We're delighted that Fiddle Hell will be back at the Westford Regency in Westford, MA, Nov 13-16, 2025.
Plan ahead to join us for 1, 2, 3, or all 4 incredible days of musical community, inspiration, learning, tunes, techniques, jamming, and fun!

Here are some helpful things to know for attendees at Fiddle Hell. 

IN-PERSON: Fiddle Hell will be an entirely in-person festival in November. Meet up and jam with your old friends and make new ones! Sessions will not be recorded for replays online.

SESSIONS: We'll have more than 300 sessions, with 20 concerts, 35 instructor-led jams, and 250 workshops! And there will be lots of informal jam spots as always. While all acoustic instruments are welcome, the main tracks are for fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo, cello, and singing, at 4 different levels. Have fun with your fellow musicians as you absorb techniques, styles, tunes, and history, from an amazing set of artists.

ARTISTS: Our world-class staff of 90 teaching and performing artists will be announced in July. The detailed schedule will be published in early September, including session descriptions, instruments, levels, and artists.

REGISTRATION: Tickets will be available for 4 days, 3 days, 2 days, and single days, beginning July 1st at noon ET on our Registration Page. There are discounts for early birds, seniors (65 or older), kids (12 or under), teens (13-17), young adults (18-25), current members of ASTA (American String Teachers Association), and non-playing parents or guardians. Early bird discounts can be combined with other discounts, and early birds will be entered in several giveaways (including a vintage fiddle made by Franz Hell, and great seats to 5 local concerts). Tickets will also be available at the FH event itself. We suggest signing up early to get a substantial early bird discount and to make sure of your registration. 

ROOM RESERVATIONS: Hotel room reservations at the Westford Regency will be available only to registered attendees, on a first-come, first-served basis. Rates are $125/night/room, plus taxes.  If you wish to book a room, please call the Westford Regency Inn at (978) 692-8200 AFTER you have bought your FH ticket and have received your FH code for the hotel in your confirmation email.  If the  hotel is sold out, ask to be added to the waiting list - that sometimes works out well. There are other hotels nearby, such as the Hampton Inn & Suites Westford just a mile away. And commuting is a good option if you live close enough or stay with a friend - there's lots of free parking at the Westford Regency.

GIVEAWAYS: Fiddle Hell is giving away a vintage violin to an early bird registrant for our November Festival. This fiddle was built by Norwegian maker Franz Hell around 100 years ago, and has his label inside, and his initials "FH" on the heel of the neck! Sign up in July for 3 chances to win this fiddle; in August for 2 chances; in September for 1 chance.
Other early bird giveaways are books, CDs, strings, Fiddler magazines, and online lessons.
And finally, we're giving away pairs of great concert seats for:
- The Stillhouse Junkies at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, Aug 5, 8PM
- Bronwyn Keith-Hynes at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, Aug 17, 7PM
- Rev. Robert Jones at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, Aug 23, 8PM
- Eileen Ivers at the Groton Hill Music Center in Groton, MA, Sept 6, 8PM
- The Del McCoury Band at Groton Hill in Groton, MA, Oct 25, 8PM
Why wait?

LOGISTICS: We'll use Whova software (optional on your smartphone, tablet, or computer) for the detailed agenda, to provide handouts, and to add an exciting channel of connection within our FH community. Whova will be available starting Sept 15. Whova was very helpful at the last 7 online FH festivals and the last 3 in-person festivala, and participants really liked it. We’ll also have printed grids, but not extensive program booklets. Food and drinks will be available at the hotel and nearby. There will be a dinner break from 6-7:30PM on Th, Fr, and Sat. The hotel has free parking and a large parking lot.

COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS: Vaccinations, rapid tests, and masking are optional in 2025. 

NEXT ONLINE FH: The next ONLINE Fiddle Hell will be April 9-12, 2026.

On behalf of Fiddle Hell and my family, we hope you are doing ok, staying healthy, and coping with the challenges of everyday life. We've had a great time jamming, learning, and having fun with you in the last few years, both in-person and online. It's been a time for friendship and reconnection, and for awesome learning and listening. We'll see you in November!

Warmly,
Dave Reiner

For 15 years in a row, Fiddle Hell Massachusetts was an in-person event. In 2020, we reimagined Fiddle Hell as an online festival and music camp. It was an exciting new way for our music community to reconnect and stay safe during the pandemic. Fiddle Hell Online went live in November, 2020, with video replays for the next 3 months. Although we missed seeing our musical friends face-to-face, and jamming with them in the hallways, we had front-row seats for every virtual session, and were joined by new attendees and artists from around the world! We had such a good time that we ran a second Fiddle Hell Online in April, 2021.  And a third FHO in November, 2021.  And starting in 2022, we've held FHO every April. 

The eighth Fiddle Hell Online will be April 3-6, 2026. We're expecting 200 live workshops to learn from, 25 live concerts to enjoy, and 25 live jam sessions to join on Zoom, for fiddle, mandolin, cello, guitar, banjo, & singing. That's 250 sessions! Other instruments and listeners are welcome, too. Fiddle Hell artists -- experienced & supportive teachers, and wonderful & inspiring players -- will cover Bluegrass, Blues, Cajun, Cape Breton, East European, Electric, Irish, Jazz, Jazz Manouche, Klezmer, Latin, Mexican, New Acoustic, New England, Old-Time Southern, Québécois, Scandinavian, Scottish, and Swing styles. Historical and technical workshops will be on the program in addition to tune and style learning. Workshops and jams are designed for Beginners, Low Intermediates, High Intermediates, and Advanced players, although you can attend and replay any sessions you like.

Fiddle Hell Online's inspiring and incredible sessions are a great value for players and listeners.   Attending FHO is not only an amazing experience, it’s a way for you to support and connect with these wonderful teaching and performing artists. Attendees have said that their broad opportunities for learning (tunes, styles, instruments, techniques), gains in musical inspiration, and renewed connections with the community were priceless! Discounts are always provided for seniors and young musicians. Scholarships based on financial need are available.

Attendance and participation at FHO are from your laptop, desktop, tablet, or phone. You'll be viewing live sessions (and replays) from a web browser or mobile app, using our convenient event software called "Whova." At face-to-face Fiddle Hell, you had to make a difficult choice of where to go in each time slot; for FHO, you'll be able to replay videos of prior sessions for 3 months (can extend to 6 or 9 months), so you won't miss your favorite artists, workshop topics, jams, and performers. Optionally, you can access the FHO online community once you register, for discussions, messaging, virtual exhibitors, and technical help if you need it.

Fiddle Hell strives to be an actively inclusive and welcoming place for people of all racial groups, ethnicities, abilities, gender identities and/or expressions, sexual orientations, incomes, religions, and other identities. We value and embrace all forms of diversity among our staff and participants. In August 2020, we identified a number of areas where Fiddle Hell could improve with respect to racial justice, and we took taking steps to put these ideas into action. We were excited to offer workshops in 2020-2024 and continuing in the future that provide opportunities to learn about the contributions and roles of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the origins and evolution of the instruments, tunes, and styles we play. Please click here to read about these steps in our full Statement about Fiddle Hell and Racial Justice.