If you sing, dance, play an instrument, execute magic tricks or perform in other ways, and are between the ages of 6 and 21 then the Rise 2 Fame Youth Talent Search is looking for you. It’s not too early to start practicing and perfecting your performance.
After a year’s hiatus the Bayfield preliminary competition to the Western Fair Talent Search will go ahead on a virtual platform. This is one of only three preliminary competitions taking place in Ontario and the only Huron County competition.
Video submissions can be submitted anytime between June 15 and August 1, 2021 at https://www.westernfairdistrict.com/western-fair/rise2fame-online
Videos will be forwarded by the Western Fair District to a panel of three local judges who will determine the winners.
On Saturday, August 21 at the Bayfield Community Fair, the virtual competition will be followed by a live showcase of selected acts and an awards night. Winners of the virtual competition will be announced and given an opportunity to strut their stuff onstage. Covid-19 protocols will be in place. The live showcase begins at 7:00 pm on the outdoor stage at Bayfield Community Centre. Beth Sayler, from the Western Fair will also be recording videos of the performances and winners will have the option of using her videos for submission to the Western Fair if they so choose. We are hoping this combination of virtual competition and live performance will provide a meaningful opportunity for our young performers to celebrate and demonstrate their talent.
The Western Fair Rise 2 Fame competition is a 40-year tradition which has touched the lives of thousands of talented youngsters from across the province. The Western Fair Rise2Fame Youth Talent Search, along with the preliminaries, has been the start to many careers in the arts and continues to encourage young people to showcase and pursue their talents.
Categories of competition are (1) Vocal Solo; (2) Instrumental Solo; (3) Dance Solo; (4) Dance Group; (5) Vocal and/or Instrumental Group including bands; (6) Variety Solo and (7) Variety Group. Individuals can compete more than once in different categories.
Be sure to read the rules very carefully online by visiting the website at https://www.westernfairdistrict.com/western-fair/rise-2-fame before you register.
By Wednesday, Sept. 8th all winners’ videos from the three preliminary competitions in Ontario will be featured on the Western Fair website and submitted to a judge’s panel.
On Sunday, Sept. 19th at 6pm the final winners of the Western Fair Rise 2 Fame competition will be announced. At the Western Fair level there are big cash prizes and trophies for final winners. Huron County has produced Western Fair winners and many local acts have made it to the finals over the years. A number of local youth who have performed in this competition in the past have gone on to careers in music and the arts.
But you can’t win if you don’t enter the preliminary online competition in Bayfield. So, start practising, then get registered and send in your videos before August 1.
If you have any questions, contact Charles Kalbfleisch at 519-565-2244 or Willi Laurie wlaurie@tcc.on.ca 519-482-9265 for more information.