Your first festival: a guide for performers and families
Is this your family’s first time at the Vernon Performing Arts Festival? Welcome. This guide walks through what happens before, during, and after a festival performance.
The festival’s mission is to nurture and celebrate young performers. One of our core values is learning through performance, and every performer gets feedback from an expert adjudicator.
Before the festival
- Register between November 15, 2026 and January 15, 2027
- Read the syllabus for your discipline
- Prepare a legal copy of your music or text for the adjudicator
- Book an accompanist if your class needs one
- Dancers upload their music at least seven days before they perform.
Our guides to Music, Dance, and Speech and Drama cover each discipline. The sheet music and copyright guide explains what copy to bring.
Your schedule
Classes may run on any day of the week. The festival cannot take requests for a preferred time. The official program lists each class and the order of performers.
The 2027 festival runs February 28 to March 11. Every date is on our events page.
When you arrive
Arrive at least 15 minutes before the performance. Volunteer greeters help families find the warm-up space and the performance hall.
A few venue rules:
- Stay in the festival areas
- Do not practice in a venue unless a room is set aside for it
- Food and drinks are not allowed in the venues.
The performance
When the performer’s name is called, they hand their book to the adjudicator’s secretary. Then they walk to the performance area and perform.
The adjudicator watches or listens to every performance in the class. Each performer receives written comments. The comments focus on what worked, what could improve, and what the adjudicator noticed. In Speech and Drama, performers also hear spoken comments.
Competitive performers may also receive a mark or placement. Our guide to competitive and non-competitive entries explains the difference.
Audience etiquette
Festival classes are open to the public. Family and friends are welcome to watch. Please help every performer do their best.
- Silence your phone
- Do not talk, enter, or leave during a performance
- Stay seated until a break between performers
- Clap when a performance ends.
Photos and video
Please do not take photos or video while a class is running. In Dance, recording can lead to the dancer’s disqualification. You are welcome to take photos of your own performer before or after the class.
The festival works with professional photographers to document the event. By registering, participants (or a parent or guardian, for performers under 19) give permission for festival photos and recordings. To say no, email [email protected] before the festival begins. Our photo and name consent policy has the details.
Talking to the adjudicator
Performers, parents, teachers, and audience members may not contact the adjudicator before or during the festival. That includes email, social media, and conversation at the venue. Contact can lead to the performer’s disqualification.
The adjudicator’s decision is final. If you have a question or concern, email the board at [email protected].
After the festival
The festival ends with the Gala Awards Night on March 11, 2027, at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre. Scholarships and awards are presented that evening, and selected performers take the stage.
The adjudicators decide the marks, awards, and scholarships. The festival plans the Gala lineup to include performers from many teachers and studios. Many invitations go to scholarship winners and Provincial candidates.
Want to help?
The festival runs on volunteers. The most needed roles are adjudicator secretary and greeter. No performing arts background is needed. Visit our volunteer page to sign up.
We look forward to seeing you at the festival.