Heads-up, local musicians and their devoted followers!
The masterminds behind Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival have announced the "Destination Okeechobee: Battle of the Bands Competition" today, a fan-voted contest that will give five local bands a chance to join the likes of music legends Robert Plant, Hall & Oates, and headlining Grammy Award winners Mumford & Sons, Kendrick Lamar, and Skrillex, among others, to perform at the inaugural three-day camping event launching this March.
Along with the festival's already eclectic lineup of big-name and underground acts, local favorites like Hundred Waters, Supervillains, Roadkill Ghost Choir, and Spam Allstars are also slated to perform. Still, in an effort to foster an even greater sense of community at the inaugural fest, organizers will launch the content on January 14 to fill five more performance slots with some of Florida's most-loved local acts.
According to festival cofounder Paul Peck, a veteran behind major music festivals like Bonnaroo, “Our goal with this contest is to support the local communities and our host state. We want to use the festival as a platform for talented young Florida artists to gain exposure and grow their careers."
Fan voting will take place on the Okeechobee Music & Arts Facebook page beginning January 14 and will end on January 25. Each voter is able to cast his vote on Okeechobee’s Facebook page once daily while the Battle of the Bands Competition runs. The top-voted band will earn a slot at the 2016 Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival.
The additional four performance slots will be up for grabs to the top 32 bands with the most votes in a series of Destination Okeechobee: Battle of the Bands Live performances across Florida, taking place at independently owned and operated venues like the Beacham in Orlando, Jack Rabbits in Jacksonville, and the State Theatre in St. Petersburg. A South Florida date and venue will be announced soon.
Here's how to participate:
• Step 1: Submit an electronic press kit via Sonicbids.com between December 16th to January 14th
• Step 2: Rally fans, friends and family to vote (daily!) on the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival Facebook page Jan 14th – Jan 25th
• Step 3: On January 25th the band with the most votes selected by the festival will earn a performance slot at Okeechobee
• Remaining four slots: The top 32 bands will be invited to perform in a live Road to Okeechobee Battle of the Bands Competition in four major cities in Florida. The winner by attendance and votes in each city will win a performance slot at the festival.
Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival proudly supports local music and we invite you to Join The Journey.
For more information, visit okeechobeefest.com/participate/.
Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival featuring Robert Plant, Hall & Oates, Mumford & Sons, Kendrick Lamar, Skrillex, and more. March 4 to 6, Sunshine Grove, 12517 NE 91st Ave., Okeechobee. Tickets start at $249.50 plus fees via eventbrite.com. Visit okeechobeefest.com.
