Speech Contest Central
Contests are a fun way to advance your speaking and communication skills! We want to thank you for your continued efforts in organizing and supporting the District.
Here’s to a fun-filled successful contest season!
Resources
All resources can be found at: https://tmdistrict65.org/speech-contests/ and https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/speech-contests, but here are some direct links:
- Everyone
- How to Conduct Quality Speech Contests:206eg-conducting-quality-speech-contests.pdf
- Speech Contests FAQ
- Speech contest rulebook: 1171 Speech Contest Rulebook 2025-2026
- Contestants
- Speaker’s certification of eligibility form: 1183 Speaker’s Certification Eligibility and Originality
- Speech contestant profile: 1189 Speech Contestant Profile
- Contest Chair
- Table Topics and International Speech Contests Script: PDF (347 KB)
- Notification of contest winner: 1182 Notification of Contest Winner
- Contest Kits:
- Eligibility Checker
- Judges
- Chief Judge Role and Briefing – explains the role and the briefing Chief Judge Role and Briefing: Word DOC (51 KB) | PDF (1 MB)
- Judges eligibility form: 1170 Judges Certification of Eligibility
- International Speech Contest
- International speech contest ballot: 1172 International Speech Contest Ballot
- International speech contest ballot (Tiebreaking judge): 1188 Intl Speech Tiebreaking Ballot
- Humorous Speech Contest
- Humorous speech contest ballot: 1191 Humorous Speech Contest Judge’s Guide and Ballot
- Humorous speech contest ballot (Tiebreaking judge): 1191A Humorous Speech Contest Tiebreaking Judge’s Guide and Ballot
- Ballot Counters
- Ballot Counter Tally Sheet: 1176 Counters Tally Sheet
- Timers
- Timer sheet: 1175 Time Record Sheet
- Zoom backgrounds for Timer: Toastmasters International -Timer Zoom Backgrounds
- General
- Zoom backgrounds (general): Toastmasters International -Zoom Background
International and Humorous Speech Speech Contests
Spring 2026 Dates
Click a section to expand content.
Club Contests – Month of January
Contact clubs for dates.
Area Contests – Month of February
Division A
- Area 11 & 12
- Date: Saturday 7 February 2026
- Time: 11 AM to 1 PM
- Location: Amherst Public Library 350 John James Audubon Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14228
- Details: Best entrance is on Old Goodrich Road. Contest chair is Cate Orr.
- Area 13 & 14
- Date: Saturday 21 February 2026
- Time:
- Location: BCAT, 368 Sycamore St, Buffalo, NY 14204 in Buffalo
- Details:
Division C
- Area 31
- Date: Saturday 21 February 2026
- Time: 10 AM
- Location: RIT Room Gosnell 2305
- Details: Arrival time is 9:30 AM
- Area 32 & 33
- Date: Saturday 28 February 2026
- Time: 9 AM to 12 PM
- Location: Community Room at Five Star Bank 395 Westfall Rd, Rochester, NY 14620
- Details: Contingent on approval of the bank.
- Area 34
- Not hosting a contest
- Area 35 & Area 46
- Date: Saturday 14 February 2026
- Time: 11 AM to 2 PM
- Location: Oneida Public Library 459 Main St Oneida, NY 13421
- Details: Contest Chair – Bill Spizuoco
Division D
- Area 41
- Date: Saturday 28 February 2026
- Time: 10 AM to 12 PM
- Location: Hilton Garden Inn 130 East Seneca Street, 4th Floor, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Details:
- Area 42
- Date: Saturday 28 February 2026
- Time:
- Location:
- Details:
- Area 43
- Date: Saturday 21 February 2026
- Time: 11 AM to 1 PM
- Location: Binghamton Club 83 Front Street, Binghamton, NY 13905
- Details:
- Area 44
- Date: Saturday 21 February 2026
- Time: 9:30 AM to 1 PM
- Location: Rochester Institute of Technology 1 Lomb Memorial Drive, Gosnell 2305, Rochester, NY 14623
- Details:
- Area 45
- Date: Saturday 7 February 2026
- Time: 11 AM
- Location: Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville 5110 Jamesville Road, DeWitt, NY 13078
- Details:
- Area 46 & Area 35
- Date: Saturday 14 February 2026
- Time: 1 to 2 PM
- Location: Oneida Public Library 459 Main St Oneida, NY 13421
- Details: Contest Chair – Bill Spizuoco
Division Contests – Month of March
- Division A Contest
- Date: Saturday 14 March 2026
- Time:
- Location:
- Details:
- Division C Contest
- Date: Saturday 7 March 2026
- Time: 11 AM to 2 PM ET
- Location: Wood Library 134 N Main St, Canandaigua, NY 14424
- Details:
- Division D Contest
- Date: Saturday 28 March 2026
- Time: 11 AM to 3 PM
- Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, Riley Robb Hall 111 Wing Drive, Room RR 125, Ithaca, NY 14853
- Details:
District 65 Contest – 2 May
- Date:
- Friday 1 May 2026 – Humorous Speech Contest
- Saturday 2 May 2026 – International Speech Contest
- Location: Buffalo Marriott Niagara, 1340 Millersport Hwy, Amherst, NY 14221