Hope’s Mark Gunter Wins Songwriting Contest at Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas

Well-known local performer Mark Gunter has just been notified his submission to the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas has won its category.  Gunter’s song “Wind of War” took first place in the “Songs for a Better War” category.

The win is nothing new for Gunter.  He took honors in songwriting several years ago at the festival.  Most recently, Gunter won the “Music in the Park” songwriting contest this past June at Historic Washington State Park.

The Walnut Valley Association was formed in 1972, with its sole purpose to produce the Walnut Valley National Guitar Flat-Picking Championships Festival, also known as the Flat-Picking Championships, now known as the “Walnut Valley Festival” or simply “Winfield” to the long time attendees.

Still the third weekend in September, in Winfield, Kansas, at the Winfield Fairgrounds, the Walnut Valley Festival has long prided itself on being educational as well as enjoyable, but most of all, the Festival is a homecoming. And a homecoming not just because of the music and how folks act, but a coming home to a place in the soul and the heart with a spirit of celebration.

This year’s festival will feature such nationally known acts as Chris Jones and the Night Drivers as well as Becky Bueller and Special Consensus.  Gunter will perform his winning entry live at the festival this Saturday September 21st.

Our congratulations go to Mark Gunter on his win in this very prestigious venue!