Singer-Songwriter of Cape May is a two-day gathering in held in March in Cape May, New Jersey. It's packed with workshops, panel discussions, mentoring sessions and musician clinics. It also has a full schedule of performances in the evenings. The more than 100 performers are selected from electronic applications to a preliminary showcase. The public is welcome to preregister and attend the daytime sessions where music business insiders share their knowledge and scout new talent. Registration for the daytime conferences cost $75 as of 2011.
The Nashville SongWriters Festival on Music Row is a three-day event held in June for performing and nonperforming songwriters of all genres. There are multiple plug-and-play stages, workshops, classes, open song rings and spontaneous jam sessions. According to the festival's website, the atmosphere is "welcoming." Drum kits and special amplifiers are not allowed, but otherwise just about anything goes. As of 2011, preregistration for performers was $25 and general admission for the public was $10. The public could also attend classes taught by pro songwriters for an additional fee.
Founded in 2010, the 30A Songwriters Festival is held in January at several venues along Route 30A in Santa Rosa Beach and Rosemary Beach, Florida. The festival is sponsored by the Cultural Arts Association of Walton County. Shortly after the 2011 festival, the official 30A website shared some positive reactions from participants like Benjamin Ryan Williams of the Shadowboxers. "It is festivals like this that make me happy and proud to do the things I do," Williams said. As of 2011, tickets cost $75.
The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival takes place ever midsummer in tiny Hillsdale, New York. The three-day event is one of the folk music world's premier events. One of its features is an Emerging Artists Showcase where new songwriters can be heard. The showcase is limited to artists either new to the area or artists who are not doing national tours. In 2011, a complete festival pass with a camping pass cost $150 at the gate.