Rock bands from throughout the area took to the stage at Freedlander Park May 21 for the right to the unofficial title of Wooster’s best amateur band.

Presented by the Wayne County Performing Arts Council (WaCPAC) in partnership with the city of Wooster Parks and Recreation Department and sponsored by Speed North America and ServiceMaster, the third annual Battle of the Bands featured nine bands from throughout Wayne County rockin’ out before an enthusiastic crowd.

When the judges’ scores were tallied, the Wooster-based band Jag took home the top honor, while second and third place went to 51 Reasons and The Collision respectively.

Also taking part in the competition were six other talented bands - Blue Silence, Vangard, Heed the Call, Rocks at Trains, Azyxxi and H2O.

According to WaCPAC’s Leslie Baus, all three winning bands will be invited to perform at Wooster’s annual Fourth of July celebration and fireworks display at the Kinney Soccer Complex.

As the top band in the competition, Jag will also receive studio time at Spencer Recording Studio courtesy of Al Spencer.

The winners were selected by a panel of judges, including the leader of last year’s winning band, Vaughn Pokrzywa of The Regulators, Josh Heiney and Randy Claes, all talented musicians in their own right. Scoring was based on content, originality, musical abilities, stage presence, crowd response and the overall impression of their performance.

Baus noted that this year the Battle of the Bands was renamed in honor of the event’s founder, WaCPAC board member Jim Gladulich, who passed away in March of this year.

According to Baus, it was Gladulich who saw the potential for an event that showcased talented local bands to a broader audience and provided amateur musicians with the rare opportunity to do what they love best – share their passion for music.

One of the keys to the success of the Battle of the Bands is the strong partnership between WaCPAC and the Wooster Parks and Recreation Department.

Susan Kelley, recreation manager, the department has been an enthusiastic supporter of Battle of the Bands since it debuted three years ago.

The department, which already has strong programming for younger children and seniors, saw the unique event as a way of serving an age group that has for the most part been underserved.

“In the past it has always been harder to get teens and young adults involved in our programs. The Battle of the Bands is a great opportunity for them to get involved in something they enjoy doing - playing music,” said Kelley.

By providing young musicians with the increasingly rare opportunity to perform before a large audience, as well as providing the city with quality entertainment for its Independence Day celebration free of charge, it’s “a win/win situation for the performers and the community,” said Kelley.

The event is also a good fit for WaCPAC as the group branches out from its nearly 30 year old roots in community theater by adding events that showcase the musical talents of the citizens of Wayne County, Baus noted.

Next up on WaCPAC’s busy schedule of events is the youth theater production of Hello Shakespeare. After presenting the play July 22 and 23 at the Wayne Center for the Arts, the cast travels to Columbus August 6 to compete in the annual Ohio Community Theater Association OCTAFest Junior competition.

WaCPAC rounds out its 2011 season in December by reprising its successful Readers Theatre production of A Christmas Carol.

For more information on the Wayne County Performing Arts Council, visit the website at http://www.wacpac.org.