Discover Egypt Talent Show

Get ready for a show-stopping new addition to the 7th Annual Discover Egypt Festival! The Canadian Egyptian Heritage Association is proud to introduce the Discover Egypt Talent Show, a three-day community talent competition that will celebrate our diverse talents, culture, and community spirit. This exciting showcase will debut during the festival on May 16, 17, and 18, 2025 at Mississauga’s Celebration Square, bringing together performers of all ages to share the spotlight in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.

Whether you’re a singer, dancer, musician, magician, or have any unique talent, we want to see it. There are no age restrictions – everyone from kids to seniors is encouraged to step onto the stage. It’s a fantastic opportunity for local stars to shine and for the community to cheer on their neighbors, friends, and family. Join us in making the first-ever Discover Egypt Talent Show a memorable celebration of creativity and community!

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Key Event Details:

• Dates & Rounds: Friday, May 16 (Opening Showcase), Saturday, May 17 (Semi-Finals), and Sunday, May 18 (Finals). The competition spans all three days of the festival, with performances each day.
• Location: Celebration Square, Mississauga – on the main stage of the Discover Egypt Festival (free admission for all attendees).
• Who Can Participate: All talents and all ages are welcome! Solo performers and group acts of any size can apply. (Performers under 18 will require parental consent.) There is no entry fee to participate.
• Performance Format: Each act has up to 5 minutes on stage. If you advance to the next round, you must be ready to perform again on the next day of the competition. (Qualifying acts will perform on all three days if they keep advancing.)
• Judging: A combination of official judges and audience voting will determine who advances and ultimately wins. A panel of judges will evaluate each performance, and festival audience members will also have the chance to vote for their favorites, making this a true community-driven contest.
• Grand Prize: A $10,000 educational bursary provided by Trios College will be awarded to the winner! This bursary can be used toward tuition at Trios College, is transferable to a family member or friend, and must be used within one year.
• Additional Honors: The top 3 finalists will be featured as main acts at next year’s Discover Egypt Festival (the 8th annual), giving our winners a special spotlight and recognition in 2026.
• How to Apply: Interested performers can apply by filling out the Discover Egypt Talent Show Application Form (available on the official festival website and via our social media links). Spaces may be limited, so please submit your application as soon as possible. Deadline to apply: (Apply early; we will announce when all slots are filled).

Even if you’re not taking the stage, mark your calendars to attend the Discover Egypt Talent Show and cheer on the participants! It’s going to be three evenings full of amazing talent, cultural pride, and joyous celebration. We can’t wait to see the incredible performances our community has to offer.

Come for the culture, stay for the talent! 🎉 Join us May 16–18 at Celebration Square for the Discover Egypt Talent Show debut and be part of our growing festival tradition. Let’s make this inaugural talent show a highlight of the 7th Annual Discover Egypt Festival!

 Application & Competition Details

Discover Egypt Talent Show – Participant Information and Guidelines

(Please read the following details carefully before submitting your application.)

• Eligibility: The Discover Egypt Talent Show is open to all ages and all types of talent. Individuals, duos, and group acts are all welcome. There are no age restrictions; however, performers under 18 years of age must have a parent or legal guardian co-sign the application and the consent form (provided below). Professional and amateur performers are both welcome. This is a community event – we encourage anyone with a talent to share to apply!
• Talent Categories: All forms of talent are welcome. This includes (but is not limited to) singing, dancing, musical performance, magic, comedy, martial arts demonstrations, cultural performances, and more. If you can wow an audience in 5 minutes, it’s a talent! Acts should be suitable for a family-friendly audience. Any act containing offensive, overtly dangerous, or inappropriate content may be disqualified at the discretion of the organizers (please keep your performance family-friendly and safe).
• Group Performances: Group acts are allowed and encouraged. If a group wins the competition, the prize bursary will be awarded to the group as a whole (one bursary certificate), and it will be the group’s responsibility to designate a recipient (for example, one member or an immediate family member/friend of the group) for the bursary. All members of a group must be listed on the application, and each member (or their guardian if under 18) must sign the consent form.
• Competition Format & Rounds: This is a 3-round competition held over three days of the festival:
  • Opening Showcase – Friday, May 16: All approved acts will perform in the first round on Friday evening. Each act has up to 5 minutes to perform. At the end of the night, a selection of acts will advance to the Semi-Finals.
  • Semi-Finals – Saturday, May 17: The advancing acts will perform again on Saturday (each act gets another 5 minutes). Important: Contestants must prepare to perform new material or a variation of their act for each round. You can showcase a different skill, a new song, or an enhanced version of your initial performance – be creative and show your range! A limited number of finalists will be chosen from this round.
  • Finals – Sunday, May 18: The top acts from Saturday will face off in the final round on Sunday. Each finalist will perform one more time (up to 5 minutes) for the chance to be crowned the first Discover Egypt Talent Show winner. The winners (champion and two runners-up) will be announced at the end of the Finals on Sunday night.

Note: All acts must be available on all three days (evenings of May 16, 17, 18, 2025). By entering, you are committing to perform on each day if you advance. Failure to appear for a scheduled performance may result in disqualification. A detailed schedule with exact performance times will be provided to participants once applications are confirmed and the lineup is set.

