Talent Test · Community Talent Show
Mid-South Fair Youth Talent Contest 2026: Vocal, Dance, Variety and Instrumental acts, as solos or groups, in a Junior (9-12) and a Senior (13-21) division with 3- and 4-minute limits, built from the fair’s own terms and rules.
A ready-made youth talent contest with four classes (Vocal, Dance, Variety and Instrumental), each entered as a solo or as a group, in a Junior division (ages 9 to 12) with a three-minute limit and a Senior division (ages 13 to 21) with a four-minute limit.
This template models a youth talent contest run alongside a large regional fair in the southern United States, where young performers take the stage in front of a fairground audience. It is built from the 2026 terms and rules, so the divisions, the four classes and the time limits are real, but dates, prizes and entry conditions change every year and the current rules must be checked before the template is reused.
Acts are sorted into four classes: Vocal, Dance, Variety and Instrumental, where Instrumental covers both soloists and bands or instrumental groups. Each class can be entered by one performer or by a group, so every division is split into a Solo group for individual entries and a Group group for team entries, giving four groups in all.
Two divisions are printed: Junior for ages 9 to 12 and Senior for ages 13 to 21, with age counted on the fair’s opening date, 1 October 2026. Nobody under nine may compete. Junior acts have three minutes and Senior acts have four, and an act that runs over its limit is disqualified. The rules print no criteria list and no points for places, so every competition is scored out of 100 on a single mark and the template ships no criteria sheet, grades or ranks.
Several printed rules have no software field: the split between small groups (two to three members) and large groups (four or more), the cap of one solo and one small-group entry per contestant, the limit on Junior applicants, invitation-only entry to the Senior division, the semifinal and Grand Final rounds and the cash awards by place. Publish them as written rules on the registration page if you want them followed; the software does not enforce them.
Where this event is run
Youth talent contests are a regular feature of state and regional fairs across the United States, usually with age divisions, a few broad act classes and a strict time limit per act. Schools, libraries and town festivals run smaller versions of the same format.
- United States
Key facts
- Four competitions by class: Vocal, Dance, Variety and Instrumental (soloists and bands)
- Two divisions: Junior (ages 9 to 12) and Senior (ages 13 to 21), each with a Solo group and a Group group, four groups in all
- Open to boys and girls, in any language; age counted on 1 October 2026
- Time limits: three minutes for Junior acts, four for Senior; an act over the limit is disqualified; warning times are not printed and are set to zero
- Scored out of 100 on a single mark; no criteria, grades or ranks are printed
- Group size rules, entry caps, qualifying rounds and cash awards are not modelled
- Age groups
- 4
- Competition items
- 4
- Competitions
- 16
- Grade bands
- 0
- Rank awards
- 0
Age groups
Every candidate is placed into one of these groups by age, and competitions are run per group.
Junior Ages 9-12 Solo
Candidates aged 9 to 12 compete in this group
Senior Ages 13-21 Solo
Candidates aged 13 to 21 compete in this group
Junior Ages 9-12 Group
Candidates aged 9 to 12 compete in this group
Senior Ages 13-21 Group
Candidates aged 13 to 21 compete in this group
Competition items
The events themselves — each with the category it belongs to and how judges score it.
Competitions by group
The full schedule matrix, sectioned by age group then category — which item runs for whom, and for how long.
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Ages 9-12 Solo | |||||
| Music | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Vocal | Individual | — | — | 100 | 3 min |
| Instrumental | Individual | — | — | 100 | 3 min |
| Dance | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Dance | Individual | — | — | 100 | 3 min |
| Others | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Variety | Individual | — | — | 100 | 3 min |
| Senior Ages 13-21 Solo | |||||
| Music | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Vocal | Individual | — | — | 100 | 4 min |
| Instrumental | Individual | — | — | 100 | 4 min |
| Dance | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Dance | Individual | — | — | 100 | 4 min |
| Others | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Variety | Individual | — | — | 100 | 4 min |
| Junior Ages 9-12 Group | |||||
| Music | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Vocal | Team | — | — | 100 | 3 min |
| Instrumental | Team | — | — | 100 | 3 min |
| Dance | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Dance | Team | — | — | 100 | 3 min |
| Others | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Variety | Team | — | — | 100 | 3 min |
| Senior Ages 13-21 Group | |||||
| Music | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Vocal | Team | — | — | 100 | 4 min |
| Instrumental | Team | — | — | 100 | 4 min |
| Dance | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Dance | Team | — | — | 100 | 4 min |
| Others | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Variety | Team | — | — | 100 | 4 min |
Grades and ranks
How scores turn into grade bands, and how many points each placing is worth.
| Grade | For | Condition | Score | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | For | Points |
|---|---|---|
Frequently asked questions
Can I change this template after installing it?
Yes — installing it creates a fully configured, live event, not a locked package. Every age group, competition item, rule and scoring setting can be edited afterwards to match exactly what your event actually needs.
Do I need technical knowledge to set this up?
No. Installing a template does the setup work for you; you only need to review the details (dates, unit or house names) and open registration.
Want the fuller picture first? See our guide to judge scoring and tabulation guide.
Install this template in eTalenter
Everything above is installed as a live, editable event in one step — age groups, items, rules and scoring. Start your own below.
Start a Mid-South Fair Youth Talent Contest event
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