Jeremy Dennis, 36, of Crystal City won the Festus Gong Show on Saturday (July 13) and took home a $200 grand prize.
Six youngsters competed in a Talent Show to kick off the evening, and 19 competed in the Gong Show that followed.
Emilynn Marnin, 7, of Pevely won the Talent Show with a dance and acrobatics performance and received a $50 prize.
Organizers estimate the crowd size at about 400 people for the event held at the Sunset Park bandstand. Friends of the Festus Parks and the Festus Park Board teamed to sponsor the third annual Gong Show. Admission was free.
“This year, we did a little bit better than last year in number of contestants,” said Michelle Guidicy, president of the Friends of the Festus Parks. “We plan to have it again next year on the second Saturday in July. We’re always interested in new and interesting talent.”
Organizers had allotted a half-hour for the Talent Show, initially planned for young people 15 or younger. But so many kids showed up, a last-minute change was made limiting the Talent Show to ages 10 and younger. Older performers were shifted to the Gong Show.
Dennis sang the Lone Star song, “Amazed.”
Shelby Becker, 16, Festus, won the second-place prize of $100 for playing guitar and singing her own composition.
Third place went to the duo of Christie Ashabranner, 39, and her son, Tryeece Shores, 13, who performed the Rihanna song “Stay.” The Herculaneum residents won $50.
In the Talent Show, Ella Grace, 4, of Festus, took the second-place prize of $25 for a dance routine.
The judging panel for both the Talent Show and the Gong Show consisted of Festus Elementary principal Darin Siefert, Kathryn Tripp of Friends of the Festus Parks, and KJFF radio’s Kirk Mooney.
Next on the Friends of Festus Parks’ schedule is its annual Blues and Funk Festival at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at West City Park. For more information, visit the city of Festus website at www.cityoffestus.org.
Guidicy said she intends to post numerous photos of the Talent Show and Gong Show event on the Friends of Festus Parks facebook page, which can be accessed through the Festus website.
More Leader photos, shot by photographer Matt O’Harver, can be seen in the Gallery on the Leader website.