Annaelise Arnold is just 10 years old, but she has belted out the national anthem all over the Triad.
Last year, Annaelise tried out for the Kernersville Idol contest, held in May during the annual Kernersville Chamber of Commerce Spring Folly. As it turned out, she and the other top winners of the Idol contest have been featured singers at a variety of events.
"Annaelise sang at the Warthogs games five or six times. She has opened the Bowman Stadium racing and sung for High Point College. She got to sing at a Kids Voting event," said Laura Bennett, Annaelise's mother.
The success of the 2008 Kernersville Idol contest left organizer Christine Ryals, a chamber member, with many ideas for the 2009 version. She is beginning to advertise that the contest will run again during the Kernersville Spring Folly starting May 1. In addition, she is taking the concept into Summerfield. The finalists from both contests will compete in a similar format in late summer.
It's an upgrade for a contest that came together a year ago almost as an afterthought.
On the first weekend of May, the Spring Folly turns downtown Kernersville into a vibrant street festival. Last year, chamber officials felt that the activities on North Main Street ended in a void since all of the bands and live music were near the rides in and near Harmon Park.
So in April, a month before the festival, Ryals devised the Idol contest at Folly's North Main Street area. More than 300 people entered the contest, which was only loosely based on the American Idol TV show.
The 300 contestants were asked to sing karaoke selections while judges whittled the contestants into three age categories -- 3 to 11, 12 to 19, and over 20. The names of the seven winners were listed on the chamber's Web site and asked to perform during the past year.
Ryals said that more than 60 appearances were made in all.
This year, the $10 entry fee and business sponsorships will go toward Fun Together Events, a new organization formed by Ryals and partners Sandra Mackovic and Bonita Kersey.
Proceeds from the competitions will be used to buy a giant blow-up movie screen so that the organization can be host to outdoor community movies this summer.
"We hope to make this available to any Triad community who would like to use it for family get-togethers," Ryals said.
Kernersville Chamber of Commerce President Bruce Boyer said he is looking forward to this year's Idol contest.
"It added quite a bit to the Folly last year," Boyer said. "The winners had chances beyond the contest, and it was a good way to identify musical talent in our area."
Binny Orrell, 45, was once a lead singer in the rock band Havoc. He thought that entering the contest would be a fun way to showcase his talents, which he now uses to write and perform Christian songs.
"I've been able to sing in front of family and friends. It's been a great experience. The people who run (Kernersville Idol) are nice as well as passionate about music," Orrell said.
More information about the contest is available at the Web site www.funtogetherevents.com, or by calling Ryals at 314-7248.
■ Monica Young can be reached at cyoung9@triad.rr.com.
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