Comedian Jerry Seinfeld has a long running joke in which he discusses the fear of public speaking. He mentions that given a choice, more people are afraid of speaking in public than they are of death. That means that if they have to be at a funeral “They would rather be in the coffin than giving the eulogy.”

Seinfeld’s point is relatable for millions of people around the world. However, participants in the Lethbridge Kiwanis Speech and Music Festival may not feel the same way.
The festival gives speech and music students a chance to showcase their talents in front of an audience while receiving constructive criticism from a professional adjudicator.
The Kiwanis Festival kicked off March 15 and will run until Friday, March 26.
“The students are exposed to a good array of talent, selections and repertoires,” says Carole Roberts, festival co-ordinator. “The importance is to hear other people in their discipline.”
This year marks the festival’s 80th year running, and the Kiwanis club of Lethbridge has been in charge of organizing it for over 50 of those years.
“It’s been developed to be such a tradition,” says Roberts. “Many students and teachers plan their year around it.”
Many of the students who participate in the festival use it as a preparation point for the end of the year exams that occur in May and June. They get criticism from someone other than their family or instructor, and it allows them to be better prepared for when they take their exams.
“Some of the main goals of our festival is to provide a constructive, positive environment where people can get feedback,” says Roberts. “What happens in these two weeks is truly amazing.”
Locals have a chance to be a part of the wonder as the festival culminates in a showcase that will occur on Saturday, March 27.
The “Stars of the Festival” showcase features top performers as recommended by the adjudicators.  Representatives of each discipline will perform their selections at the Yates Theatre.
Tickets are $5 at the door and $15
for a family.