Bands Invited to Battle at the Fair

Applications to compete in the Battle of the Bands and Singer-Songwriter competition at the SD Fair are now open

Word association with the San Diego County Fair always comes down to fried foods, as-seen-on-TV demos galore, yearbook awards and an irritating influx of I-5 traffic -- but what about live music, cash prizes and the possibility of fame? In addition to the massive (and often free) concerts at the fair each year, there are a grip of contests for up-and-coming musicians, and the deadline to enter is drawing near.

This year’s Battle of the Bands will have the Coors Light Rock On Stage filled with industry hopefuls on June 26, competing for their chance at cash prizes ($5,000 for first place!) and local glory. Plus, the Casbah will book the top three bands from the battle to perform at the iconic San Diego venue.

Are you more of a lone wolf when it comes to the stage? Worry not, there’s a competition for you too. For the sixth year running, the Singer-Songwriter contest returns to the fair on June 19, and whoever takes home the gold (and $3,000 cash prize) will get booked at three spots around town. If that weren’t enough to get you writing, there’s this too: Big West Music is offering up a one-song recording contract to the winner, which includes a writing/arranging consultation with an award-winning songwriting team plus 10 hours of studio time.

Oh yeah, and the winners of both the Battle of the Bands and Singer-Songwriter contests will also receive custom vinyl records and packaging with their music on it from American Vinyl. *Mic drop*

If that all sounds as great as your band or solo act, well, fill out the online contest application (available here for Battle of the Bands and here for Singer-Songwriter) and submit a video or audio clip by Friday, April 22, to be considered for the showcases! Finalists will be announced online by May 16.

The San Diego County Fair opens at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on June 3 and runs through July 4.

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