The Vankleek Hill Fair is once again hosting a “Rise 2 Fame” talent competition on Friday, August 16 at 6 p.m. Finalists will go on to a district competition.

Rise 2 Fame is a youth talent search open to contestants between the ages of 13 and 21 years old. Performers must be at least 13 years old and must not have reached his or her 22nd birthday on or before the opening day of the current year’s Western Fair. Proof of age may be requested

The Junior Talent Contestants must be between the ages of 6 and 12 years old.  The performer must be at least six years old and must not have reached his or her birthday on or before the opening day of the current year’s Western Fair. Proof of age may be requested.

NOTE:  If a group (band/dance) is entering and the ages are split between Youth and Junior, the entire group will be placed and judged in the Youth Talent Search.

The categories of competition are: vocal solo, instrumental solo, dance solo, dance group, vocal and/or instrumental group including bands, variety solo and variety group.

Categories of competition are for the purposes of scheduling performers, clarifying eligibility and determining judging criteria. Each act will be judged against each other act, regardless of category of performance.

Everyone is welcome to take part, but organizers note that only Ontario residents are eligible to go on to the finals. An individual cannot be part of an act at the Western Fair district competition if he or she did not appear and place in the act at a Preliminary Contest.

Preliminary Competitions

  • Preliminary competitions for the Youth and Junior Talent Search will be held in various locations in Ontario
  • A contestant may enter any preliminary competition he or she chooses and may enter only once in any one category.
  • If a contestant was chosen from the first preliminary to advance in any one of the categories of competition, he or she is not eligible to compete in the same category in a second preliminary competition.
  • The judges will choose a predetermined number of acts to advance from both the Youth and Junior classes to advance to the competition at the Western Fair District. This number will be based on entry numbers.
  • If a group (band/dance) is chosen at the preliminary to move forward to Western Fair and one of their members are unable to perform on the confirmed date, they cannot substitute a member.  Their choice is to play/dance less that member or forfeit their turn.  We will try to reschedule to allow all members to participate but cannot guarantee open dates will be available.
  • Everyone is welcome to take part, but organizers note that only Ontario residents are eligible to go on to the finals. An individual cannot be part of an act at the Western Fair district competition if he or she did not appear and place in the act at a Preliminary Contest.

Judging

All contestants will be judged on the following basis:

  • Natural Ability 25%
  • Quality of Performance 25%
  • Showmanship 25%
  • Audience Rapport 25%.
    Audience rapport is the judges’ evaluation of how the act would be received by an appropriate, impartial audience in an appropriate setting, and is not based on the size or enthusiasm of an act’s “fan club”.
  • The decision of the contest judges is final, and no discussion regarding any decision shall be entered into by Youth Talent Search organizers at any time.

Youth Quarter-Final, Semi-FINAL & Final Competitions

  • All Youth Talent Acts selected from each Preliminary Contest will compete together as semi-Finalists and 20 Finalists will be chosen by the judges.
  • At the youth final show the judges will pick a winner and 1st runner up only.

Junior Semi-FINAL & Final Competitions

  • Junior Talent Acts selected from each Preliminary Contest will compete together as Semi-Finalists.
  • From the semi-finals the judges will pick 15 acts to move to the finals
  • At the junior final show the judges will pick a winner and 1st and 2nd runner up.

There are some rules. An act may not run for more than four minutes. A vocal act may not use background vocals of any kind. A dance act may not use background taps or tap effects.

Entries for all preliminaries’ can be made on-line at westernfairdistrict/rise2fame

Call Amy LeRoy at 613-872-9093 if you have questions. There is more info here.