Every winter, for folk festivals from Northwest Folklife in Seattle to Hillsborough Heritage Folk Festival in Tampa Bay, the application process jumps into gear. Thousands of singer/songwriters, bluegrass bands, and old time acts peel the tape off those puffy envelopes and send their work out in hopes of a spot at the upcoming food fair, culturefest, country fair, folk festival, or fiddle camp.
Most of the time, it's not even necessary to have a presskit or glossy 8x10 photo of you standing in a field with your guitar. Usually, the application just requires two or three songs on a cassette or CD. You can make it at home on your computer, or using a karaoke machine (yes, this works alarmingly well; I've done it before).
The applications are short, and typically ask only for your name, address, and phone number. Occasionally, they'll also ask how many people will be performing, how many mics you'll require, etc. These are very simple questions.
Most importantly is to just give it a shot. Festivals are fun places to play. Whether you wind up in the New Folk showcase at Kerrville or at the Taste of Beaverton food fair, these events are great opportunities for networking, sharing your work, and making new songwriter friends.
