Ontario District Fall Convention

October 17 & 18, 2025 – Woodstock, ON

Woodstock, Ontario will host hundreds of barbershop singers from around the province for the annual fall convention of the Ontario District of the Barbershop Harmony Society. More than just a weekend of singing four-part a cappella barbershop harmony, it is a weekend of serious competition for quartets and choruses from across Ontario under the watchful eyes and ears of a panel of judges from across North America. Qualifying choruses from the weekend will advance to the Barbershop Harmony Society International Quartet Competition in St. Louis, MO in July 2026. A qualifying seniors quartet will advance to the 2026 Midwinter in Pasadena, CA Top scoring eligible quartets will win their respective Ontario District titles for 2025.

Host Chapters

Peninsula Division

Convention Theme:

A Groovy Time in Woodstock

Headquarters Hotel:

Joint HQ Hotels

Home2 Suites by Hilton
527 Lampman Place, Woodstock
519-290-4116

Holiday Inn Express & Suites
510 Norwich Ave., Woodstock
519-539-9828

Contest Venue:

Movement Church Woodstock
65 Lansdowne Avenue
Woodstock, ON N4T 1S8

Chorus Rehearsals & Evaluations

Woodstock Christian School
800 Juliana Dr, Woodstock
ON N4S 0A8

Registration

All attendees must register for the convention, regardless of whether they are competing or not. Competitors may require additional entry steps depending on which competitions they are competing in.

For more information about convention registration, contact the Convention Registrar, Hayley Sziklasi – registrar@ontariosings.com

Full Registrations

Full registrations are available by following the link in the sidebar or by clicking one of the links below.

The price for full registrations is as follows:

  • Adults: $80/person ($70 early bird registration)
  • Students (19+): $40/person ($35 early bird registration)
  • Youth (18 and under): Free
Register Online Download PDF form Download Word form

Partial Registrations​

Partial registrations for a single session will be sold for all 3 contest sessions at the convention registration desk. Friday night partial registrations for a single session will be available starting at 5:00 Friday evening. Saturday afternoon and evening single-session partial registrations will be available starting at 10:00 Saturday morning. Saturday evening partial registrations will also be available at 5:00 Saturday evening.

The price for partial registrations is as follows:
  • Adults: $35/person/session
  • Students (19+): $17/person/session
  • Youth (18 and under): Free

Hotel

Joint HQ Hotels

Home2 Suites by Hilton
527 Lampman Place
Woodstock
519-290-4116
Convention Rate: $195 per night.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites
510 Norwich Ave.
Woodstock
519-539-9828
Convention Rate: $185 per night.

Despite the different addresses, the hotels are co-located with a shared parking lot. Home2 Suites is brand new and the Holiday Inn has also undergone significant renos recently. When calling to book please give them the block booking code BHS. If you have any difficulties please notify Bill Vermue directly: billvermue@gmail.com

The judges and committee members will be mostly in the Home2 Suites however, the afterglows for both Friday and Saturday evening will be in the Holiday Inn.

Other Info

  • As of 9 September, the Holiday Inn is booked. There are a few rooms left at the Home2 Suites.
  • While the map doesn’t show it clearly the Home2 Suites and the Holiday Inn share a parking lot and there are 8 EV parking spots available.
  • Friday and Saturday night hospitality rooms will be in the Holiday Inn. Both hotels have pools and workout rooms.
  • The closest alternative hotels are Spark by Hilton – walking distance and a minute or so west on Juliana St. is a Best Western, however we do not have a contract with either of them.
  • A map with the best route from the school to the venue will be provided (avoids railway tracks and potential delay). The drive takes 5-8 minutes depending on traffic lights.
  • For choruses, the school will be available from 8 a.m on Sat. morning but as early as 7 a.m if desired. Chorus contacts advise Alex Beamish and Dan Locke if you wish to get in earlier than 8 a.m.
  • Classrooms at the school must be left the way they are found i.e. tables chairs, etc. Dan Locke will coordinate that but we will expect the cooperation of chorus members to help ensure that this is the case.
  • Both the Home2 and Holiday Inn include a hot breakfast from 06:00 – 10:00. They have been warned that chorus members will likely be at breakfast earlier rather than later.
  • Directly across the road from the hotels is a Montana’s and a Kelsey’s. Both will give you a 10% discount if you show your room key. There are numerous other restaurants such as East Side Mario’s and the Pancake House as well as fast food eateries in the same area.
    The same area also has a Walmart, Canadian Tire and a Staples.
  • Weather and time permitting, everything other than the venue is within walking distance.

