AMERICAN IDOL® Ohio State Fair Search

The Ohio State Fair and AMERICAN IDOL® are Partnering to Find the Next Singing Superstar

Ohio is the Heart of It All – including musical talent! This year, we are partnering with American Idol to help find and showcase Ohio’s best vocalists. Videos from the top five submissions will be played before Fair concerts in the WCOL Celeste Center, including Yung Gravy, Ludacris, Tyler Hubbard, Lindsey Stirling, and more, and the top 8 contestants will win VIP Front of Line passes to audition for the AMERICAN IDOL® Across America virtual auditions.

The Ohio State Fair Idol virtual auditions are now open! Audition from Home!

Video Requirements

• Videos should be between 60-90 seconds long (for example, this could be a verse and chorus – but feel free to pick the best part of the song to show off your voice and range!).
• Videos MUST be you singing live with nothing altering your voice. No filters, professional production, autotune, etc.
• Instrumental accompaniment is welcome – you can accompany yourself with any instrument you choose, have someone else accompany you, or use a track. While a cappella entries are permitted, it isn’t necessary.
• Both covers and original songs are welcome.

Submission Tips

• Be unique – pick a song that shows off your range, vocal capability, and who you are as an artist.
• Be yourself — raw unfiltered and unproduced vocals are best.
• Be memorable — stand out from the crowd!

How to Enter

• Submit your audition on Instagram using the hashtag #ohiostatefairidol and tagging the Ohio State Fair (@ohiostatefair).
• Submissions will be accepted from July 5, 2023 through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19. Entries submitted after July 19 will not be considered.
• DO NOT hashtag more than two of your videos — this will result in disqualification.

What will you win?

• The Top 8 finalists will win VIP Front of the Line passes to audition for the AMERICAN IDOL® Across America virtual auditions and four free Ohio State Fair admission tickets.
• The Top 5 finalists will be broadcasted on the big screens before the 2023 concerts in the Ohio State Fair Concert & Event Series, as well as the prizes above.
• WINNER will receive the grand prize that gets you a VIP private audition with the AMERICAN IDOL® executive producers, as well as the prizes above.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must meet the age eligibility for AMERICAN IDOL®: must be born between June 2, 1994 and February 15, 2009.
• Click here for additional AMERICAN IDOL® guidelines.
• A panel of representatives from the Ohio State Fair will review entries and select finalists and winners.