Perham's Amplify music competition seeks performers, offers $5,000 prize

Perham’s next Amplify music showdown is already taking shape, and organizers are using the competition to turn the Perham Auditorium into a stage for local talent and a draw for downtown. The current call for submissions shows that performers are still being recruited, with a first-place prize of $5,000 and cash awards going to the top three finishers.

Amplify 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, and registration closes July 5. The prize pool breaks down to $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second, $1,000 for third and a $500 people’s choice award, giving the event a structure that rewards both judges’ picks and audience appeal. Friends of the Perham Auditorium and Perham Rotary are again hosting the competition in Perham, keeping the focus squarely on the town and the people who can benefit from a busy performance night.

This is not the first time the community has seen Amplify. The inaugural Amplify Music Showdown was held Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, at the Perham Auditorium and was promoted as a fundraiser for Friends of the Perham Auditorium and Perham Rotary. That event featured 10 finalists competing for $10,000 in cash prizes, setting a high bar for the return engagement now being promoted across the area.

The competition also ties into a larger effort to strengthen one of Perham’s most recognizable buildings. The auditorium was built in 1937, and Friends of the Perham Auditorium says it works to preserve the space through remodeling, maintenance, capital needs and community programming. City of Perham agenda materials have shown continued investment as well, including a $40,271.57 donation from the Friends of the Perham Auditorium Fund for sound equipment, paint, carpet and other materials.

For Perham, Amplify is more than a talent contest. A strong field of performers can fill seats, send visitors to restaurants and shops near the auditorium, and reinforce the town’s identity as a place that supports live music and civic gathering. The competition is also a public test of how far the historic auditorium has come as a modern performance venue, and how much momentum the community can build around it this fall.