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Winners & Prizes ANBC Cooma Regional Finals 2018 Sat 3 November

Winners & Prizes ANBC National Grand Finals_Cooma 2018

The Australian National Busking Championships are in their seventh year, and it is going to be bigger than ever.

With the addition of the second day, the town of Cooma will be able to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere this event creates for even longer.

The variety of acts the buskers offer is extraordinary. Musicians of all different styles come from across the country to compete. Music genres such as, Country, Blues, Rock, Pop, Jazz, Folk, Alternative and Classical music, are all on display. Non-musical acts such as jugglers, dancers and magicians have also featured in previous years. Who knows what amazing talent will come out of the woodwork next.

Not to mention the local talent, which is always surprising to witness.

Spectators are able to wander the streets, listening to this variety of buskers performing in 30 different locations. They can stop and sit outside a cafÃ© with a delicious coffee and snack while the competitors entertain them.

Itâ€™s like attending a unique music festival, and itâ€™s all for free.

There will be over $16,000 up for grabs in prizes for the buskers, thanks to the support of local businesses.

The Peopleâ€™s Choice is a very special award that is decided by the spectators.

By purchasing a Busker Vote for $1 from the Cooma Rotary Club Stall or roaming sellers, you vote for your favourite busker by placing your vote in their collection container, whether it be a hat or a guitar case. You can also throw real money into the collection containers if you would like to show further appreciation for your favourite busker.

The votes will be collected and counted by event officials throughout the day and the top three buskers will be presented with the award at the Finals Concert.

Since beginning seven years ago, the Australian National Busking Championships have had several towns come on board for the Regional Championships, including Stanthorpe and Noosa in Queensland, Ballarat in Victoria, and Narooma, Peak Hill and Gundagai in NSW. There has also been interest from other towns, with organizers hoping it will grow to become a real national event.

These Regional Championships take place throughout the year with the winning buskers coming to Cooma for the National Grand Final on Sunday, November 4, our second day of a massive weekend of busking fun.

Entering the competition is $20 for individuals, $40 for duos and $50 for groups. Entry is free for the national finalists. With most buskers not having a great deal of money, this is a small cost for the opportunity to win thousands of dollars in prize money.

The Australian National Busking Championships provides an opportunity for these performers to display their talents to a wider audience. It has led to further opportunities for many of the previous winners such as The String Family, Haystack Mountain Hermits, Oscar Litchfield, Vendulka (who went on to compete in the X Factor) and Lucy Sugerman (who went all the way through to the Grand Final of The Voice), and many others. Who knows what talent will be discovered this year.

Mark the dates in your calendar and plan a trip to Cooma for the Australian National Busking Championships – it is not to be missed.