Every week millions of people sit down in front of the tube to watch reality shows like “The Voice,” “American Idol,” “The X-factor,” to name a few. Addicts of such shows fall in the love with the idea of the average Joe or Jane rising to the top, overcoming the odds, reaching for the stars and finding them. The contestants are just like me, just like you; they could be our friends, our neighbors. They are, actually. Beaufort County’s got talent.

No, it’s not a new variety show on your local TV station. It’s just the plain, unvarnished truth.

And if you don’t believe it, just take a look at what the weekend of May 18-20 brings us. Starting Friday afternoon, an NFL player comes to Washington for the Beaufort County Boys and Girls Club’s major fundraiser — its annual golf tournament. That evening, Main and Market streets get melodic with Music in the Streets in downtown Washington.

Saturday, the Washington Triathlon takes place in Washington Park, Bath Fest and Beaufort County Community College’s Cutthroat Croquet Tournament are in Bath and Pirates on the Pungo is in Belhaven. Saturday night brings more music with the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association’s biannual Tar Landing Jam, where Carolina Still will play at this benefit for the Beaufort County Arts Council.

Banjos will abound at Rosie’s Bluegrass Festival in Washington’s Festival Park Sunday afternoon, while in Bath, the River City Ringers will be making (sound) waves with its annual spring handbell concert to be played at St. Thomas Episcopal Church.

Yes, Beaufort County’s got singers and players and pickers with oodles of talent, but what do some of these events have to do with the local talent pool?

A lot. Because it’s a very special talent that volunteers and many of these events are based on those talents.

This weekend provides us all with a choice: stay home and watch some other town’s talented folks stand up and give it their all. Or get out and see exactly how much talent Beaufort County’s got.