The Purple Fiddle

The Purple Fiddle is an American café, deli, and live music venue located in the historic DePollo Store on Front Street in Thomas, West Virginia. Founded in June 2001 by an unnamed founder and former partner Kate, the business was conceived as a community gathering space offering a varied and healthy deli menu alongside live Appalachian-based acoustic music. A founding disagreement over whether the venue would be a bar led to one of its most defining characteristics: a smoke-free, mostly-acoustic music venue where families can enjoy crafted beverages in a responsible, non-threatening environment. The Purple Fiddle has presented a performance every Friday and Saturday night at 8:30 pm since opening, and its music schedule now fills six months in advance with nationally-touring professional acts. The venue is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 am to 8 pm, or past 11 pm on show nights, and is all ages at all times. It has been praised by publications including the Washington Post, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Southern Living, and Cumberland Times-News for its unique blend of food, music, and community. The Purple Fiddle is a private, independent business and remains an active cultural landmark in the Canaan Valley region.

The Purple Fiddle was founded in June 2001 when the founder and former partner Kate first peered into the vacant DePollo Store on Front Street in historic Thomas, West Virginia. They immediately shared a vision for the space: a varied and healthy deli menu, a community gathering space, and live Appalachian-based acoustic music. Their first disagreement as business partners arose over whether the venue should serve alcohol; Kate objected to raising her children in a bar. This led to the venue's most proud attribute: a smoke-free, mostly-acoustic music venue where families can also enjoy tasting their favorite crafted beverage in a responsible and non-threatening environment. Another goal was to provide consistent high-quality professional entertainment every weekend. Since opening, The Purple Fiddle has presented a performance every Friday and Saturday night at 8:30 pm. Despite occasional last-minute cancellations due to wicked weather at 3,000 feet elevation, the venue has been blessed with responsive musical creatives who answer calls at the eleventh hour. Over time, the music schedule has filled itself six months in advance with nationally-touring professional acts eager to play the great-sounding, intimate space. The Avett Brothers played a notable last show at the venue. The Purple Fiddle credits its customers for being attentive and respectful of performances, a quality almost all bands mention. The best attribute of The Purple Fiddle, according to its history, is the people who generate a keen and ardent life-force. The venue has been recognized by the Washington Post in 2004 as 'a magical oasis in a desert of nowheres,' by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for restocking an old store with America's enduring values, by Southern Living in 2008 for Appalachian melodies and simple fun, and by the Cumberland Times-News in 2006 as 'a breath of mountain cool to rival any brand of hip.' Musicians and patrons have expressed deep appreciation for the venue's model of operating a music venue with respect for the craft and the audience.

• 2008

  Southern Living featured the venue, noting 'Appalachian melodies rain down upon patrons.'

• 2006

  Cumberland Times-News editorial called it 'a breath of mountain cool to rival any brand of hip.'

• 2004

  Praised by the Washington Post as 'a magical oasis in a desert of nowheres.'

• 2001

  Founded in June in the vacant DePollo Store on Front Street in Thomas, West Virginia.

A family-friendly, smoke-free café and music venue offering high-quality professional entertainment in an intimate, community-oriented setting.

Product categories. Deli sandwiches · Crafted beverages · Live music performances · Coffee

1. 1The Purple Fiddle — Cafe, Brews & Stagepurplefiddle.com
2. 2History — Purple Fiddlepurplefiddle.com
3. 3Reviews — Purple Fiddlepurplefiddle.com
4. 4Area info — Purple Fiddlepurplefiddle.com
5. 5Wikidata — The Purple Fiddlewikidata.org