The Bitter Jester Music Festival (BJMF) is the largest professional music showcase and competition for young bands in the Midwest. The Bitter Jester Foundation for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, produces BJMF and secures cash and other prizes.

Photos by Elan Gurevich & Elliot Mandel.

“It’s more than a battle of the bands, it’s a destination music festival.”

Numerous Bitter Jester Music Fest alumni have gone on to perform on Late Night with Seth Myers, Saturday Night Live, and American Jukebox, as well as at Lollapalooza, Riot Fest, South by Southwest, and Ravinia Festival.

People discover their next favorite bands & solo performers at the Bitter Jester Music Festival!

The Bitter Jester Music Festival accepts 24 bands/solo artists into the competition each year along with 8-12 non-competing showcase acts.

Eligibility info is at the bottom of this page. The main requirement = half the members of a submitting band must be 21 or younger at the time their application is submitted.

Performers compete in June at one Preliminary Concert. Four winners (selected by Judges) + four ‘Wild Cards’ (selected by Festival Producers) advance to a Grand Finale Concert where the top 3 winners + Outstanding Individual Musicians are selected and prizes are awarded!

All prize money is generously donated by our Prize Money Title Sponsor, First Bank of Highland Park.

As a performer in the Bitter Jester Music Fest you’ll receive:

• A chance to win a $2,000 cash Grand Prize (competitors only);

• A chance to win trophies and “Musician of the Year” Awards (competitors + Finale Showcase Acts only);

• Six or more pages of handwritten notes from music & media professionals (competitors only);

• Numerical reference numbers in six categories plus detailed breakdowns of those numbers (competitors only);

• Real-time recorded verbal feeback by the BJMF Education Team (all performers);

• A professional concert photo shoot (all performers);

• A board feed audio recording of your set (all performers);

• Multi-track recording files of your set (all performers);

• Multiple podcast interviews (all performers);

• Access to deeply discounted rates for mixing your multi-tracks (all performers);

• A chance to win professional studio recording time from our partners including Periscope Post, Gremlen Studios, Sound Summit, Butcher Boy, The Jam Lab, BobDog Studios, and more!

• A chance to perform at the historic Ravinia Festival on the Carousel Stage opening for a T.B.A. NATIONAL HEADLINER (previous headliners have included Charlie Puth and The Steve Miller Band);

• A chance to perform at Navy Pier in Chicago on Labor Day in Sept;

• A chance to win a limited edition Bitter Jester Music Fest branded Elmore Pedal;

• A chance to be heard on various radio & TV stations in Illinois.

• Expert counsel and advice from Musician Manager and BJMF Advisor Hamon Kim.

Your Bitter Jester performance audio, podcast interviews, photos, videos, and quotes from the commentary you'll receive from industry pros will become the building blocks for your first EPK (or a great update to what you currently have!

Additionally...

• Runner-Up (2nd Place) will receive a $1,000 cash prize;

• Honorable Mention (3rd Place) will receive a $500 cash prize;

• Top Bitter Jester performers (eight Finalists + two Grand Finale Showcase Acts and a Featured Solo Performer will receive a professionally-mixed single and an opportunity to be pressed onto vinyl! The Live at Bitter Jester Music Festival Album is now an annual event, thanks to our partners at Val’s halla Records in Oak Park, IL!

• All performers benefit from increased video & photo coverage on social media;

• BJMF promotes all performers equally - there are no "headliners” at Bitter Jester.

• And most importantly, BJMF staff (most of whom are former BJMF competitors themselves!) are professional, courteous, fun, and excited to see you perform. Their goal is to make sure you have a great concert and a fantastic time in general. Being a part of this incredible event - as a performer or even as an audience member - can be a life-changing experience!