World Fiddle Day

World Fiddle Day was founded by County Donegal fiddler Caoimhin Mac Aoidh in 2012.^[4][5] The May date was chosen to coincide with the 1737 death of Italian violin craftsman Antonio Stradivari.^[6] The first Toronto celebration was held in 2013 and that year there was a celebration in Winnipeg as well.

In 2015, Canada declared World Fiddle Day to be National Fiddle Day as well.^[7][8] There were celebrations in Owen Sound, Ontario,^[9] St. John's, Newfoundland and Toronto.^[10] The Ottawa Fiddle and Stepdancing Competition was held in Richmond, Ontario.^[11]

In 2016 a World Fiddle Day celebration was held at Fort York in Toronto on May 21. Yosvani Castañeda Valdés demonstrated Cuban fiddling, while Dan MacDonald performed and presented a workshop about Cape Breton fiddling style.^[12][13] Other events were held in Owen Sound, Ontario^[7] and Scartaglen, County Kerry, Ireland.^[3]

In 2019 Kincardine, Ontario, held its fifth annual World Fiddle Day celebration with a downtown open air fiddling show.^[14] The Scartaglen celebration that year included lectures about the lives of local fiddlers Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford.^[15]