Merle Watson Bluegrass Banjo Championship
Merle Watson's identification with the five-string banjo and the recognition of North Carolina artists developing the three-finger style makes the banjo a popular instrument at MerleFest. We celebrate that tradition, and encourage pickers to learn and enjoy the banjo, with one of the nation's foremost banjo contests.
Judges for the 2013 Merle Watson Bluegrass Banjo Contest are Steve Lewis, Blind Boy Paxton and Brandon Green.