By By MIKE VOSS
Contributing Editor
Music in the Streets makes its last appearance for 2009 tonight in downtown Washington.
The street festival, which begins at 6 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m., includes the final competition to determine the last set of three finalists for the Beaufort County Idol finale, which is slated for Oct. 31 at the Turnage Theater. The winner of the Oct. 31 finale will perform as the opening act on Nov. 7 when then Idol winner opens up for Tim Waters, who grew up in Beaufort County and was a top 15 contestant on the “Nashville Star” TV program.
“This is your last chance to sign up,” said Vail Stewart Rumley, coordinator of Beaufort County Idol.
Last-minute contestants for tonight’s competition may sign up by contacting Rumley at 252-946-2072, by e-mail at vsrumley@earthlink.net or in person at the performance venue by 7 p.m. Beaufort County Idol, which begins at 7:30 p.m. today, is staged in front of the former city hall on North Market Street. Some people refer to that building as the DeMille Building.
Finalists from the previous Beaufort County Idol competitions this year are Jessica Smith, Destiny Tyson, Teresa Prichard, Joseph Conner, Lindsey Grissom, Mackenzie Roberts, Sarah Hardison, Travis Pierce, Jonah Taylor, McKenna Cox, Kim Allen, Molly Hardison, Elizabeth Nuckols, Amanda Rose, Renee Stalls, Elizabeth Williams, Tommy Ruffin and Jordan Futrell.
Scheduled performers for tonight’s Music in the Streets include Frank Jones, and possibly other guitarists, from Guitars Unlimited in Greenville, the Beaufort County Traditional Music Association, which organizes a jam session during the event, the Music in the Streets shaggers, solo performer Steven Carver, a band that plays Southern rock and a folk-music duo.
“If everyone shows up, it will really be something,” said Jule Mackenzie, music coordinator for Music in the Streets, on Thursday.
In addition to the face-painter scheduled for the festival, there’s a possibility a karaoke venue will be available for festival-goers who want to exercise their vocal chords, MacKenzie said.
Music in the Streets also features Down East Rods &Classics’ display of muscle cars, hot rods and other vehicles.
Music in the Streets is organized by the Historic Downtown Washington Merchants Association.