On Labor Day weekend, the Ten Sleep Brewing Co. in Ten Sleep, Wyoming, hosts the ninth annual Wyoming Singer-Songwriter Grand Finale Festival from September 3 through 6, bringing together the state's most promising original acts for four days of competition, workshops, and performances.
The stakes are real. The grand prize is $5,000, sponsored by Wyoming Whiskey, along with a chance to tour venues across the state. Second and third place receive cash prizes as well. But for the musicians who make the pilgrimage to this remote corner of the Bighorn Basin, the money is almost secondary to what the festival represents: a stage where the only requirement is that the songs be yours.
That requirement is taken seriously. Each contestant performs three original songs, and the audience follows along with printed lyric sheets — 40 copies of each song, formatted onto a single double-sided sheet, are required of every competitor. The judging is done by a diverse panel that recognizes both the top songs and the top singer-songwriters. It's a format that rewards honesty over polish, and it has produced some of the most memorable moments in Wyoming music over the years.
This year's field includes four finalists from the Southwest Wyoming regional round, held August 1 at the Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs during Wyoming's Big Show. Laramie's John Laux took the top spot with 'Broke Down,' 'On the Edge,' and 'Damn Sunshine.' Rock Springs' own Dakota Knezovich secured second with 'Black Sand,' 'Red Rhinestone,' and 'Northern Heights.' Elyse Kisner of Baggs locked in third with 'Hate That I Love,' 'Toxic Type,' and 'MIA,' while Green River's Kaydence Graham rounded out the top four with 'Monster Under My Bed,' 'Bleed Out,' and 'Wax Wings.' The performances were evaluated by a panel featuring Pinedale musician Jared Rogerson, Lander singer-songwriter Bill Boycott, and Katelyn Heller of Big Horn Records.
The competition that brings these artists to Ten Sleep began as something far more modest. Laramie musician Jon Gardzelewski started it as a local event, a small gathering of songwriters pushing each other to dig deeper. Over time, it grew into a statewide movement.
The competition has grown into something far beyond a contest. Gardzelewski and others built it into a volunteer-led organization dedicated to connecting and supporting songwriters across the state. The organization's mission is simple: to showcase Wyoming troubadours and songsmiths of all ages, styles, and experience levels.
The festival itself has become a kind of musical wilderness nirvana. Over the four days, the schedule is packed with guitar workshops, songwriting sessions, vocal clinics, and fiddle classes, alongside the qualifying rounds, semifinals, and the grand finale on Sunday evening. Guest performers have included some of the region's most respected musicians — Susan Gibson, Steve Davis, Shawn Hess, and Jackson Holte, among others.
For Gardzelewski, the magic of the competition has never been about the prize money. 'It's a fun, high-energy event where singers can truly be discovered or rediscovered,' he said. 'Whether they've been writing for decades or just picked up a pen last year, this stage can change everything for them.'
The 2026 festival runs from Thursday, September 3 through Sunday, September 6, with the grand finale taking place Sunday evening. On-site camping is available at the brewery, and the surrounding towns of Ten Sleep and Worland offer lodging and food for those who want to make a weekend of it. Whiskey tastings courtesy of Wyoming Whiskey are available for those who purchase the whiskey ticket.
For the four finalists from Southwest Wyoming — and for the dozens of others who advanced from regional rounds across the state — the weekend represents a chance to be heard, truly heard, in a way that only happens when the songs are your own and the audience is holding your lyrics in their hands. Wyoming's songwriters will once again take their shot.