Wakarusa Winter Classic at Trees gives local bands a chance to play national music festival

by Tiney Ricciardi

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You — yes, you — can enter to compete today.

Save the date: February 9 at Trees in Deep Ellum.

DALLAS — Think your band has what it takes to share the bill with bands such as The Avett Brothers at Wakarusa music festival? Your chance to prove it is February 9 at Trees at the Wakarusa Winter Classic.

This annual battle of the bands is hitting 16 cities in 2013, offering local bands a spot on the festival’s lineup. The Waka Winter Classic is currently looking for bands to participate. Entries can be submitted here through ReverbNation. The winner is chosen by a vote of those who attend the event, so begin your marketing campaign pronto.

The Wakarusa Winter Classic has a long history in Dallas. Last year, Denton’s Fatty Lumpkin won out against local bands We the Sea Lions, Goodnight Ned, KAPOW, Gravity Feed, and Ishi for the title. Fatty Lumpkin played among the elite on Mulberry Mountain during the 2012 festival. It was Fatty’s fourth year to earn the title.

Aside from the competition, the Waka Winter classic is a special concert where local music enthusiasts who show up by the hundreds to support their friends. The upcoming event is moving from 2826 Arnetic to Trees, which is good news for those who attended in 2012 when the wait was more than an hour and the bar ran out of booze.

Wakarusa is celebrating its 10th anniversary during the festival, which runs May 30 through June 2 in Ozark, Ark.