The Grand Ole Opry House is holding a huge celebration for their 40th Anniversary, and YoYoNashville will be part of the festivities!

On March 15th and 16th, 2014, the Opry is throwing a party that will include music, backstage tours, and live entertainment and Nashville’s yoyo club has been invited to partake in the festivities. To commemorate the legendary Opry patriarch, Roy Acuff, and his on stage yoyo antics, the venue is hosting a 2 day yo-yo-a-thon and 1970’s-era fixed axle contests. In 1974, President Nixon made a visit to the grand opening of the new home of the Opry where Roy Acuff gave him an impromptu yo-yo lesson. The President jokingly offered to Acuff ” I’ll stay here and try to learn how to use the yo-yo; you go up and be President, Roy!”

From opry.com/opryhouseanniversary:

“As part of the event, the Opry will partner with Hands On Nashville   and  Habitat For Humanity of Greater Nashville  to celebrate the Opry House’s iconic Nixon/Acuff yo-yo lesson and raise funds in support of both organizations with an Opry House Yo-Yo-A-Thon. Opry staffers, artists and volunteers from Hands On Nashville and Habitat For Humanity of Greater Nashville will take turns yo-yoing in the Opry Plaza throughout the weekend. “

There will be commemorative wooden yo-yos available to use and buy. All yoyo players are welcome to come and help raise funds for Hands on Nashville and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville (and throw a lot of fixed axle yo-yo). Contact Mark Allen or join the YoYoNashville group on Facebook for more details and to sign up for these events.

The YoYoNashville yoyo club is free to attend, and generally meets every third Saturday each month at Rocketown.