New Battle of the Bands Competition at the Vanderburgh County Fair

The Vanderburgh County Fair will host a new competition in 2026 that is sure to be entertaining.

The 105th Vanderburgh County Fair runs from Monday, July 20, to Saturday, July 25, 2026. As always, you can expect a week full of entertainment, delicious food, games, and rides. It's fun for the entire family. One of those events includes the annual concert on Wednesday night. This year, the show will feature rising country artist Braxton Keith.

However, Braxton and his band won't be the only band performing at the fair this year. For the first time ever, the Vanderburgh County Fair will be hosting a Battle of the Bands competition!

Vanderburgh County Fair Battle of the Bands 2026

The Vanderburgh County Fair wants to put the spotlight on local bands/artists this year. That's why they created a new event, Battle of the Bands. Each night at the fair (Monday through Friday), two bands will compete head-to-head. The crowd at the fair each night will determine who wins. Folks in attendance each night will get to vote for their favorite band from the night of the contest until midnight. The overall votes will determine who will win the whole competition, and the winners will be announced on Saturday during Battle of Bands.

Oh, and did we mention there are cash prizes?!

There will be prize money of $2,500 for the band in 1st place, $1,500 for 2nd, and $500 for 3rd place.

Do you have a band or know of a band that would crush it at Battle of the Bands? If so, the Vanderburgh County Fair is taking applications right now for local music groups until June 15th. You can message the fair on Facebook or email vcfbattleofthebands@gmail.com to apply!

Make sure you follow the Vanderburgh County Fair on social media for all of the latest updates on what you can expect at the 2026 fair! Get the full scoop of what to expect at the 105th Vanderburgh County Fair by clicking here.