Camping in ‘Carterville’
By Ronald Bond - Argus Observer
Thursday, June 21, 2007 11:10 AM PDT
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| Craig Carter, husband of Denice Carter, who founded ‘Carterville,’ stands with an old population sign of ‘Carterville’ Wednesday at the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest and Festival in Weiser. Through the years, ‘Carterville’ has become one of the more popular campsites throughout the camp. |
Weiser - During the week of the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest and Festival, hundreds of people come from across the country, including several longtime attendees and people making their inaugural trip, and fill the camping sites situated throughout Weiser.
One group of people, which has been coming annually from Colorado for about 15 years, said they have really established themselves and their location as one of the premier spots in the camp.
It is simply known as “Carterville” and was started by Denice Carter and Sally Standley. Carter has been teaching violin lessons for 25 years and fiddle lessons for 19. She first came to Weiser to compete in the fiddle festival after claiming the Colorado state championship several years ago and has made the return trip every year since.
“I came to Weiser and just stayed in a little tent,” she said. “Brought a few students one year, and it grew.”
Through the next few years, more and more students came with Carter to the camp to compete in the festival.
What was once a single-tent camp is now set up like an outdoor house, complete with several RVs, tents, tables full of food and beverages and even a couch.
It became one of the hotbeds of the campground, and in 1996, they officially named the camp “Carterville.”
“One reason I started this camp was there were no camps for kids,” Carter said. “They were all for adults.”
Carter said she felt the youth who came to the festival needed a place where they could just relax with others and make their experience more enjoyable.
“A lot of people call this ‘Kidville,’” she added.
While the camp is primarily set up for the younger fiddlers, Carter said the group welcomes anyone who wants to be a part of their campsite.
“This is primarily the Colorado bunch, (but) we’ve had people from Texas, Alaska, Tennessee and Oregon join,” she said. “A lot of camps are not (inviting). We are. There are people that come here all the time.”
The population of “Carterville” has swelled to about 70 in the last couple of years, with anywhere from 15 to 25 of those being Carter’s students from Colorado who compete in the festival.
“I probably bring the largest amount of students to the competition,” she said.
Colorado fiddler Abby Holmberg has been one of Carter’s students for nine years and has been coming to Weiser as a part of “Carterville” for eight.
“I think it’s really cool,” she said. “(Carter is) one of the only teachers keeping Texas fiddling alive in Colorado. She is like a mother figure.”
Holmberg added the group has also had a lot of success at the Weiser festival.
“We’ve had people make the third round and get into the top 10,” she said. “It’s fun supporting them.”
Karena McCurdy is a first-time member of “Carterville.” She competed this year, along with her children Dani and Dale, and said she really liked the idea behind the camp and the festival.
“I think it’s great,” she said. “Everyone comes here. (There are) just not too many places you can do family stuff for a week.”
Allison Holmberg, Abby’s sister, has also been coming to Weiser for eight years and said it’s a great way for the group to come together.
“This is like a family,” she said. “Everyone you love is here.”
And the laid-back style of the camp makes it feel more like home, she said.
“We got a couch (and) we got a kitchen,” Holmberg added. “What more do you need?”
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