whose service, leadership, and generosity have made a lasting impact on the community. By combining stewardship, community pride, and volunteerism, Friends of Fleetwood Parks continues to enrich Fleetwood as a vibrant place to live, work, and play for generations to come.
