Fall Festival: Entry deadlines approaching for Battle of Bands, talent show

During Orion Fall Festival, the Battle of the Bands and Orion’s Got Talent will bring friends and neighbors to the stage in the band shell at Central Park.

After the talent show, the Orion Community Band will close out the festival with a concert.

“Main Street Orion does an absolutely fantastic job with the entertainment,” said Byron Carlson, one of the festival organizers.

The entertainment helps draw crowds to Central Park, he said.

“We were able to keep a lot of people in Central Park on Sunday last year,” Carlson said. That was the day of the first America’s Got Talent show.

Taking over the entertainment portion for the first time, Main Street Orion contributed to the success of the 2009 festival, he said.

Applications for both are available now on the home page at www.mainstreet orion.org.

For the Battle of the Bands, applications are due Thursday, Aug. 5, at Main Street Orion, P.O. Box 693, Orion IL?61273.

Phone Main Street program director Deb Ford at (309) 526-8299 for more information about the band contest.

Entry forms for the talent show are due Wednesday, Aug. 21. After that, a late fee will be charged. No applications will be accepted after Tuesday, Aug. 31.

For more information about the talent show, contact Lori Sampson at (309) 526-8524 or lasampson@frontiernet.net.

Battle of the Bands

“Rock the Park­—The Sequel” will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, in the band shell in Central Park, Orion.

The contest is open to non-professional bands only. Music must be suitable for all audiences. First place will receive $200 and second place, $100.

All bands must check in at 2:30 p.m. on the day of the show.

Bands must be able to set up, play and tear down within a 30-minute time slot. Drums and a public address system will be provided, but bands must bring their own keyboard if they need one.

If Main Street receives more than six applications, the organization will preview all bands and choose six for the contest.

America’s Got Talent

Main Street Orion will hold the contest in the band shell from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 5.

Music, dance, comedy, variety and other acts may be entered.

All participants must be amateurs, and all must be listed on the application form.

Age divisions are 14 and under, and 15 and over. Prize money in each division will be $100 for first place, $75 for second place and $50 for third place. The oldest person in a group will determine which age division the group will perform in.

Music selections, if any, must be listed on the application form.

Musical acts must have their own piano accompanist if needed, or provide a CD. Vocalists should use a karaoke CD or have an accompanist because the tech staff cannot eliminate vocals on CDs.

Misconduct and profane language will not be tolerated from performers, parents and instructors. Guns, knives, sharp objects, fire, smoke and smoke effects are banned.

Judges selected from the community and nearby communities will make their decisions on showmanship, talent, crowd appeal and overall performance. All decisions will be final.

During the talent show, Main Street Orion will offer its famous strawberry shortcake near the band shell.

Orion Community Band

After the talent show, Emily Roberts will direct the Orion Community Band in a concert at 4 p.m. in the band shell. The seven-year-old band has more than 65 members, many from the Orion school district and some from both sides of the river in the Quad Cities.