Lyrics on the Lake Festival Begins May 12

SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE – Lyrics on the Lake, in conjunction with B99.9fm, will again present its annual open-mic competition for aspiring singers, giving local talent the opportunity to compete for a trip to Nashville that will include a writing session with professional songwriters and a showcase performance at one of Nashville’s most popular venues.

The open-mic competition, which raises funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals of Central and Southwestern Virginia, is presented each year in memory of Kristine Williamson, who helped start this competition and the Songwriters Festival. The competition will begin Wednesday, May 12 at Mango’s at Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta and will continue each Wednesday night through June 16. Due to time constraints and Covid guidelines, the number of competitors accepted each week will be limited. One finalist will be chosen each week, and the remaining competitors are welcome to return the following week to try again, depending upon available space. The six finalists will then compete for the grand prize during the Songwriters Festival kickoff on Wednesday, June 23 at 8:00 p.m. at Mango’s.

Onsite registration for the weekly competition is from 7:30 until 8:00 p.m. each Wednesday, with the competition beginning at 8:00 p.m. There is no entry fee for the competitors and no cover charge for the audience; however, tax-deductible charitable donations for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals will be gratefully accepted. The audience is encouraged to arrive early, due to attendance limitations caused by the Covid requirements. More information on limitations can be found on Mango’s Facebook page.

The competition is not a karaoke competition, but is open to solo artists, duos and trios who are accompanied by their own instruments. Although this competition is a lead-in to the “Lyrics on the Lake Songwriters Festival,” competitors do not have to be songwriters or perform original music. They should be prepared to perform up to six songs each night. The full list of rules is posted on the Lyrics website at lyricsonthelake.com.

The open-mic competition leads up to the “Lyrics on the Lake Songwriters Festival,” which will run from Wednesday, June 23 through Sunday, June 27. The Festival provides music fans with a variety of great entertainment, as well as an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the nation’s most talented songwriters.

Lyrics on the Lake is a local volunteer organization dedicated to serving the community, especially its children, through fundraising, toy drives, flood relief efforts, etc. Lyrics on the Lake does this primarily through hosting musical events, such as the Songwriters Festival. The “Lyrics on the Lake Songwriters Festival” is a five-day fundraiser, primarily for the benefit of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, an organization that raises money for 170 children’s hospitals across the United States and Canada. The funds help provide training, research, equipment and care for children facing a variety of health challenges. Contributions collected at the Festival will be used locally by Carilion Children’s Hospital, Centra Virginia Baptist and Lynchburg General hospitals.

These contributions will be donated through Lyrics on the Lake’s parent organization, The Musicpreneur Storehouse Foundation, a non-profit organization inspired by the life of Erik Blumenfeld, that provides mentorship, consulting and other resources for aspiring artists and entrepreneurs in the music industry. The foundation requires its artist recipients to “pay it forward” by serving other charitable organizations, such as Lyrics on the Lake and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

This year’s Songwriters Festival will include nine shows at four different venues around Smith Mountain Lake. The Festival will culminate on Sunday, June 27 at Mango’s at Bridgewater Plaza with a worship service in the morning and an all-afternoon music performance. There is no cover charge for the public to attend most of these songwriter shows; however, tax-deductible charitable donations will again be gratefully accepted. In addition, there will be opportunities to purchase various items and collectibles to commemorate your experiences at the “Lyrics on the Lake Songwriters Festival.”

More information regarding songwriters, schedules and venues can be found at lyricsonthelake.com or on Facebook.