Kicking off the new musical competition in town, auditions to participate in the first of Skokie’s own version of American Idol will be held this Saturday, January 31 at the Skokie Theatre. Potential participants between grades three to eight will be auditioned from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., those in high school will be auditioned from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and the adults will have a time slot of 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.

There is a $35 contest registration fee, but if you happen to live in Skokie, Morton Grove, Niles, or Lincolwood, then you get $10 off of that fee.

However, this fee has the potential to take you a long way.

Every Saturday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., those who won the chance to be a Skokie Idol contestant will perform for an audience and a panel of judges, both of whom will vote to decide who moves along in the competition. The tickets for these performances will be $5, but a limited amount of tickets will be reserved for contestants to invite friends and family that will increase per contestant as the competition moves forward.

Apart from the unique experience of participating in a recurring singing competition, a winner from each of the three age groups will be granted a $50 gift card, be featured in a Wednesday on the Green concert, be given free vocal lessons in preparation for the final concert, and be awarded free recording of any and all songs performed.

Good luck to all who audition!