 

Competitors

The entry system is closed.

Please note that due to restrictions at the contest venue the schedule on Saturday is revised significantly from prior years.

Chorus

International Prelim, Seniors Chorus Qualifier, Plateau, Most Improved, Chorus Encouragement, and Perform for Eval only

  • Capital City Chorus
  • Undercover Mix
  • Men of Accord
  • Toronto Northern Lights
  • Twin City Harmonizers
  • Ontario Peninsula Division Combined Chorus
  • Mixology
  • Bela Voca
  • Maple Leaf Chord Company
  • East York Barbershoppers

Quartet

District Quartet Championship, Seniors Prelim for Midwinter, Novice, Perform for Eval Only

  • Northern Pursuit
  • Quadratics
  • Gummee Boyz
  • Flourish
  • Onyx
  • Sapphire
  • Constructive Criticism
  • The Northern Incontinentals
  • The Paris Accord
  • Chromatic Aberration
  • In Season
  • Centreline
  • Aged to Perfection
  • Lady and the Tramps
  • The ‘Loo Wops

Competitor Entry

If your chorus is competing in the chorus contest or performing for score only, your chapter secretary must enter your chorus for the competition, and your individual chapter, district, and society dues must be up-to-date. For more information or clarification talk to your chapter secretary.

If you are competing in the quartet contest, your quartet must enter through the BHS Member Center.

Chorus Rehearsal Space

Rehearsal space will be available for performing choruses on Saturday morning before the chorus session. Choruses may choose to use this space for a fee of $125, or they may arrange their own rehearsal location at their own cost and convenience. Payment for District-arranged rehearsal space can be sent at any time via eTransfer to treasurer@ontariosings.com. If payment is not received before the convention, the chorus will be invoiced afterward.

Judging Panel

PC – Alan Lamson, NED, Manchester, CT
ADM – Randy Meyer, FWD, San Jose, CA
MUS – Cary Burns, FWD, Phoenix, AZ
MUS – Kirk Young, NED, Tilton, NH
PER – John Mallett, ONT, Toronto, ON
PER – Stefani Schmidt, BinG, Heddesheim, Germany
SNG – Aaron Evens, SHD, Columbia, TN
SNG – Philip Grant, EVG, North Vancouver, BC

Candidate Judges

ADM – Angie Morton-Locke, ONT, Paris, ON
ADM – Terry Reynolds, MAD, Falls Church, VA
SNG – Lucas Bitzer, BinG, Freiburg, Germany

Competitions This Fall

District Title • The Rhythmaires Trophy and the title of District Quartet Champion is awarded to the quartet with the highest score at the Ontario District Fall Convention over two rounds (semifinals and finals). Any quartet comprising more than two members of a past Ontario District Quartet Champion is not eligible for this award.

District Title • The Woodstock Chapter trophy and the title of District Novice Quartet Champion is awarded to the highest scoring novice quartet in the semifinal round of contest (Friday night). A novice quartet is any quartet that has at least two members who have never competed previously in a District (BHS or MBHA), Region (SAI) or Area (HI) contest, unless it was exclusively at the youth or collegiate level. Any quartet placing 1st or 2nd in the main competition is ineligible for this award.

