If entering a music competition fills you with dread then you should think again as it could be the best thing you ever do. Taking part in such a contest could be responsible for launching the career of your band. Competitions give bands the exposure they need to help them build up a fan base and get their music out to a wider audience, so even if they do not win they will still gain new fans and increased exposure.
Your band may only be used to playing small gigs and informal sessions but by taking the step to walk out on the stage at an organised and well publicised music festival you will reap many benefits including being able to get together with other artists who have the same aspirations for success and playing your music for a diverse audience who may yet turn out to be fans of you and your music.
Competitions give bands from across a wide range of musical genres the chance to come together and play their music for a live audience. If nothing else, it is an experience in itself to take part and listen to the wide variety of music on offer. Festivals offer the opportunity to chat with other bands and perhaps make plans for future collaborations - which will be benefical to both the artists involved as they will benefit from the exposure to each other's fan bases.
Taking part in a music competition may sound scary at first but you should consider that all of the other entrants probably feel the same. They are all unsigned bands trying to get recognised in the hope that they can secure a recording contract so performing well is something they will all be worried about.
In the end it is all about enjoying yourself and letting your music do the talking. If you have fun and play to the best of your ability then you have done everything anyone could ask and who knows, this music festival that you were apprehensive about entering could just prove to be the starting point in a very successful musical career.