Folk festival songwriting contest ends July 31

Time is running out to enter the Sisters Folk Festival's songwriting contest.

Entries will be accepted for the 2009 Dave Carter Memorial Songwriting Contest until July 31. The contest carries a $750 grand prize. Five finalists will be selected from all submissions, and invited to perform at the Sisters Folk Festival, September 12.

To determine a winner, each performer will play a 15-minute set, with the eventual winner performing a short set on the main stage Saturday evening.

The Sisters Folk Festival Dave Carter Memorial Song Writing contest is a performing songwriter contest; entrants must perform their songs on stage. It has proven to be a substantial launching pad for many artists, including the late, great Dave Carter, Beth Wood, Chuck McCabe, Darryl Purpose, Bob Hillman, Jud Caswell, and last year's winner Rita Hosking.

Entrants may submit up to three songs. Entries will be judged on overall consistency of quality. Finalists will be selected from the timely entries by mid-August. The entrance fee is $20.

Finalists will have other performance opportunities at venues around Sisters throughout the festival. Each finalist will also receive two nights lodging, meal vouchers and one all-events pass for the festival, and an invitation to perform for the 2010 Sisters Folk Festival.

This year's entries need to be made electronically through SonicBids, and only electronic submissions will be accepted. To learn more about how to submit song files, please visit: http://www.sistersfolkfestival.org/dave_care.html.

For more information about the Sisters Folk Festival and the Dave Carter Memorial Songwriting Contest visit http://www.sistersfolkfestival.org or call 549-4979.