The annual Youth Talent Search competition is only a couple of weeks away and organizer Natalie Sinn is still looking for local entertainers.

“We still have plenty of room for more applicants,” said Sinn. “We generally get between 20 and 25 acts.”

This is Sinn’s second year as organizer of the only preliminary event in Essex County to send a number of local youth to London’s Western Fair every September. Grammy Award-nominated R&B singer Tamia Washington got her start as a winner in the Youth Talent Search. So too did Jordan Collins of Maidstone, who advanced all the way to the Canadian Youth Talent finals two years ago, taking second place for his impressive handling of a drum kit.

Youth Talent contestants must be between the ages of 13 and 21 and must not have reached 22 by the opening day of this year’s Western Fair.

Junior Talent contestants must be between the ages of 6 and 12 and must not have reached 13 by Western Fair’s opening day.

Judges will choose up to 10 Youth Talent acts and up to five Junior Talent acts to advance to the competition at Western Fair. Cash prizes are awarded for the top three contestants in each competition.

Contestants must prepare an act that runs no more than four minutes. Vocal acts may not use background vocals of any kind and dance acts may not use background taps or tap effects.

“It’s open to any type of talent – vocal, instrumental, dance, acting. If someone wants to get up and do stand-up comedy, we’d be happy to listen,” says Sinn.

This year’s Youth Talent Search competition will be held on Sunday, July 13 starting at 1 p.m. on the main stage at the Essex Fun Fest.

Contact Natalie Sinn at 519-776-8968 for an application, or pick up an application form at the Essex Free Press.