The Bluegrass Shack in New Athens, Ill., which is east of St. Louis, is holding its annual fiddle and banjo contest on Halloween, Oct. 31, at L&B’s Eastend in New Athens.

The indoor event will feature 10 divisions with more than $500 in trophies and prizes. Food and beverages will be available, and jamming opportunities will abound.

In preparation for the annual contest, The Bluegrass Shack is offering a chance to win a free $100 gift certificate or a 1890s vintage Neuner & Hornsteiner fiddle. For every donation of $1, buyers will get one chance to win. Six chances are being sold for $5.

“We will hold a drawing at the contest for the winner,” said store owner Chris Talley Armstrong. “You do not need to be present to win. Your donations go 100 percent towards the cost of our contest, which generally is around $1,500. This allows us to pay for the hall rental, judges, trophies, medals and prize money.”

Also from Talley Armstrong:  The Bluegrass Shack, which is becoming a retail Mecca for bluegrassers in southern Illinois and the metro St. Louis area, is looking to expand. It has just closed a deal on purchasing adjacent property, which for now will give the store additional parking. Eventually, The Shack hopes to expand its current building onto the newly acquired land.

And yet another tidbit: The Bluegrass Shack will maintain a large vendor’s area at the Greater Downstate Indoor Bluegrass Festival in Springfield on Nov. 6 through 8. Talley Armstrong will be conducting the banjo and fiddle workshops on Saturday afternoon of the festival. The festival is held at the Crowne Plaza hotel, just off Interstate 55.