DarienFest to Feature 2 New Showcases for Stars in the Making

Young musicians will have the chance to share their talent with the whole community at this year’s DarienFest, Chamber of Commerce President Clare Bongiovanni said Tuesday.

This summer, the chamber plans to sponsor a Battle of the Bands, the winner of which will open for the Friday night headliner at DarienFest. Then on Saturday, Sept. 8, aspiring singers will compete before a live panel in Darien Idol for the chance to perform on Sept. 9, the last day of the festival. 

Both of the competitions will be geared toward younger artists, Bongiovanni said.

“We’re trying to get the kids more involved with the festival,” she said. 

Battle of the Bands will be open to ages 15-20, while the exact age range for Darien Idol has yet to be decided.

A panel will narrow down entries for each contest prior to the live performances. Local musicians and music producers will serve as the judges.

The chamber plans to announce the application schedule for the competitions soon. DarienFest is scheduled to run Sept. 7-9 in .

Bongiovanni shared the plans for the showcases during a meeting of the Darien Committee for Intergovernmental Cooperation. The next meeting of the group is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 7.