OKLAHOMA CITY -- Children of all talents are encouraged to compete in this year’s Festival Idol.

Festival Idol is a talent show competition for children grades k-12 held during the 2010 Festival of the Arts. This event will give performers a chance to showcase their talent before local judges and a live audience. The competition will be held 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, April 20 to 23 at the Children’s Stage, with the Festival Idol finals held 6 p.m. Saturday, April 24.

A selection committee will choose seven contestants to perform each of the four preliminary nights. One contestant from each night will get to return and perform during the finals where a grand champion will be named.

Last year’s Festival Idol winners were: Addison Baker, 8 of Cleveland Elementary School in Norman. Casey Smith, 14 of Westminster Middle School, Oklahoma City and Carly Childers, 16 from Yukon High School, Yukon.

Those interested in Festival Idol are encouraged to download an application at www.ArtsCouncilOKC.com.  Contestants will need to submit the application along with a demo CD or DVD by March 15. Please call the Arts Council of Oklahoma City at 405-270-4848 for more information.

Festival of the Arts is produced by the Arts Council of Oklahoma City and sponsored by Chesapeake Energy Corporation and Devon Energy Corporation. The Festival takes place Tuesday, April 20 to Sunday, April 25 in downtown Oklahoma City at the Festival Plaza, Stage Center and the Myriad Botanical Gardens. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free; pets are not allowed. For more information, visit www.ArtsCouncilOKC.com or call 405-270-4848.