International Qualification • The highest scoring seniors quartet on the Friday night of the fall quartet contests qualifies for the seniors quartet contest at Midwinter Convention the following year. The seniors prelims scores are based on one round of competition. Seniors quartets must have all four members at least 55 years of age, and a combined age of at least 240 years. In addition, other seniors quartets with a sufficiently high score may qualify for a wildcard spot for the international seniors quartet contest.

International Qualification • District choruses earn the right to represent Ontario District at the International Barbershop Convention next July by obtaining the top score among district choruses in the Fall Preliminary Chorus Contest. The top scoring chorus is awarded the George Shields “Go For The Gold” Trophy. In addition, any other choruses scoring at least 80% will also qualify for the contest.

District Title • The Jack Haughie Trophy is awarded to the chorus with the greatest improvement in score over the last time they competed based on raw scores. The winning chorus and any chorus not having competed in the last six contests are ineligible.

District Title • The London Chapter Trophy is awarded to the chorus with the highest score in the competition, subject to eligibility rules. A chorus placing first or second in the current contest is ineligible. Also, any chorus placing first or second in the previous ten contests is ineligible as is any chorus that has won this award in the previous six contests.

District Title • The Syd Pyper Plateau Awards are awarded to the choruses achieving the highest score in each plateau, the contest winner is eligible, plateaus are assigned based on chorus’ score in their last competition, any chorus not competing in last 6 contests or competing for first time is assigned plateau 1

  • Plateau 1 — less than 661 in their last contest,
  • Plateau 2 — greater than 660 and less than 781,
  • Plateau 3 — greater than 780 and less than 901,
  • Plateau 4 — greater than 900 in last contest

Schedule of Events

Updated August 12, 2025. All times are tentative and subject to change.

Friday, October 17, 2025

Time Event Venue
3:00 – 8:30 pm Registration Desk Foyer – Movement Church Woodstock
6:30 pm
Quartet Semi-finals
Presenter: Steve Bangham
 Movement Church Woodstock
After the contest Quartet Evaluations Judges Rooms – Home2 Suites
After the contest Hospitality Room Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Host TBA

Saturday, October 18, 2025

Time Event Venue
  Registration Desk opens Foyer – Movement Church Woodstock
8:45 am All-Chapter Chorus Rehearsal
Director: Stacy Hugman		 Movement Church Woodstock – Green Room
9:30 am
Chorus Competition
Presenter: Robert Rund
 Movement Church Woodstock
After the contest Chorus Evaluations Woodstock Christian School
  Registration Desk opens Foyer – Movement Church Woodstock
3:30pm
Quartet Finals Contest & Show of Champions
Presenter: Mike McKim
Presentation of Awards
Quartet Results Announced
Intermission
Parade of Champions Show
“Keep the Whole World Singing”
 Movement Church Woodstock
After the show Quartet Evaluations Judges Rooms – Home2 Suites
After the show Hospitality / Afterglow Room Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Host TBA

All-Chapter Chorus

The All-Chapter Chorus is open to any barbershopper attending convention who wishes to sing in it. The chorus meets at 8:45 on Saturday morning of convention to rehearse, and then serves as the mic tester at the chorus contest later that morning. Please bring your registration nametag or another nametag to rehearsal.

Repertoire: Teach Everybody to Sing and Sweet and Lovely

Learning materials for “Teach Everybody to Sing” are available on the Members Only page, under Music Files > All Chapter Chorus. For “Sweet and Lovely”, check your Chapter resources for learning materials.

Director: Stacy Hugman

Our Director today is currently a Harmony, Inc. Candidate Judge and coach in the Performance category, as well as Harmony, Inc.’s Area 5 Quartet Promotions Coordinator.

She is a 35-year member of Harmony, Inc. and is a double queen in Harmony, Inc. (with quartets Blue Champagne and After Hours, who are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year). She has chorus gold medals with both Harmony, Inc. and Sweet Adelines International organisations and currently is a member of Vocal Moxie (Harmony’s 3rd place International chorus) and the Thousand Islanders.

Her true passion is helping quartets learn, evidenced by the fact that she has been the OQE Event Coordinator for the past two years.

 

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