2026 Bitter Jester Music Fest - Preliminary Form

  • The 2026 Bitter Jester Music Festival Application Begins Here:

  • First is some info about the fest & prizes. If you wish to skip that and fill out the application immediately, click here to jump to the start.

  • 2026 Festival & Prize Info:

    Early Deadline: Sun, March 1, 2026 (passed)

    Final Deadline: Wed, April 15, 2026 (11:59 pm CST)

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    This year's preliminary competitions are June 5, 6, 12, and 13. The Grand Finale will be on Sat, June 27, 2026.

    THE ONLY REQUIREMENT is that at least half the members of a submitting band must be under 22 years old (with nobody over 24). Solo Artists must be 21 or younger. Contact us with Q's.

  •  $2,000 GRAND PRIZE!!

    $1,000 Runners-Up • $500 Honorable Mention

    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 BAND at the 2026 Grand Finale 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)!

    First Bank of Highland Park Logo

    Prize money fgenerously 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 from sponsors like Sweetwater, and much more!

    Click here for more info about prizes & eligibility.

  • ENTER YOUR INFO & BEGIN:

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  • Next you'll upload media, answer Q's, and pay your application fee.

    When you hit "Continue" you'll be sent an intial confirmation email. It will have a link allowing you to continue your saved application at any time in the future. It is NOT an indication that your application is complete. Once you submit your complete application, you will receive a a second confirmation email.

  • NOTE: If you don't see an orange "Continue..." button below (next to the "Save" button), that means you did not answer all the Q's above.

  • (some of) The 2025 Bitter Jester Music Fest Team!

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