Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival

05/13/2026

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our friend Jeff Foster.

Jeff was part of our festival family for several years, lighting up the stage with his blazing classical guitar playing and captivating audiences every time he performed. This clip from 2018 begins with his arrangement of “Classical Gas,” a piece he famously performed alongside Mason Williams.

Beyond the festival, Jeff was an important part of the local and regional music community, performing, writing, recording, and producing with countless artists over the years. His influence and friendships reached far beyond Indiana, stretching from California to Croatia and all the way to little Nashville.

Jeff’s talent, generosity, and spirit will be deeply missed.

Rest in peace, Jeff. May your memory be a comfort to all who knew and loved you.

09/23/2025

Congratulations to Hwajong Kim. Our 2025 Indiana champ is now the 2025 International Fingerstyle Champion! Thanks Walnut Valley Festival and Karen Deal for making us part of your family.

07/27/2025

🎸 What an incredible weekend!
The 2025 Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival was a huge success—thanks to our amazing musicians, generous sponsors, dedicated volunteers, and the enthusiastic audience that makes this event so special year after year. We’re truly grateful for your support in creating another unforgettable celebration of music!

👏 The competition was fierce and inspiring, with 19 talented guitarists bringing their best to the stage. The Top 5 gave us a nail-biting finish—congratulations to:
🏅 Finalists: Patrick Woods and Jason Ji
🥉 3rd Place: Jim Caudill (Ohio), who took home a Gretsch guitar sponsored by Amplify Nashville
🥈 2nd Place: Braeden Handy, IU Jacobs School of Music, winner of a custom pink Stratocaster by Jonathan Brown Custom Guitars
🥇 1st Place: Hwajong Kim (South Korea), currently studying at Berklee College of Music, who received a stunning hand-built acoustic from Tom Roeger Guitars

🎶 We’re proud of every competitor for the passion and artistry they brought to the stage. This event continues to be a reunion of friends, full of camaraderie, community, and the shared love of music. Thank you all for being part of it!

07/22/2025

🎸 Can't make it to the Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival in person? 🎸
Good news — we're livestreaming the Guitar Competition on Saturday, July 26 at 11am! Tune in here on Facebook or https://www.youtube.com/indianastringfest and watch some of the world’s best acoustic guitarists compete for the top prize.

👉 Note: The evening concert at 7:30pm will NOT be streamed this year — you’ll need to be there in person to experience the full magic.

🎟️ Get your tickets now for the evening show: https://app.opendate.io/e/indiana-state-fingerstyle-guitar-fest-july-26-2025-573623
📺 Watch the live stream on our page or YouTube, thanks to our sponsors Arts Village Brown County and Bloomington Gramophone!
Brown County Playhouse I Love Brown County All Things Brown County

07/17/2025

🎸 The crown jewel of the competition! 🎸
Our Grand Prize at the Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Fest is a custom-built 000-size 12-fret acoustic guitar handcrafted by Thomas Roeger Guitars. This stunning instrument blends elegance, craftsmanship, and tone that will turn heads on any stage.

Huge thanks to Thomas Roeger for supporting fingerstyle artistry at the highest level with this one-of-a-kind prize.

🎶 Want to see who wins it? Join us Saturday, July 26 at the Brown County Playhouse in Nashville, Indiana for an unforgettable day of music and competition.

🎟️ Get your tickets now: https://app.opendate.io/e/indiana-state-fingerstyle-guitar-fest-july-26-2025-573623
Or visit https://indianastringfest.com for full festival info!

07/14/2025

🎸 Feast your eyes on this one-of-a-kind axe! 🎸
Our 2nd Place Prize at the Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Fest is a custom-built pink Strat-style guitar from Brown Custom Guitars in Charlotte, TN. It’s bold, it’s beautiful, and it’s crafted with serious tone in mind.

Huge thanks to Jonathan Brown and Brown Custom Guitars for supporting the next generation of fingerstyle talent with this incredible prize.

🎶 Want to see who wins it? Join us Saturday, July 26 at the Brown County Playhouse in Nashville, Indiana for an unforgettable day of music and competition.

🎟️ Get your tickets now: https://app.opendate.io/e/indiana-state-fingerstyle-guitar-fest-july-26-2025-573623
Or visit https://indianastringfest.com for full festival info!

The 14th Annual Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival features a morning guitar competition and an evening concert! Tickets are available separately for each, or an all-day pass is available.

07/12/2025

🎸 Check out this beauty! 🎸
Our 3rd Place Prize at the Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Fest is this stunning Cadillac Green Gretsch G2420, generously sponsored by our friends at Amplify Nashville ! Big thanks to them for supporting up-and-coming guitar talent in such a bold (and shiny!) way.

Want to see who takes it home? Come be part of the action at the Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival, happening Saturday, July 26 at the Brown County Playhouse in Nashville, Indiana.

🎟️ Grab your tickets now: https://app.opendate.io/e/indiana-state-fingerstyle-guitar-fest-july-26-2025-573623
Or visit https://indianastringfest.com for full festival details!

The 14th Annual Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival features a morning guitar competition and an evening concert! Tickets are available separately for each, or an all-day pass is available.

07/10/2025

🎸 The 14th Annual Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival is almost here!
Join us July 26 at the Brown County Playhouse for an unforgettable night of acoustic talent, featuring Nashville’s own Tim And Myles Thompson. They’ll be joined by winners of our international competition for a night you don’t want to miss!
🎟️ Get tickets now at https://app.opendate.io/e/indiana-state-fingerstyle-guitar-fest-july-26-2025-573623

02/01/2025

2025 Indiana Fingerstyle Guitar Competition Registration Is OPEN!

  Competition 2025 Acoustic guitarists from around the world will converge at the Playhouse for the Fourteenth Annual Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival. The only event of its kind in the Midwest, this competition will feature two rounds of solo competition until the top five players are cro...