Speech Contests
Each year, Toastmasters from across the world compete in speech contests. The competition begins with club contests and winners continue competing through the area, division, district levels. All contests at the Division, and Area levels in District 31 will be conducted online in the 2022-2023 program year while the District level contests will be held hybrid. Club contests may be held in-person, online, or hybrid, at the discretion of the club.
2022-23 District 31 Speech Contests – Results & Upcoming Dates
Upcoming Contests:
International Speech Contest – Table Topics Contest
Club Level contests should be held before February 15, 2023
Area Level (online): February 18 and March 15, 2023
Division Level (online): March 18 and March 31, 2023
District Level (hybrid): During CLCON May 1-4 (Table Topics Contest – exact date TBD) & May 6th (International Contest), 2023
Check the District calendar for dates, times, and registration info, which will be updated by early January.
About Contests + Contest Resources
District 31 is conducting the International Speech Contest and the Table Topics Contest at the area, division, and district levels in the Spring of 2023. Only paid members in good standing of a club in good standing are eligible to compete.
International Speech Contest
Contestants present a 5 to 7 minute speech on any subject they choose. International Speech contestants must have earned awards for completion of Level 1 and Level 2 in the Pathways educational program or have earned their Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award. The District 31 winner will advance to the Region Quarterfinals for a chance to compete in the World Championship of Public Speaking.
Table Topics Contest
The Table Topics Contest features a 1 to 2 minutes response to a question posed by the Contest chair. Contestants are taken from the room and each is brought into the room and given the Table Topics question. No contestant hears the question or anyone’s response prior to their turn on stage.
Other Contests
Clubs may conduct their own contests for Humorous, Evaluation, and Tall Tales at any point, but winners of these contests will not advance beyond the club. These contests do not have to fully comply with the contest rulebook (ie: they may allow members of other clubs or District officers to compete, etc.) These contests are run completely at the club level — however we are happy to list them as special club events on the District calendar if they are open to visitors from other clubs — please share info with fabfour@district31.org.
Contest Resources
We have collected numerous resources to help conduct speech contests at the club level.
Contests must be conducted according to the guidelines in the Toastmasters International 2022-2023 Contest Rulebook. Refer to our Contest Resources page for planning resources, promotion resources, contest kits, sample agendas, flyers, and lots more!
Questions? Contact our Program Quality Director.