Ever pluck a harp or drum on a djembe? Ever womp-womp on a didgeridoo or buzz into a shofar? Ever strum a mountain dulcimer or frail a banjo? All of these traditional folk instruments and about 100 more are part of Todd Crowley's Traveling Musical Petting Zoo. From accordion to zither, The Zoo is a fully interactive, hands-on exhibition for musicians, young and old, novice to professional at folk and bluegrass festivals across the US and Canada. Todd's Musical Petting Zoo has traveled from Virginia to Vancouver, from Winnipeg to Winfield. In all Todd logged over 15,000 miles in his RV Gypsy Rose to bring his Petting Zoo to 16 different festivals in 2009.
Todd believes a folk instrument is part of the folk tradition, where the sharing of one's love and knowledge of the music, song, and stories of the past help to keep these traditions alive. The instruments in the zoo tell a story of their own each time a child connects to the folk tradition by trying an instrument for the first time or an adult rediscovers the joy of making music.
View photos from previous years!
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