Are you a band of young local musicians ready to leave the garage and share your music with the world? Orange City Council is calling for expressions of interest for a Battle of the Bands competition at their free Robertson Park music festival, Zest Fest.

"We’re looking for bands aged 12 to 24 from the Orange region to take part in Zest Fest’s first-ever Battle of the Bands, held live on the Main Stage," Council posted to their social media pages this past week.

"It’s a chance to play in front of a festival crowd, build your live performance experience and show Orange what you’ve got. Whether you’re a solo artist, a newly formed band or you’ve already played every garage, school hall, backyard gig and pub in town, we want to hear from you."

To be part of the competition, band members must be aged between 12 and 24, have a connection to the Orange region and be ready to get up and perform. Original music is strongly encouraged, and all genres are welcome.

Expressions of interest are open until midnight on Sunday, August 16. Council advises that more details about the competition format, judging and prizes will be announced soon. The selected artists and bands will be contacted by Sunday, August 30.

Council is also once again calling for expressions of interest from other local acts to perform on the Live & Local stage at this year's festival.

They are looking for solo artists, duos and bands with a connection to the Orange, Blayney or Cabonne regions, who are ready to perform.

"Whether you’re playing regular gigs around the Central West or you’re ready to step onto a festival stage for the first time, we’d love to hear what you’ve been working on," Council says via their Zest Fest website.

When applying, artists must provide details about themselves and their local connection. They must also write original music, be actively performing and provide links to where it can be found online.

"If you’ve played Zest Fest before, you’re welcome to apply again. We love seeing familiar faces, but we’re also excited to discover new artists, so preference may be given to performers who haven’t been part of the line-up before."

Applications can be made via zestfest.com.au

Zest Fest 2026 is scheduled to take place in Robertson Park on November 16.