DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: Thurs. Aug. 10, 2006

Youth Talent Search - 2006 Barrie Competition
Junior Talent Search - Barrie Competition
Tentative date:  Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - at the Barrie Event Centre -

Outdoor stage, weather permitting (or Entertainment Building-Curling Club)

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm

Youth Talent Search - Barrie Competition
Tentative date: Thursday, August 24, 2006 - at the Barrie Event Centre -

Outdoor stage, weather permitting (or Entertainment Building-Curling Club

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm

Final Competition
Friday, August 25, 2006 - at the Barrie Event Centre -

Outdoor stage, weather permitting (or Entertainment Building-Curling Club)

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Showcase of Stars
Sunday, August 27, 2006 - at the Barrie Event Centre -

Outdoor stage, weather permitting (or Entertainment Building-Curling Club)

1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Winners from the Barrie Competition will be eligible to perform at the 2006 Western Fair, London, ON in the Youth Talent Search - Ontario Competition.

Dates to be announced.
Quarter Finals - September 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13
Semi-Finals - September 15 & 16
Final Competition - September 18

From there the Overall Winner will receive an expense paid trip to compete in the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions National Youth Talent Awards held in Quebec City in November.

Good Luck Everyone!

Lowry's Piano Experts (Piano Compliments of) and Rogers Television

Eligibility
The contest is open to non-professional residents of Ontario only (see the definition of a professional entertainer). An individual cannot be part of an act at the Western Fair if he or she did not appear in the act at a Preliminary Contest.

Youth Talent Contestants must be between the age of 13 and 21 years. Each member of an act, whether performing as a soloist or as a member of a group, must be at least 13 years old and must not have reached his/her 22nd birthday by the opening day of the current year's Western Fair. Proof of age may be requested. The average age of group members is not considered.

A member of an act which has performed at the Canadian Association of Fairs & Exhibitions National Talent Awards Competition may not compete again in the Youth Talent Search, in any category.

N.B.A contestant must not have participated in any other program leading to the current year's C.A.F.E. National Talent Awards Competition including the Canadian National Exhibition "Rising Star" Contest.

Junior Talent Search
Junior Talent Contestants must be between the age of 6 and 12 years. Each member of an act must be at least 6 years old and must not have reached his/her 13th birthday by the opening day of the current year's Western Fair. Proof of age may be requested. The average age of group members is not considered.

A member of an act which was the Overall Winner of the Junior Talent Search Final Competition at The New PL Stage may not compete in the same category in the Junior Talent Search in the next succeeding year. (Solo and group performances are considered to be in different categories). The Overall Winner of the Junior Talent Search Competition may compete in any following year in the Youth Talent Search providing he/she/they meet age and amateur status eligibility requirements.
Top

Performance Categories
Categories of competition are (1) Vocal Solo; (2) Instrumental Solo; (3) Dance Solo; (4) Dance Group; (5) Vocal and/or Instrumental Group; (6) Variety Solo; (7) Variety Group. (see General Rules & Regulations).

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.

N.B. No more than 5 members are permitted in a group entered in the Youth Talent Search. There is no limit on the number of members in a group entered in the Junior Talent Search.
Top

Preliminary Competitions
Preliminary competitions for the Youth and Junior Talent Search will be held in various locations in Ontario VIEW LOCATIONS. A contestant may enter any preliminary competition he or she chooses and may enter only once in any one category. A contestant may enter one only additional preliminary competition for the current year in any category, if he or she did not advance to Western Fair from the first preliminary competition in any category.

The judges will choose up to 10 Youth Talent Acts and up to 5 Junior Talent Acts from each Preliminary Contest to advance to the competition at the Western Fair.
Top

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.
Top

Quarter-Final, Semi-Final & Final Competitions
The Youth Talent Acts selected from each Preliminary Contest will compete together as Quarter-Finalists on the Park Stage and 36 Semi-Finalists will be chosen by the judges. Each Semi-Finalist will receive an Award Plaque, and the judges will choose 12 Finalists.

The Junior Talent Acts selected from each Preliminary Contest will compete together as Semi-Finalists on the Park Stage. Each Semi-Finalist will receive an Award Certificate and the judges will choose 15 Finalists.

An individual cannot compete as a semi-finalist or finalist if he or she did not appear in the act at each preceding level of competition.
Top

Prizes & Awards
Ontario Competition - Western Fair, London, ON

Youth Talent Search

Overall Winner:
$1,000.00 Cash, a trophy and an expense-paid trip to compete in the Canadian Association of Fairs & Exhibitions National Talent Awards in November. The CAFE competition is generously supported by the Patty Conklin Foundation.

Overall Runner-Up:

$500.00 Cash and a trophy (if the overall winner is unwilling or unable to travel to the National Talent Awards Competition, the Overall Runner-Up will be invited instead).

