Homestead National Historical Park starts summer season with fiddle festival

BEATRICE - On a mostly cloudy and cool Memorial Day weekend, the sun came out for the Homestead National Historical Park’s Tall Grass Fiddle Festival Saturday, west of Beatrice.

Musicians compete annually for prize money offered by the Coffin Family Foundation.

Winner of the Junior Division was Jonah Rabe, of Lincoln.  Julie Ralston, of Lincoln took first in the Senior Division, followed by Kady Toole, of Washington, Kansas.

Jason Shaw of Lincoln won first in the Legends Division, with second going to Gabriel Marks, of Lincoln.

The fiddle festival returned this year, after last year's event had to be cancelled because of coronavirus restrictions on social distancing and crowd size.