Peterborough Snofest Idol continues to draw big crowds

Modelled after popular shows like Canadian Idol and The Voice, Peterborough Snofest Idol is an extremely popular event, showcasing some great local talent in a competitive singing showcase.

“We have nine finalists and each one will sing a song, and the judges will go off and they’ll bring back the top three,” said Snofest Idol coordinator Dianne Burnett. “They’ll sing their second song and then a winner will be chosen.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We have nine finalists and each one will sing a song, and the judges will go off and they'll bring back the top three," said Snofest Idol coordinator Dianne Burnett. "They'll sing their second song and then a winner will be chosen."

This year the crop of talent was the youngest group the show has seen. On the bill were Tristan Konkle, Madeline Cockburn-Adams, Kaia Martin, Mary Colton, Aimee Gordon, Rachel Leung, Amy Sarginson, Grace Hatherly, and Jaidan Charters.

For the first time this year, the competitors were put through some development sessions to help the young singers with their stage presence and other useful showbiz tips.

“You see them come in, nervous and scared, and then all of a sudden they get up on stage, and even this morning for mic check and sound check it was incredible to listen to them,” Burnett said. “I was like, ‘Wow! This is great.'”

Whitney Paget was a judge this year. She competed not too long ago in Snofest Idol and took home a third place prize. The singer and songwriter offered some advice to the new contestants.

“I kind of have a mantra that I go by, which is ‘Make it count.’ And I think with this opportunity you want to leave it all on the floor,” she said. “Don’t hold anything back. You only have this one opportunity, so you might as well enjoy it.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I kind of have a mantra that I go by, which is 'Make it count.' And I think with this opportunity you want to leave it all on the floor," she said. "Don't hold anything back. You only have this one opportunity, so you might as well enjoy it."

The top three all take home cash prizes.

Meanwhile, the Snofest activities continued over at the Peterborough Art Gallery, where families gathered for craft making.

“It’s been so cold that it has been hard for families to get out of the house, but today is actually quite nice,” said gallery education coordinator Jane Wild. “Today we’re doing some free art making for families and crafts. So people will have some great art to take home.”

Snofest is a month-long festival that aims to get families out of the house and active during the long cold month of January.

The popular Snofest Winter Carnival day on top of the hill will take place Saturday, Jan. 20. Visit peterboroughsnofest.ca for a full list of events.