By Jill Nelson

Will play for food: Mark Sullivan (left), a three-time Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion, and George Strobbe, entertain crowds at the Fiddlers on the Trent festival this past weekend in Frankford. Photo by Jill Nelson The sounds of fiddle music filled the Frankford Tourist Park this past weekend in an effort aimed to feed the world’s hungry.
The Fiddlers on the Trent event was held June 12, 13, 14 and 15 in Frankford and proceeds from the event were donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
Held annually for six consecutive years, this weekend long event brings fiddling enthusiasts together and has, in the previous five years, raised more than $70,000 for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, who then use this money to help combat world hunger.
Although figures from this year’s Fiddlers on the Trent weekend festival are not yet known, organizer Gary Richard, hopes that they are on par with past donations.
Heather Plett, director of resources and communication for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, anticipates that the demand for food products in the world’s poorest countries will continue to rise significantly in the upcoming year, because of crop failures and increased growing costs for farmers.
“Before people in developing countries were spending 50 – 80 per cent of their income on food. Now, they are spending 100 per cent of their income on food, and still not having enough food to live off of,” says Plett.
For Plett and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, donations such as those made from events like Fiddlers on the Trent are of utmost importance. While Plett expects to match the $8.4 million donated last year, she fears that it will not be enough to meet the immediate food demands of the world’s poorest countries.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank works closely with the Canadian International Development Agency and donations collected by the Foodgrains are matched
4-1 by CIDA, up to a maximum of $25 million.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is currently working closely with organizations in India, Bangladesh, Sudan and Ethiopia to provide food for these nations’ poorest people. Plett acknowledges that the situation in Ethiopia is especially grave given the recent droughts throughout the country.
Local fiddler and festival organizer Gary Richard, who is head of the 1802 Station Fiddlers, said that the group also holds fundraisers throughout the year in recognition of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. These include a station dinner and a raffle.
Richards and the 1802 Station Fiddlers also act as the organizing committee for Fiddlers on the Trent, and raise additional funds from the sale of pies, chocolate bars, and water during the course of the weekend, as well as from parking and camping fees, and general donations.
This year, the festival headlined Mark Sullivan, a three-time Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion. Other acts included Cape Creol, Tom Fitzgerald of Everything Fitz, the 1802 Station Fiddlers, and other talented fiddlers and musicians who took part in activities like the open mic night.
Richards is especially pleased with the event again this year and was happy the weather co-operated throughout the weekend.