July • 2006 IMSC students take a back seat - Irish American News

July 2006 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 21
Irish Ameican Heritage Festival to host Irish
American Idol Contest for young talent
Is your child a budding pop star? Does
he or she have what it takes to be an Irish
American Idol?
Back by popular demand, the Irish
American Heritage Center will hold its
third annual Irish American Idol Contest
during its annual Irish Fest July 7-9.
Like the popular television show, contestants
will perform a song for a panel of
judges. The contest is broken down into
two categories: children under 12 and a
teen category for kids, ages 13 -18. All
contestants must complete a registration
form and have a parent or guardian’s signature
to compete in the contest. Forms
must be turned in no later than Saturday,
July 8 at 1:30pm.
All contestants must prepare an Irish
song of their choice that is under 3 minutes
long. Preliminary auditions will begin at
2pm on Saturday, July 8 and will be judged
by a panel of judges. Five fi nalists will be
Thousands descend on one of the
largest Elvisfest concerts in North America
The 7th annual world-renowned Michigan
Elvisfest, sanctioned by Elvis Presley
Enterprises, Inc. features the best
professional Elvis tribute artists in North
America who will perform their unique
and award-winning acts paying
tribute to an American icon. These
performers have appeared on national and
international television programs, featured
in countless newspaper and magazines and
have appeared in motion pictures.
Also appearing with be fantastic tribute
artist acts of Cher, Tom Jones, Ray Charles
and others. An attendance of 10,000 is
expected.
The fest will be held at Shady Riverside
Park, Depot Town, Ypsilanti, Michigan
(Take I-94 9.5 miles West of I-275 or 5
miles East of US 23 to Exit 183, go North
and follow the
signs), Friday, July 7, 5 PM - Midnight
and Saturday, July 8, Noon to Midnight.
Activities include a children’s play
area, face painting, clowns, magic acts,
stilt walkers, kid karaoke, space walk,
animal exhibits, crafts and rock climb-
announced Saturday at 6 pm. This contest
is open to amateur contestants only.
On Sunday, the fi ve fi nalists will perform
on the theatre stage at 1:30-2pm.
Further judging will be based on scores
form a panel of judges and audience
response. The winner, who will receive
generous prizes, will be announced on the
Main Stage at 3:15am and will perform
his or her winning song.
Each Idol fi nalist will be given two tickets
for parents or guardians for Sunday’s
competition. Parents must pay for admission
to Saturday’s auditions.
Tickets for the Irish American Heritage
Festival are $12, or $8 pre-sale if purchased
by July 6. Admission for seniors
is $7 and children under 12 are free with
a paying adult.
The Irish American Heritage Center
is located at 4626 North Knox Avenue,
Chicago, IL 773-282-7035, ext. 10.
ing, Elvis merchandise, beer tent, raffl es,
great tasting food, classic car show and
Viva Las Vegas Tent (Texas Hold’em and
black Jack).
For more information contact Mary Decker,
Festival Director, 734-480-3974 Ext. 2.
Fall Book Club
Discussion Group
The IAHC will off er a book club discussion
group this fall. The group, called
Great Irish American Books and Authors
will run from September 2006-May 2007
in the IAHC Library on the second Sunday
of the month at 2pm. The discussion is free
and open to the public.
The discussion will be led by moderator,
Virginia Gibbons, a teacher at Oakton
Community College. Gibbons has taught
at Oakton Community College since 1989,
as a writing and ESL teacher. She has
also taught Modern Irish Literature and
Chicago literature. Gibbons is a member
of the Geneva Writers’ Group and holds a
B.A. from Loyola University and an M.A.
in Applied Linguistics from Northeastern
Illinois University.
Some of the books that will be dis-
IAHC to host poetry
reading - workshop
The IAHC’s poetry committee is
pleased to present an afternoon of Irish
poetry in July. Voices South, Voices North:
Irish Poetry from Yeats to the Present will
take place on Sunday, July 16 from 2 -5pm
in the Shamrock American Room.
Poet Fran Quinn, whose roots go back
to County Mayo, will host the reading and
conduct a post-reading poetry workshop.
Quinn was poet-in-residence and director
of the internationally known Visiting
Writers Series at Butler University for
fi fteen years. He was a founding member
of the Worcester County Poetry Association,
and has given numerous workshops
and readings throughout the country.
His poetry has been nominated for two
Pushcart Prizes and won the Hopewell
Prize. He has published three books of
poetry, most recently The Goblet Crying
for Wine. Quinn’s latest book is A Horse
of Blue Ink (Blue Sofa Press) and he conducts
workshops in Boston, New York and
Indianapolis.
The cost for Voices South, Voices North
is $10 at the door and includes the reading,
workshop and refreshments. For more
information, call 773-282-7035, ext. 10.
cussed will be Testimony of An Irish Slave
Girl by Kate McCaff erty, Empire Rising
by Thomas Kelly and Pearl by Mary Gordon.
773-282-7035, ext. 19.
GIFT SHOP
Belleek • food
Irish Papers
“Saving the Green”
5138 W. 95th St.
Oak Lawn 60453
708-424-7055
“Your complete Irish import store
in the south suburbs.”