Thank you for your interest in the Single Mic Band Competition at Hillberry 2026! The competition will take place on Sunday, October 11th at 10am in the activity tent.
The winner of the competition wins a spot on the mainstage at Hillberry 2027. There are also cash prizes and more up for grabs!
Single mic band competition info: There will be two rounds of competition. Round one is the online round. In this round bands will enter the competition via this form. Our team will review submissions and select finalists to move on to round two. Round two will consist of a live performance to be judged by members of Railroad Earth.
The event will take place on October 11th at 10am in the activity tent at Hillberry. Entry forms must be submitted by 11:59pm on August 2nd. No musicians performing at Hillberry 2026 are allowed to enter or perform in the competition.
Each band has between 10 and 15 minutes to perform. Bands will perform acoustically into a single microphone. We will provide an extra line for upright or acoustic bass. NO DRUM KITS. Percussion will only be allowed if the player can carry it on stage and back down in one trip by themselves. Basically, it needs to be a single snare, washboard, Cajon or other similar piece of equipment.
Bands that are selected to compete must meet at the activity tent 1 hour prior to the start of the competition for a mandatory meeting. Bands selected to be finalists will receive free entry to the festival. Only the Band members listed on the entry form will be able to play at the competition if selected. The winner of the competition earns a spot on main stage at Hillberry 2027