Sligo Live 2012 presents the ‘World Air Fiddle Championships’ on Sunday  28th of October 2012  as part of the Festival Club at The Model.

The annual hilarious World Air Fiddle Championships where would-be fiddle players release their inner ‘musician’ in the most unique of ways. Laugh until you drop while you watch the madcap antics of our air fiddlers or better still – allow your own imaginary fiddle diva to break out and make a stab at becoming World Air Fiddle Champion 2012. Join SLIGO LIVE to see if you can possibly beat reigning champions or just for the sheer fun of watching others try.  The Championships are judged by the “clapometer never lies” barometer.

Rory O’Connor, Executive Producer of Sligo Live described the championships as “the traditional take on ‘Air Guitar’… Air Fiddle is one of the highlights of the festival each year.  The competitors are brilliant and the standard is very high …. All music depends on practice and the best air fiddlers put a lot of work into their performances.”

The first champion in 2006 was Amy O’Hara, a young mother who slayed the crowd with her version of Charlie Daniels “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”. In 2007 Peter Crann, better known for his Samba drumming, won the competition.  The 2008 champions were The Fiddle Sisters – Cathy Brennan and Cathy Ann Brennan who did a Chaplinesque take on it!  The 2009 reigning champions were Helga and Holger from Scandinavia.  Original World Champion Amy O’Hara won the title again in 2010 and in 2011.

SLIGO LIVE is getting ready to welcome an array of International artists and thousands of dedicated fans to Sligo this October Bank Holiday Weekend.  A limited number of weekend tickets at €112 will enable music lovers to enjoy all of Sligo Live including legends Van Morrison and Joan Armatrading, as well as Wallis Bird,  Pokey LaFarge & The South City Three, Bell X1, Fidil, I Draw Slow, Lau, Buille, Mánran, Marit and Rona, Rackhouse Pilfer, Common Tongues, Eoin Glackin, Si Schroeder, The Casanova Wave, Louise Killeen, Liz & Yvonne Kane, Christof, The Scottish connection plus many more.

This year’s Festival will also feature ‘Arrival’, a showcase for Emerging Artists All Day Every Day of the Festival, Traditional Sessions, Fiddler of Dooney Competition, a Food and Craft Market, and climaxing with the hilarious World Air Fiddle Championships.

For more information visit the the Sligo Live website www.sligolive.ie or follow Sligo Live on twitter @SligoLive