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Creston’s singing competition, Reach for the Mic, seeks talent

Reach for the Mic is in need of singers to take the stage in October
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These voting pods will allow the crowd to vote for their favourite singer. (Photo by Kelsey Yates)

Submitted by Creston Valley Arts Council

The Creston Valley Arts Council is busy finding contestants for the first annual Reach for the Mic amateur singing contest.

The two-night event will be held at the Kootenay River Auditorium on Oct. 14 and 28.

At the Oct. 14 semi-finals, the public will be invited to hear all contestants perform. Tickets will be available at the door, and the first 200 guests to arrive will be given an electronic voting device to help decide who will go on to the big show on Oct. 28.

“We didn’t have electronic voting in the past, so this will be a fun way for the audience to participate,” said Louise Lansing, one of the event organizers.

The contest format grew out of a desire to continue the legacy of Creston’s Best Singer, run by Vern Gorham from 2010 to 2014, and will continue the tradition of joining forces with the local media to announce finalists.

“We’ve made a partnership with the Advance, and the names of those moving on to the finale night will be exclusively announced in the Oct. 20 edition,” said co-chair Brenda Brucker.

The Oct. 28 finale will feature three specially selected judges, brought in from out of town. And at the end of the night, one contestant will receive the yet-to-be-determined grand prize.

“Because of the generous support and community spirit, we are able to have cash prizes. We are very excited to announce $400 for first prize, $200 for second prize, and $100 for third,” said Brucker. “We are currently finding sponsors in the business community and everyone has been very generous so far.”

Singers can perform solo or in a duo, and may sing to a track or an accompanist, or accompany themselves. Assistance is also available to help find a track that works best for each singer.

Interest in the event is high, although organizers are still hoping to attract more contestants.

“There are over a dozen signed up at this point, but we need more singers to make the contest a really successful show,” said co-chair Jason Smith.

The deadline to register in the competition is Oct. 8. To sign up or for more information, visit facebook.com/reachforthemic or contact Brenda at 250-428-3358.

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