$100.00 Cash will be given to each of the remaining 10 Finalists.

Junior Talent Search

First Place Winner:
$150.00 Cash and a trophy

2nd Place Winner:
$100.00 Cash and a trophy.

3rd Place Winner:
$50.00 Cash and a trophy
Top

Entries
READ THE RULES THOROUGHLY AND CAREFULLY AND BE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND ALL OF THEM. WHEN YOU SIGN THE ENTRY FORM, YOU INDICATE YOU HAVE DONE SO!

Entries must be made in duplicate on the Official Youth Talent Entry Form. All required information must be provided and sent or delivered to the CONTEST COORDINATOR to arrive by the closing date for the desired preliminary contest. The 2005 Talent Search Dates for preliminary contest coordinators and entry closing dates coming soon. For more information, you may telephone the Western Fair: (519) 438-7203 Ext. 254
Top

General Rules & Regulations
All Rules & Regulations Apply to Every Level of the Competition from the Preliminary Contest through the Finals.

1 It is strongly recommended that an act run no more than three (3) minutes. Under no circumstances may an act run more than four (4) minutes. ANY ACT RUNNING OVER 4 Minutes WILL BE DISQUALIFIED ... NO EXCEPTIONS! The act is timed from the first vocal utterance in any vocal category; the first musical sound in any instrumental category; the first body movement in any dance category; the first movement, gesture, utterance or musical sound in any variety category.

2 Baton twirlers or similar acts using batons, machetes, knives, etc., will not be accepted. No fire, smoke or smoke-effect will be allowed on stage at any time.

3 In the Vocal categories, instrumental accompaniment by the person in the act or others is allowed, but is not judged. It must assume the pure character of accompaniment. The test shall be whether the performance would stand alone.

Note: Recorded backup may be used, subject to the restrictions in rules 4, 5 & 6. A recording (except C.D's) must contain only the piece of music required for the performance, and must be cued properly. We cannot be responsible for any tape which is not picked up following your performance. Please label each tape with your name for identification.

4 No voice or voices, vocal utterance or synthesized vocal utterance may be used for accompaniment by contestants entered in the Vocal categories. This includes recorded live voices and voices that are produced and recorded synthetically (i.e. synthesizers or digitally sampled).

ANY BACKGROUND VOCALS = DISQUALIFICATION.

5 In the Instrumental categories, live or taped accompaniment is allowed, but must assume the pure character of accompaniment. The test shall be whether the performance would stand alone. The use of any instrument(s) for accompaniment of the same type as instrument(s) being judged is not allowed. If the playing of an electronic keyboard is to be judged, no preprogrammed music is allowed; the contestant must create all sound live on stage.

6 In the Dance categories, accompanists are permitted on stage but must not assume visual importance in the performance. There must be no taps or tap effect ( e.g. "rimshots") on a taped recording used by a dancer or dancers.

7 In the Vocal and/or Instrumental Group category, any combination of vocal and/or instrumental performance will be accepted, including bands with or without vocals.

8 Solo performers who wish to be judged on any combination of singing and playing, plus all performers who wish to be judged on any combination of singing & choreography, singing & drama, etc., as well as all comedy or novelty acts, magic acts, ventriloquism acts, etc., must enter in the Variety category. While a combination of categories is allowed, the individual rules will apply, and contestants must give sufficient prominence to each element of the performance for the judges to properly evaluate the individual talents.

9 Contestants must be available on all dates shown for Youth Talent Search and Junior Talent Search competitions. No exceptions.

10 Organizers reserve the right of final decision on any matters pertaining to the Youth or Junior Talent Search not covered by the rules.
Top

Professional Entertainer Definition
For the purposes of this contest, a professional entertainer is:

A. One who earns more than one-half of his or her normal living expenses by performing in any of the categories of competition (i.e. a professional dancer may not compete in the contest as a singer, musician, etc.), or

B. one who is a union member, or

C. one who has a professional agent or manager who is or will be paid a fee for securing employment in the entertainment field, or

D. one who sings or otherwise performs on any record released for commercial distribution through normal retail outlets. (This does not prohibit an entertainer from self-producing a record for sale or distribution to friends and associates or performing on a self-produced recording of a school or church choir group for charitable fundraising purposes).
Top

Youth Talent Search - Ontario Competition
View Junior & Youth 2005 Talent Search Winners

Winners from 20 preliminary contest areas - Essex to Collingwood - perform for their chance to move on to the possible fame, fortune, and the National Youth Talent Awards....On the Park Stage sponsored by CANON CANON BUSINESS SOLUTIONS at Western Fair most nights of the fair with semi finals September 15 & 16 and the finals on September 18.

2005 Park Stage Sponsored By: