Galax: Where the Music Never Stops By Duncan Seaman | Adventures with Duncan

Some stories are hard to tell. Some experiences are too big, too layered, too tangled up in memory and tradition to fit neatly into words or video clips. The Old Fiddlers’ Convention in Galax, Virginia, is one of those stories.

For one week every August, this small town transforms into something magical. Families haul campers and tents into Felts Park, fiddles and banjos slung over shoulders, kids running barefoot, old friends hugging like no time has passed. Music spills from every direction — front porches, street corners, and campfires — until it feels like the entire town is vibrating with one long, endless song.

I went to Galax expecting to make a video about a fiddling competition. But I left with something bigger — a story about people, about roots, and about how traditions survive when they’re carried in the hearts and hands of those who love them.

The Heartbeat of Galax

Yes, there’s a competition. There are judges, categories, trophies, and a big stage. But honestly? That’s just the shell. The real story lives outside the contest grounds — in the parking lots and campsites, under shade trees and around smoky campfires, where music never stops and strangers join in without hesitation.

On my first morning walking into town, I was greeted by a kind lady with a simple “good morning.” Hours later, I found her again — playing upright bass in a band right out front of Barr’s Fiddle Shop. That’s Galax. That’s this place. Music and community so tightly woven together you can’t pull the threads apart.

Trying to Capture the Uncapturable

I spent days wandering with my camera, capturing what I could: the players lost in their craft, the laughter between old friends, the quiet moments before someone steps onto the stage. I filmed everything I could — and yet, even with all the footage, I know I’ve only brushed the surface of what this place means.

My latest video on Adventures with Duncan is my attempt to share that feeling — not just the sounds, but the soul of Galax. If you’ve ever been to the Old Fiddlers’ Convention, you know. And if you haven’t… maybe this is a good place to start.

🎥 Watch the video here → Inside the Heart of the Old Fiddlers’ Convention | Galax, Virginia

https://youtu.be/gB_K7iQTPG0

Faces of the Music

Along the way, I also created a series of environmental portraits — images that try to capture the emotion and spirit of the musicians, pickers, and dreamers who make Galax what it is. Each face tells a story, and each photograph carries a little piece of this incredible tradition.

If you’d like to see more, I’ve posted the full gallery on my site. And if one speaks to you, consider purchasing a print. Your support helps keep Adventures with Duncan on the road, telling stories like this one and chasing down the places where music, history, and culture collide.

📸 View the portrait gallery → https://www.adventureswithduncan.com/shop/old-fiddlers-convention

Leaving Galax

When the last note fades and the campers roll out of Felts Park, Galax returns to being a small Virginia town. But for those who were here — those who played, listened, or just sat in the grass soaking it all in — something lingers.

Because the Old Fiddlers’ Convention isn’t just an event. It’s a living, breathing reminder that traditions survive when we show up, listen, and pass them along.

And that’s a story worth telling.