published: Friday, November 04, 2011

Heartland Idol to be part of fair

By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY

christopher.tuffley@newssun.com

SEBRING -- For the singers and listeners who have missed the Heartland Idol talent competition this year, good news. Coming on Jan. 28 and Feb. 12, 2012 will be a special version of the popular talent contest -- Heartland Idol at the Highlands County Fair: A Two-Day Singing Showdown, the event's founder Diana Walker told the News-Sun on Wednesday.

Tenille Drury, the fair's marketing and sales manager, said because this is the fair's 75th anniversary, many special events in addition to Idol are planned, some of which have never been done before. "I can tell you it's going to be a big year," she said.

Drury added that the fair committee had already been discussing bringing in the Idol when she bumped into Walker and the subject came up in conversation.

"Diana mentioned it first, but we were all thinking along the same lines."

The Idol competition will take place in the convention center.

"It's not a full-fledged Heartland Idol," said Walker, "prior obligations made that impossible. But we promised a contest in January and we're going to stick to our word."

Walker said plans are to continue with the normal Idol competition in the fall of 2012.

This special event will be a little different from the traditional contest, Walker said, because everything occurs in two days.

Only 20 contestants may compete in each of the three divisions -- junior, teen and adult -- and all 60 must pre-register. No one may sign up on the day of the contest.

The preliminary qualifying round happens on Jan. 28, when the 20 contestants in each category will each be narrowed to a field of 10.

That show begins at 11 a.m. starting with the juniors, proceeding to the teens and finishing with the adults. Walker estimates that might take until 8 p.m. There will be no admission fee to the fair for contestants and audience on Jan. 28.

It will still cost $10 to enter the contest.

Semifinals and finals take place on Feb. 12, the semis starting at 1 p.m. and the finals at 6 p.m.

Each contestant gets free admission on that day, but everyone else has to buy a $6 per person fair ticket.

During the afternoon, the narrowed field of 10 will be cut down to five finalists. The evening show will determine the winner and two runner-ups of each age group.

Juniors are singers younger than 12; teens are singers between 13 and 17; and adults are everyone 18 and older.

For this event only, singers may pick their own material. A contestant advancing to the finals will sing three songs.

A word to the wise from past judges: singers should pick selections that show off their voice, not just sing their favorite songs, and they are encouraged to select different styles of music to better demonstrate their ability.

Other Idol rules still apply. The preliminary qualifying round is sung a cappella and the semifinals and finals with musical accompaniment.

Walker says be confident, prepare three songs. The contestant is responsible for bringing the appropriate CD.

As in the past, judges will be giving points in three areas: Raw talent (15 points), presentation (10) and costume or wardrobe (5). A perfect score is 30 points. The highest score wins.

Walker said no applications will be accepted before Dec. 3. They may be turned in that day during the Festival of Trees event at the convention center. Applications will be accepted after that, but she warns with only 20 slots in each age group one shouldn't procrastinate.

Application forms will be available at the Festival of Trees, or at the county fair office, which is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call before going to be sure someone is in. The number is 382-2255.