Lilburn Idol's 8th Season Hits the Right Notes

Family, friends and talented hopefuls all showed up to on Friday evening for Lilburn Idol.

Unlike the rain-postponed June 24 Idol performance date, there were clear skies and plenty of warm weather Friday, the first night of the event's eighth season.

Mayor Diana Preston was the emcee for the evening and the Lilburn Woman's Club was on hand to sell snacks and Chick-fil-A sandwiches.

"We have a couple hundred people out here tonight and we are all really excited about this event," said Mayor Diana Preston.

Seven-year-old Marilee Karinshak began the evening's performances with a rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" while dressed in a Dorothy-esque costume of pigtails, blue checkered dress and sparkling, ruby red shoes.

She and her 9-year-old sister Elise made up the young youth division. While the Karinshak sisters dominated that division, it was the young teen division that was the most competitive with six performers.

Gwen Cantrell, a mother of seven who sits on the school board for Walton County, placed first in the adult division. She said she was eager to perform.

"I haven't done any kind of singing competition since I did Star Search when I was 18. I'm really excited to sing again." 

Adele's "Rolling In the Deep," Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" and Etta James' "At Last" were popular tunes among the contestants. Judging the timeless classics and top 40 tunes were State Senator Steve Henson, Salem Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Richard Atkinson and owner of the soon to open Music on Main, Scott Mecredy.

Contestants scores are comprised of 80 percent of judges scores and 20 percent voting from the audience; the audience votes using change or dollar bills that they drop into buckets with contestants names and numbers placed on the front. The evening's votes brought in $511 dollars which will be placed into a fund to put on future events like Lilburn Idol. 

The next Idol performance date is scheduled for July 29 and the highest scores from both dates will create a list of finalists for the Aug. 5 finale.

All contestants receive a certificate and overall competition winners will receive an engraved brick in Lilburn City Park as well as a complimentary class from the Aurora theater.

Friday's Lilburn Idol Results

Young Youth Division

1st place- Elise Karinshak

2nd place- Marilee Karinshak

Youth Division

1st place- Eleanor Burrow 

2nd place- Grace Alford

3rd place- Brianna Geter

Young Teen Division

1st place- Marianella Victoria Lopez

2nd place- Nicole Baugh

3rd place- Austin Hale

Teen Division

1st place- Ashton Stringer

2nd place- Jessica Sarah Hughes

Young Adult Division

1st place- Lauren Barnaby

Adult Division

1st place- Gwen Cantrell

2nd place- Cynthia Gibson Smith

3rd place- Nathaniel Ellis

Special thanks to Richard Ferris (http://lnphotos.smugmug.com/City-of-Lilburn) for providing photos for this report.