MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH... : FOR CONTEST AND FESTIVAL FOLK, THERE'S PLENTY OF HEARTY PICKIN' AND FIDDLIN' TO GO AROUND.

Byline: Fred Shuster Daily News Music Writer

Imagine a Lollapalooza where any kid with a guitar could jump up on stage and jam with Smashing Pumpkins or Metallica.

Impossible, right?

But the open jam session and welcoming smile is a mainstay of country and folk festivals throughout the nation. And local aficionados of American roots music know the place to be this weekend is the daylong Topanga Banjo-Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival, which takes place Sunday at Paramount Ranch, near Agoura.

The family-friendly event features four main stages: the contest stage, where singers, fiddlers, banjo players, mandolin pickers, guitarists and other musician types of all ages compete for cash prizes and gifts; a dance stage, where Scottish country dancers, clog, Cajun, contra and square dancing takes place; the railroad stage, where children's songs and stories can be heard; and the pavilion stage for fiddle playoffs, cowboy poetry, Celtic songs, and children's crafts and dancing.

Then, you have around 45 folk arts booths that showcase weaving, ceramics, wood carving, inlaying, leather and metal craft, jewelry making, painting and needlework.

Organizers of the 36th annual music, dance, crafts and food festival encourage visitors to bring their musical instruments.

``For me, that's really the best part of this festival,'' said local country-rock musician Howard Weisbrot, who plans to attend Sunday's event. ``If you have an instrument, you can walk up to a clump of people who are playing together and just join right in. Nobody's going to say, `We have too many guitars or fiddles or banjos.' Nobody's going to judge you on your playing ability. Nobody's going to be pretentious about it. Everybody is welcome.''

On the contest stage, where about 100 instrumental and singing contestants, plus string bands meet, bluegrass groups Grey Eagle and the Witcher Brothers, plus the Topanga Cajun Quartet, are set to entertain.

``The fiddle contest is still the heart and soul of the festival,'' said president and event manager Dorian Keyser. ``We've had musicians that started out competing as kids and then went on to bigger things.''

Take, for example, last year's first-place winners in the band category, Homegrown, which consists of seven members of the La Canada-based Hodge family.

Homegrown, which ranges in age from 8 to 23 years, has appeared at the Topanga Fiddle-Banjo Contest twice, winning second place in 1994 and moving up to first last year.

``The real purpose of the festival isn't to compete,'' said 23-year-old Chris Hodge, who plays acoustic bass in his family's string band. ``It's a get-together for music lovers. People who wouldn't ordinarily play traditional music, like blues or jazz or country musicians, play it there. I've known several people who've gone to the event and fallen in love with bluegrass, folk and other kinds of traditional music.''

The Topanga Banjo-Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival was begun in 1961 as a means to raise money for the Santa Monica Friends Meeting House Building Fund. The event attracted 26 five-string banjo pickers, five fiddlers, four judges and more than 500 visitors to a private home in rural Topanga Canyon.

The festival relocated to larger locations each year as the event attracted more and more folk fans from around the country. It moved to its present home at Paramount Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains six years ago.

Through the years, numerous name musicians have appeared at the event, including David Lindley, Taj Mahal, John Hartford, Byron Berline and others.

Among the instrumental competitors Sunday will be 7-year-old Adam Fish and 9-year-old Danielle Fish, Agoura Hills siblings who play traditional music on fiddle and will compete not against each other, but in the beginner and intermediate heats, respectively.

``The competition aspect of the event is something that keeps young musicians encouraged and striving to do better,'' said Shayna Fish, Adam and Danielle's mom. ``But the great thing about the festival is the exposure it gives to this very enjoyable music performed by children and adults. The whole family can have a good time.''

This year, the festival has linked up with the nonprofit Santa Monica Mountains Fund, and a March for Parks segment of the event will feature 25 booths with displays on the nature and recreational activities available in the Santa Monica Mountains.

``It's the type of festival where everyone's there to relax,'' the 43-year-old Weisbrot said. ``You feel safe about attending. People might get rowdy, but in a fun way. And the music is honest, rootsy and fun.''

Weisbrot, a mandolin player who has attended the Topanga festival several times over the years, plans to join in on some impromptu jamming.

Ticket prices range from $4 to $7, depending on age. Kids age 10 and under are admitted free of charge.

``We keep the admission low because most staffers are volunteers, and talent plays for considerably less than their normal fees,'' Keyser said.

As for food, patrons can bring a picnic from home or buy on site from the catering tent.

``It's the kind of event where people can have a good time and experience some of our homegrown folk culture,'' Keyser said. ``There's a lot of diversity here, and people are encouraged to participate. If they don't know the dance steps to one of the dances, they'll be shown the steps. We want everyone to join the fun.''

THE FACTS

What: 36th Topanga Banjo-Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival.

Where: Paramount Ranch, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, near Agoura.

When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets: $4 and $7; children 10 and under free.

Parking: Free with shuttle bus.

Information: [phone].

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

Photo: (1--Cover--Color) Homegrown, featuring seven memb ers of the Hodge family from La Canada.

(2) String bands are among the groups of musicians meeting and competing at Sunday's Topanga Banjo-Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival at Paramount Ranch, near Agoura.

(3) Homegrown, featuring seven members of the La Canada-based Hodge family, won last year's competition in the band category. Homegrown includes, clockwise from top left, Brittanie, Elisa, Katrina, Chris, Ashlie, Kinsey and Jake Hodge.

(4) Contra dancing is among several kinds of dancing scheduled for the annual family-friendly event.

Evan Yee/Daily News