• Time Limit: 5 minutes maximum per act, per round. This time limit will be strictly enforced. Timing begins from the first moment of performance (once music starts or you begin performing) and includes any setup time on stage. Acts are advised to keep introductions and setup very brief to maximize their 5-minute performance window. If an act exceeds the time limit, organizers reserve the right to fade out music or otherwise end the performance to keep the schedule on track.
• Technical Requirements & Equipment: We will provide a standard stage setup including microphones, sound system, basic lighting, and a playback system for music. If your act requires a backing track (music or sound effects), you must let us know in advance. You will need to email your audio file (MP3 format or similar) to the organizers by a specified date before the festival, or bring it on a USB drive before your performance. If your act has any special technical needs (e.g. musical instruments, mats, props, etc.), please note these on your application form. Large instruments or props must be provided by the performer. We will do our best to accommodate technical requests, but complex setups may not be possible due to limited setup time between acts. Important: Open flames, explosives, or any hazardous materials are not allowed on stage. If you have an act that involves any level of risk (e.g. sharp objects, mild stunt work), you must get explicit approval from the organizers ahead of time and adhere to all safety instructions.
• Judging & Audience Voting: The competition will be evaluated by a combination of official judges and audience voting:
  • We will have a panel of judges consisting of community leaders, experienced performers, and festival organizers. The judges will score each act based on talent, creativity, stage presence, and overall impression.
  • Audience members will also get to participate by voting for their favorite acts during each round. The voting method will be explained at the event (it may be via paper ballots or a mobile voting app). Each round’s results will be determined by a weighted combination of the judges’ scores and the audience votes.
  • This means community support counts – so performers are encouraged to invite friends and family to come cheer and vote! Likewise, all festival attendees can enjoy being part of the decision-making process.
  • Advancement: A certain number of top-ranked acts from Friday will move to Saturday (Semi-Finals), and from Saturday to Sunday (Finals). The exact number of acts advancing each round may depend on the total number of participants and will be announced at the event. All judging decisions are final. Detailed score breakdowns will not be released, to keep the focus on the celebration of talent.
• Prize Details: We are excited to offer a Grand Prize $10,000 bursary for the winner, courtesy of Trios College. Prize details are as follows:
  • Winner (1st Place): A $10,000 CAD bursary to Trios College. This bursary can be applied toward tuition or program fees at any Trios College campus. It is not redeemable for cash. The winner may choose to transfer the bursary one time to an immediate family member or a friend (for example, if the winner is not personally planning to attend the college, they can give this educational opportunity to someone they know). The bursary must be redeemed (i.e. used to enroll in a program) within one year of the award date. Further instructions and contact information for Trios College will be provided to the winner to claim this prize.
  • Top 3 Finalists (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place): The three final acts (including the winner) will each receive a certificate/trophy recognizing their achievement and will be invited to perform as featured main acts at the 8th Annual Discover Egypt Festival in 2026. This means our finalists will get a special spotlight performance slot at next year’s festival, giving them even more exposure and a chance to showcase their talent to a large audience. (Scheduling and details for next year’s performances will be arranged closer to the 2026 festival date.)
  • All Participants: Every participant/group will receive a certificate of participation and our heartfelt thanks for sharing your talent. While only three acts win the top honors, everyone who performs is a winner for contributing to our community spirit! We may also have some additional surprise prizes or gifts from sponsors for participants – stay tuned.
• How to Apply: To enter the Discover Egypt Talent Show, please complete the Talent Show Application Form. The form will require:
  • Contact Information: Name of performer or group, names and ages of all members (if a group), a primary contact person’s phone number and email.
  • Talent Description: A brief description of your act (e.g. “Singing – pop song,” “Group folk dance,” “Magic card tricks,” etc.), including any specific technical needs or equipment you will bring.
  • Performance History (optional): You can mention if you have performed before or any interesting info about you/your group (this may be used by our MC to introduce you on stage).
  • Agreement to Rules: You will need to acknowledge that you have read and agree to these competition rules and will sign the consent form. If under 18, a parent/guardian must acknowledge and later sign the consent form.
  • Media Submission (optional): We might ask for a link to a video of your act or audition video (if available). This is not mandatory, but if the number of applications exceeds the number of performance slots, we may use audition videos or descriptions to select participants. (Our goal is to include everyone, but we do have time constraints, so please understand if we cannot accept every submission.)

You can find the application form on our official festival website (on the “Talent Show” page) or via a direct link provided in our social media posts and newsletter. Submit the form online or email it to [contact email] by the deadline.

• Application Deadline: May 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM (EDT). Please note: Spaces may be limited. We encourage you to apply early. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. If all available performance slots fill up before the deadline, we may close applications early and start a waitlist. Conversely, if we have additional space, we might accept late entries at our discretion, but this is not guaranteed. To avoid disappointment, get your application in as soon as possible!
• After You Apply: You will receive a confirmation email within a few days of submitting your application. This confirmation will include the Participant Consent and Liability Release Form (see below) which must be signed by each performer (and parent/guardian for minors) and submitted by the time of the event. We will also provide information on check-in times, exact performance schedule, and any rehearsals or sound-check opportunities. Typically, performers will be asked to check in at the festival info desk at least 1 hour before the talent show starts each day they are performing. We will keep you informed of all logistics so you can be prepared.
• Event Day Participation: On the day of your performance:
  • Arrive at the designated check-in area by the requested time (we will send exact instructions in advance). Bring any props, instruments, or costumes you need.
  • If you have music tracks and haven’t sent them in advance, bring them on a USB drive (as a MP3 file) and have a backup if possible.
  • You will meet our stage coordinator who will line up the acts and handle music cues, microphones, etc. You’ll also meet our MC (master of ceremonies) who will introduce you.
  • Family and friends should be in the audience ready to cheer you on! Encourage them to vote after your performance.
  • Most of all, have fun and show us what you’ve got! This event is about celebrating talent and community – we’re rooting for you to succeed.

By applying to the Discover Egypt Talent Show, you agree to all the rules and guidelines above. If you have any questions prior to applying, please contact the festival organizers at info@egyptianfest.com or call

Thank you for your interest in the Discover Egypt Talent Show. We look forward to receiving your application and witnessing the amazing talents our community has to offer. Good luck! 🎤🎶🎉