TOPSHAM – Nine barbershop choruses and 18 quartets will compete Saturday afternoon in the Barbershop Harmony Society Granite and Pine Division contest.

The public is invited to the contest at the Orion Performing Arts Center, Mount Ararat Middle School.

The choruses and quartets are competing to win entry to the district contest at Halifax, Nova Scotia, in September, said contest Chairman Richard Miller.

Choruses participating from Maine include the Maine-ly Music Chorus of Bangor; Downeasters, Portland; Windjammer Chorus, Camden; and Nor’easters, Brunswick. Those from New Hampshire will be the Concord Coachmen, Concord; North Country Chordsmen, Hanover; Lakes Region Chordsmen, Laconia; Yankee Clipper Chorus, Portsmouth; and last year’s district gold nedal winner, the Granite Statesmen, Nashua.

Area quartets competing include the EdgeWise, Portland; Back Bay Four, Brunswick and Portland; Starboard Watch, Camden; and Maine Coasters, Portland. Quartets participating from New Hampshire are from Hanover, Keene and Nashua. Other quartets will be from Lowell and Beverly, Mass., and Burlington, Vt. Very large quartets will be coming from Hanover and Nashua, NH.

Those competing will be judged for music, presentation and singing categories. Cotton Damon of South Bristol is the Northeastern District chairman for contest and judging. Lawrence Wescott of Casco will be the master of ceremonies. The division manager of the Granite and Pine division is Ted Tracy of Wiscasset. The Nor’easters Chorus in Brunswick is hosting the contest.

For more information about the barbershop groups, people can contact Richard Miller at 644-8849, or Ted Tracy, 882-9795.

An all-event ticket at $15 will provide admission to the chorus competition at noon and quartet competition at 2 p.m. Student tickets are $7.50; children under 12 can attend at no charge when with an adult.