44th Annual WBDC Country Showdown Returns to Jasper; Enter by March 27
WBDC is taking entries through March 27 for the 44th annual Country Showdown at Jasper Arts Center; completed applications and $40 entry fee are due by 4 p.m. that day.
Radio station 101 Country WBDC is accepting entries through March 27 for the 44th annual WBDC Country Showdown, which returns to the Jasper Arts Center on Friday, June 5, 2026. Completed applications and the $40 entry fee must be submitted by 4 p.m. on March 27, and entrants can pick up forms at WBDC’s studio at 458 3rd Avenue in Jasper or use the printable entry form on the station’s website.
The contest is open to vocal and instrumental country performers, including solo acts and groups, with each act limited to a 10-minute performance. Organizers say a standardized, uniform judging system will be used to ensure fairness, and WBDC will provide a professional backup band for contestants who request accompaniment. For questions about the format or backup-band availability, WBDC lists studio contact (812) 634-9232 and programdirector@dcbroadcasting.com; WJTS also shows gm@dcbroadcasting.com and the station contact onair@wbdc.us.
Cash prizes are explicit and immediate: $1,000 to the winner, $250 to the first runner-up, and $100 to third place. The top three finishers and a People’s Choice winner selected by the audience will each receive engraved trophies. Some regional promotional copy has described the event as an opportunity to “compete for thousands of dollars in cash and prizes,” though the stated cash awards across event materials total $1,350.
The Country Showdown is now in its 44th year. Historical details in local coverage note the contest first crowned Crossfire as its winner in 1982, and the most recent winner cited in 2025 was Last Minute. WBDC Program Director Brian Schwenk is quoted on the VisitDuboisCounty event listing: “We consider the WBDC Country Showdown one of the most anticipated local events in country music each year. It is an exciting event that provides aspiring artists in our area an opportunity to perform in front of a sold-out audience in a premiere venue while promoting a great appreciation of country music.”
The Jasper Arts Center address is listed on the county tourism calendar as 951 College Ave, Jasper, IN 47546. That VisitDuboisCounty listing also shows a 6:00 p.m. start time for the June 5 event; other outlets provided the date and venue but did not list a start time, so entrants and ticket-buyers who need exact timing should confirm with WBDC at (812) 634-9232 or via the station emails.
Prospective contestants should note the concrete deadlines and logistics: entries accepted through March 27 with completed applications due by 4 p.m., a $40 entry fee, a 10-minute performance limit, and backup-band support available on request at the WBDC studio, 458 3rd Avenue, Jasper.
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