While Toronto's ukulele scene has made headlines, the Toronto Fiddle Collective is laying roots at Dundas and Jane. Meeting on the third Thursday of each month, the event welcomes beginner and seasoned fiddlers of all ages for a workshop followed by a jam session with a new special guest each month.

Fiddle teacher and vocal and mandolin musician Celina Di Cecca of The Great Canadian Fiddle Show and Greyhound Riders started the group up in September of last year, and February's gathering will mark the Collective's six month mark.

"I was inspired to start the Collective to build a fiddle community in Toronto." Di Cecca tells me. "I have a range of private fiddle students and I wanted to give them an opportunity to meet each other and jam together... The Collective is as much about the community of players who come out monthly as it is the special musical guest." The Collective also hosts various other "fiddle centred" events such as concerts (there's one coming up in March) and dances.

This month's meeting is Thursday, February 19th at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 266 (3591 Dundas West). Ottawa singer/songwriter and celtic fiddle player Meaghan LaGradeur will be teaching favourite Canadian fiddle songs starting at 7pm. Pricing for the night is $15 for the workshops (either 7pm's Beginner class or 8pm's Intermediate), or just $5 if you want to join the 9pm jam. Other instruments are welcome (yes, including ukes).

You can follow the Fiddle Collective on Facebook for more gatherings. March will feature a workshop and special concert by Canadian master fiddle siblings Kerry and Tom Fitzgerald.

Photo by Larry Williamson via Toronto Fiddle Collective on Facebook. From left to right: Canadian folk/roots duo Greyhound Riders, Tony Nesbitt-Larking and Celina Di Cecca.