NEW FOR 2026:
$3,000 GRAND PRIZE!!
$2,000 Runners-Up • $1,000 Honorable Mention
IN CELEBRATION OF OUR TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY... First Bank of Highland Park has generously increased the Grand Prize from $2,000 for First Place to $3,000 and they have DOUBLED our 2nd & 3rd place prizes to $2,000 & $1,000 respectively for this year only!
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Plus almost $10,000 in various gear packages including:
🧳 The "Tour Ready Package" will be awarded to the Grand Champions including a full line of Shure Nexadyne wired stage & studio mics (with 8 XLR's) for vocals, guitars, and drums (MSRP $2300) and a set of black Enduro Pro lined hard drum cases (with a bass drum soft case) from Humes & Berg (MSRP $1000)...
🥁 Runners-Up, Honorable Mention, and 4th & 5th Place winners will each receive a limited edition Enduro Pro lined hard snare case in Bitter Jester colors from Humes & Berg (MSRP $200 ea)...
🎤 The BJMF 2026 Vocalist of the Year will win a brand new Shure GLXD24+ / SM58 Wireless Handheld Mic System with an SM58 and rechargeable battery (MSRP $660)...
🥁 The BJMF 2026 Drummer of the Year will win a brand new Ludwig Universal snare along with a limited edition Enduro Pro lined hard case in Bitter Jester colors from Humes & Berg plus a complete Ludwig Gig Hardware Package (combined MSRP $1,880) and a brand new DW9000 kick pedal courtesy of the Kessler Family (MSRP $400), along with a pair of Shure SM137 mics and A27M Stereo Microphone Bar (MSRP $515)...
🥁 An additional outstanding drummer will be personally selected by Ludwig Artist Jessica Burdeaux to receive a Ludwig Universal snare along with a limited edition Enduro Pro lined hard case in Bitter Jester colors from Humes & Berg and a brand new Ludwig Speed Flyer Kick Pedal (combined MSRP $770)...
🎤 And EVERY SINGLE FINALIST AND SHOWCASE ARTIST at the 2026 Grand Finale (12 total) will win a brand new SM58 engraved with their logo (one per band/solo artist in competition), courtesy of Shure (MSRP $110 ea)...
Plus a chance to open for a NATIONAL HEADLINER at Ravinia Festival in 2027 and win various professional studio recording & mixing packages (and other assorted prizes)!
Prize money generously donated each year by First Bank of Highland Park. Select artists may also receive additional prizes like STUDIO RECORDING TIME from Gremlen Studios, Butcher Boy, and Steve Albini's Electrical Audio (or others), GEAR and PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES from the following sponsors... and much more!
Click here for more info about prizes & eligibility.