The public is invited to the finals for the second annual Art In Your Ear Amateur Songwriting Contest at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in Shannon Hall in the Eastside Community Center, 14 N. Van Buren St., Batavia.

The contest is sponsored by the Art In Your Eye Festival, Hix Bros. Music, 95.9 The River, and O’Brien’s Pub & Grill. Tickets are not required. O’Brien’s will offer food and spirits at the event.

Many of the finalists will perform their own songs, with the assistance of Art In Your Ear’s Earchestra, a contest band provided by Hix Bros. Music, with locations in Batavia and Aurora.

Scott McKay of 95.9 The River will serve as master of ceremonies for the event. The judges for the contest are Batavia’s Grammy-nominated vocalist Margaret Carlson; Steve Warrenfeltz, music aficionado and owner of Kiss the Sky, a premier independent compact disc and record store in Geneva; and John McKillip, accomplished guitarist, keyboardist and songwriter, formerly of Spacklebury.

More than 100 entries were received and finalists in each category are participating in the finals. The winner in each category and “Song of the Year” will be announced and cash and gift prizes will be awarded.

The finalists are:

Pop/Rock: Ken Larsen, Supersixty, Andrew Schroeder and Christopher Geick

Country: Rodney Hamblen, Robin Anderson and Robert Wicklund, Bob Osgood and Melanie Johnson, Brian Johnston

Christian/Gospel/Inspirational: Ron Lofton, Steve Larsen, Diane Ferguson

Folk/Protest: Flo Kat, Matt Keen, Anna Luxiom

Hip Hop/Rap: Rudy Gonzales

For more information about the contest, visit artinyourear.com or call Paul Wieland at (630) 406-4490.