Celebration of the Song is a 3-day focus on songwriting and songwriters. The celebration consists of performances, workshops and a songwriting competition.

Performance Schedule

Thurs. 8/26
John Gorka, Eliza Gilkyson, Cheryl Wheeler, Johnsmith
Tickets: $28/22/18

Fri. 8/27
4:30pm Song Competition Finals - Guest Host JohnSmith
7:30 Moon Songs & Moon Shadows: Songs of Paul Simon & Cat Stevens
Tickets: Adults $18/Children 3-17 $9

Sat. 8/28
2:30 Open Mic - Free and open to all
Nanci Griffith  - Cancelled

Click Here to purchase a 3-Day Grounds Pass 
for all the performances listed above.

Singer/Songwriter Workshops

Join us for one or several free workshops given by professionals in the field. Reservations are advisable and can be obtained by calling 715-373-5552 or 888-BIG-TENT, or sending an email to info@bigtop.org. All workshops will take place on the Big Top Chautauqua grounds.

Johnsmith “Introduction to the Festival” Thurs.,8/26 at Noon
“Since winning the New Folk competition, John’s songwriting and performing skills have become finely honed...Audiences find his originality and genuiness totally engaging and refreshing” Rod Kennedy of the Kerrville Folk Festival.
Join our host Johnsmith as he offers a catalyst for you to use this time to push your songwriting skills a little further than you might have in the past. After a few nuts and bolts on song structure (verse, chorus, bridges etc.) we’ll dive into helpful writing exercises. John will suggest some writing assignments that will launch your festival time in an inspiring and productive way.

Cheryl Wheeler “Writing What You See” Thurs., 8/26 at 1pm
Cheryl is highly respected by her songwriting peers - many of them have recorded her songs: Peter Paul & Mary, Kenny Loggins, Garth Brooks, Bette Midler, Kathy Mattea and many more. It’s always seemed as if there were two Cheryl Wheelers. There’s the poet-Cheryl, writer of some of our prettiest, most alluring and intelligent ballads on the modern folk scene, and then there is her evil twin, the comic-Cheryl, a militant trend defier and savagely funny social critic. Hear Cheryl tell about using her keen observational skills to gather material which speaks to the depth of the human experience.

John Gorka “The Essential Songwriter” Thurs. 8/26 at 3pm
John Gorka was ordained “the preeminent male singer/songwriter of the new folk movement” by Rolling Stone. He is widely regarded for the sophisticated thoughtfulness and provocative originality of his songs. Gorka’s material is championed by many and has been recorded by Mary Chapin Carpenter, Mary Black and Maura O’Connell and he’s toured with Nanci Griffith, Mary Chapin Carpenter and others. John Gorka is honored to be a part of the folk tradition - energetic acoustic music that is not a trend, not a fad, but an expression of everyday life. Learn from the master!

Eliza Gilkyson “Powerful Woman/Powerful Voice” Fri. 8/27 at 10am
Awaken your own inner well of creativity and strength. Eliza Gilkyson is a politically minded, poetically gifted singer-songwriter, who has become one of the most respected musicians in roots, folk and Americana circles. The Grammy-nominated artist has appeared on NPR, Austin City Limits, and Mountain Stage and has toured with Richard Thompson, Patty Griffin and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Powerful Woman/Powerful Voice offers a wealth of ways to use creative expression as a spiritual practice and move toward your creative dreams with balance and integrity.

Ed Willett & Cheryl Leah “Songwriter Collaborations” Fri. 8/27 at 1:30pm
Ed and Cheryl have been collaborating on songs and performances for three decades both as the vocal/cello duo “Chance” and as part of Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua’s house band. Ed and Cheryl will share their songwriting secrets with you, teach you how to bring other voices into your writing, and lend a little of their spice to your songwriting skills.

Johnsmith “Roll Up Your Sleeves” Sat. 8/28 at 1pm
This class will lead us further down our songwriting path. We will share and critique our “works in progress” in a supportive and constructive environment. Bring works to share if you have them. If not, come and listen in - there’s something here for you regardless of where you are in your songwriting journey.

Songwriting Competition

Finalists for this year's Songwriting Competition are:
Yazmin Bowers, Joe Danielson, Jane Godfrey, Sasha Mercedes,
James Moors, Danielle Nepstad, Moria Smiley, Dawn Schimpp Timbs, John Stano, and Katie Dahl.
Alternates: Eric Erickson, & Mary McAdams

Original Song Competition Finals:

August 27, 4:30-6:30 Hosted by Johnsmith and BCO. Judging Panel to be announced.
Open to the public with tickets for evening performance or grounds pass.

Prizes include:

• All BTC Songwriter of the Year Finalists will receive a 3-day grounds pass to our Celebration of the Song event.
• All BTC Songwriter of the Year Finalists will be invited to perform on Aug. 27, and will be recorded for possible use on our nationally broadcast Tent Show Radio program. Two winners (one first place and one runner-up) will be chosen from the finalists.
• Both BTC Songwriter of the Year Winners will be invited to perform 2 songs as the opener for Nanci Griffith on Aug. 28. These performances will be recorded for use on Tent Show Radio.
• Both BTC Songwriter of the Year Winners will receive a cash prize of $100.

FAQ Frequently Asked Question

Q: Can I submit a song I did not write?
A: No, these must be original songs submitted by the writer.

Q: Can I submit a song I wrote but did not perform on the recording?
A: Yes, someone else can record the song for submission if you wish, however, you must sing your own song at the finals if you are chosen as a finalist.

Q: Will you accept instrumentals or songs without lyrics?
A: Yes.

Q: Will you accept groups as well as soloists at the Finals?
A: Sorry, for ease of change over, we need all finalists to perform solo, unless you cannot accompany yourself, then we will allow an accompanist.

Q: Will all songs be broadcast on Tent Show Radio?
A: No, our Artistic Director chooses material from each night to be put into an episode of Tent Show Radio. While we may use your song, it is not guaranteed that your song will be on the radio.

Q: Can I submit more than two songs?
A: No, two is the limit.

Q: Can I submit only one song?
A: You can, but it may leave you at a disadvantage as other songwriters will each be giving us two samples of their work.

Q: Should I send a separate CD for each song?
A: Both songs can be on one CD.

Q: Do you give us any feedback on our songs?
A: No, judges may comment during the finals, but we will not be providing formal feedback on your submissions.

Q: If I become a finalist, do I have to perform during the Celebration?
A: No, if you can't make it to the event, just let us know. You will retain your title of Big Top Chautauqua 2010 Songwriter of the Year Finalist. But if you win and tell us you will be here to perform, it would be a great hardship to have you not show up.

Q: Who are the judges for 2010?
A: The names of our judges will not be released until judging is completed. Judges will be from the music industry either as performers or music business professionals. Judges will not be informed of Songwriters' names before judging their submissions to avoid any chance of bias.

Still have questions? E-mail us at info@bigtop.org or phone 715-373-5552