The Bill Riley Talent Search capped an afternoon of free entertainment on the Plaza Stage during the Bell Tower Festival in Jefferson Saturday.
The local contest was sponsored by Greene County Farm Bureau, as in the past several years, but the organization was handled by volunteer Nicole Friess Schilling. 4-H members Regan, Cassie and Kirsten Lamoureux, Julia Saul and Annie Twillie, all members of the Hardin Clovers club, and Aubrey Heupel of the Greenbrier club helped emcee the show. Jim Giese represented Greene County Farm Bureau at the show.
Winner in the Sprout division was 8-year-old Lucy Gannon. She had already qualified at another local contest, so Emma Reiter, who sang “I Won’t Grow Up” from Peter Pan, will advance to the Iowa State Fair. Third place was a tap dance duet by Kira Langenfeld and Parker Bekkerus to “Greased Lightning.”
In the Senior division, Tracy Smith won and will compete at the State Fair with his contemporary dance solo to “Demons” by Imagine Dragons.
Second place went to Lilly Gast with a vocal solo, “Speaking French.” Third place in the Senior division went to Brittany Linch with her contemporary dance to “Satellite Call.”
Home towns of the competitors was not available. None are from Greene County.
Judges were Sheilah Pound, Amanda Chapman and Victoria Chargo. The summer youth theater from Prairie Blue Creative Arts performed two songs from its July performance of “Alladin” as entertainment while the judges deliberated.
Pictured (front, from left) are Lucy Gannon, Emma Reiter, Kira Langenfeld and Parker Bekkerus; and (back, from left) Tracy Smith, Lilly Gast, and Brittany Linch. Annie Twillie (far left) and Julia Saul (back, right), are holding a banner saluting Greene County Farm Bureau.
