While getting my latest catalog printed up  at Kinkos, I ran into a guy
who was organizing the First Annual Indanola Hurdy-gurdy Festival.  Not
the type of mechanical hurdy-gurdy we think of, but a bowed instrument
with a spinning wheel that apparently dates back to the 1700s.

The festival runs September 12th - 15th and will feature French country
dancing as well.  For information, call Alden and Cali Hackman at

    360-297-7234

or check out there web page at:

    http://weber.u.washington.edu/~darkstar/HGhome.html

And I thought ragtime festivals were obscure.

Paul Johnson¶
The Piano Roll Center

 [ Editor's Note:
 [
 [ That Web page, and the things its points to, are real gems.
 [ I've never seen one of these instruments;  now I've seen several.
 [ Thanks Paul.
 [ Jody