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The 78th Original Ozark Folk Festival
Songwriter Contest
Sponsored by Arkansas Music Works, Gotahold Brewery, and The Gravel Bar
We welcome you to submit your original song.
How will the Original Ozark Folk Festival contest evaluate your songs?
Our judges seek outstanding song craft and compelling performances: clear-sounding lyrics, and originality. We want to thank our sponsors, Arkansas Music Works, for the donation of a New Taylor Academy 10-E electric/acoustic guitar, a Mahimahi Ukulele, and a complete set of Hohner Harmonicas, Gotahold Brewing for a cash prize, and The Gravel Bar for a cash prize.
Contest Timeline
Contest opens for submissions on June 16th, 2025.
The deadline for completed entries is 11:59 pm (Central Time) on July 30th, 2025.
The 6 Finalists will be announced on August 10th.
6 Finalists will play a 2-song set on September 5th at Basin Park
First Place winner will receive a New Taylor Academy 10-E electric/acoustic guitar donated by Arkansas Music Works, $250, and will open for the evening concert on September 5th.
Second place $150, a Mahimahi Ukulele Donated by Arkansas Music Works, and The choice of a future gig at Gotahold Brewery or The Garvel Bar.
Third place $100, a Complete Set of Hohner Harmonicas donated by Arkansas Music Works.
How to Enter
Only one entry per person. Songs must be original and written by the submitter.
1. You may enter from June 1st to midnight (Central Time) on July 15, 2025. Email an MP3 file of your song to admin@eurekasprings.org. There is a $25 entry fee.
2. Send us .mp3 audio recordings (no video) of two of your original songs. All songs must be performed by the submitting artist. Please do not identify yourself on the recording. No introduction before the songs.
3. Songs must have lyrics. Songs should be in the Folk/Americana genre.
4. You can record by any method, from a mobile phone to a full studio production. Finalists must perform their two songs solo or with just one side person. Duos are permitted without a side person.
5. All songwriters will keep all rights to their songs, except that the Festival may record the
Finalist competition. Artists must have the permission of their co-writers to
record and live-stream their two songs.
6. We prefer music to be created by human intelligence, versus artificial intelligence.