Songwriting contest for Suwannee River fans

Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.

The Suwannee Riverkeeper's Fifth Annual Songwriting Contest is still accepting original song entries through Wednesday, Aug. 3.
“We know there are musicians out there who share our love for nature – especially for our local waterways. Now is the chance to share that inspiration with everybody!” said Organizing Committee Chair and musician Angela Duncan.
First Prize is $300, with an additional $50 winner from within the Suwannee River Basin and another $50 winner from outside of the Suwannee River Basin.
Songs entered in the contest must be about the Suwannee River or other rivers in the basin, including the Little, Black, Gopher, Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, New, Alapaha, Alapahoochee or Dead rivers, or about creeks, springs, sinks, swamps or ponds in the Suwannee River Basin or Estuary (but not the Santa Fe River, which has its own contest). Song submissions should be in an online sound file using the submission form found at wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-20--songwriting/.
Finalists will be selected by the WWALS Songwriting Contest Committee, with input from online voting. The contest showcasing the finalists will take place on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 7 to 11 p.m. at Turner Center Art Park in Valdosta, Ga. The program that evening will include musical performances by headliners, the judges and the finalists. After the finalists perform, the judges will choose the winners, who will then perform again.
The event also includes a silent auction, food truck, cash bar and kayak raffle.
Organizations interested in being an event sponsor can learn about sponsor opportunities at wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-20—songwriting/. Sponsors who donate $100 or more get a raffle ticket for the Vibe Yellowfin 120 kayak, which retails for $1,099.99 and was donated by Georgia Beer Company.
WWALS was founded in June of 2012 as a nonprofit educational charity. WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities. Since December 2016, John S. Quarterman has served as the Suwannee Riverkeeper®.