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National Whistling Convention and In 1974 at a folk festival on the campus of Louisburg College, a singer decided to whistle his tune instead of sing it. The crowd loved it, and at the next year's festival a small whistling contest was held under a big oak tree on the campus. The contest grew every year until the folk festival was overwhelmed and forgotten. By 1981, the contest had become the National Whistling Convention, bringing some of the world's most famous whistlers to Franklin County Courthouse on the third weekend each April. Professional whistlers perform concerts of popular and classical music, but the highlight of the day is the whistling contest. Competitors come from all over the country and employ many whistling styles. There are pucker whistlers, teeth whistlers, tongue whistlers, and finger whistlers of many varieties. Awards are given for youngest and oldest whistler, for popular music and classical, for special sounds and loud whistling (111 decibels took the award in 1983), and a national champion whistler is named. During the convention, the National Whistling Museum is open in an old store building across from the courthouse. The museum houses whistling memorabilia and the world's largest collection of recorded whistling music. During the convention, the museum also displays the world's largest collection of whistles, owned by Carlin N. Morton of Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. The museum may be seen by appointment throughout the year.
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