Every year over Memorial Day weekend in Peoria Illinois, the Old-Time Music Preservation Association (OMPA) stages the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest to educate people about old-time piano music written prior to 1930.

Through the years, the contest has provided more than $50,000 in prize money to more than 500 piano players from across the United States and from five foreign countries.

Players in 2013 will compete in two divisions—Regular and Junior—as they vie for over $4,000 and trophies—including in the New Rag Contest, where aspiring composers present their original tunes.

A variety of other activities including workshops, a sing-along variety show, a luncheon cruise on riverboat Spirit of Peoria, party rooms each evening and a chance play in the Old-Time Orchestry.

This is a weekend packed with Ragtime, Tin Pan Alley and Standard tunes played by amazing piano players. You don’t have to play piano to enjoy music that will have your toes tapping. You’ll have the old-time of your life at the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest.