Performing songwriters from the states of Maine and Texas dominate the list of ten finalists named this week in the 2014 Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest. Each will perform two songs on the Singer Songwriter Stage during the 22nd annual Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival at Galatyn Park in Richardson, Texas, just a few minutes north of Dallas. Billed as North Texas’ largest music festival, it takes place, May 16-18.

The ten finalists, selected by a panel of judges, based on both songwriting craft and presentation, are Marc Douglas Berardo (Westerly, RI), Ben Bochner (Eugene, OR), Carolyn Currie (Cumberland, ME), Robin Hackett (Frisco, TX), Jen Hajj (Carlsbad, CA), Drew Kennedy (New Braunfels, TX), Libby Koch (Houston, TX), Paddy Mills (Cape Elizabeth, ME), Heather Styka (Durham, ME) and Ellen Tipper (Appleton, ME).

After showcasing their talents on the festival’s Singer Songwriter Stage on Saturday afternoon, May 17, four winning songwriters will each receive $500 in cash and perform in a Sunday afternoon song swap on the same stage.

Last year’s Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Contest winners were Terry Holder (Olympia, WA), Daniel Makins (San Angelo, TX), Ashlee Rose (San Antonio, TX), and Michael Terry People’s Choice Award-winner Chris Alvarado (Santa Rosa Beach, FL).

Wildflower! 2014Other artists slated to perform on the Singer Songwriter Stage during the festival include Butch Morgan, Bill Ward/2-Bit Palomino, Albert and Gage, and Marcia Ball on Friday; Lost and Nameless Orchestra, BettySoo, Steve Seskin, Beth Wood, Chris Rosser, Ellis, The Laws, and Hal Ketchum on Saturday. BettySoo, Wood and Morgan will be joined by fellow past performing songwriter contest winner Robby Hecht for a Sunday afternoon song swap, while multiple Grammy Award-winner Michael Martin Murphey, best known for his hit “Wildfire,” closes out the stage on Sunday evening.

In addition to its Singer Songwriter Stage, Wildflower! features several other outdoor stages with an eclectic array of musical artists, the Wild! Marketplace, a Taste of Texas Food Garden, a Kidz Korner, and more. Three-day festival passes, priced at $30, may be purchased online via clicknprinttickets or at the gate, for $30 until May 16, while single-day adult tickets are available for $20 at the gate and online. For more information, including performance schedules, visit www.wildflowerfestival.com.