Carmelfest has Talent has once again held their third annual talent contest showcasing undiscovered vocal talent in Hamilton County and surrounding areas. Semi-finals and Finals were held at Carmelfest during the July 3rd and July 4th 2011 event. Contestants representing local singing talent performed on both days competing for First, Second and Third place in the following age categories, 12 and under, 13-17 years of age, 18 and older. Carmelfest has Talent extends a thank you to the events volunteer judges, Andrew Lyon, Elizabeth Souza Bolt, and Craig LeFuse for their participation in the event as well. Carmelfest has Talent also extends a thank you to REKA of RadioNOW for participating as the Master of Ceremonies for the 2011 event.

Congratulation to the 2011 Carmelfest has Talent winners and all who participated in the event. Carmelfest has Talent also extends a thank you to the event sponsors, Kim Gaskill of Allstate Insurance Company, RadioNOW, Roundtripper Baseball Academy/Continental Amateur Baseball Association, Current in Carmel and Carmelfest 2011.

CARMELFEST HAS TALENT 2011 WINNERS

• 13-17 Group; Mia Sellers First Place, Logan Schildknecht Second Place, Chase Andrzejewski, Third Place
• 12-younger Group; Mattie Tom First Place, Madelyn Pritchard Second Place, Haley Walker Third Place
• 18-older Group: Jessica Kelly First Place, Toni Decker Second Place, Harry Russell Third Place

This year’s winning spark number is 2890! Call 696-0162 to collect your $500 cash prize!

CarmelFest volunteers should check-in 15 minutes before there shift at the volunteer tent located on the southwest side of the Carmel fire station. Be sure to pick up your volunteer t-shirt!

Watch and learn about the 2011 CarmelFest from sponsors, committee chairs, and public officials! You will also be able to watch the St.Vincent CarmelFest Parade on July 4th LIVE online starting at 10:30 am.

Grab your cameras and post your photos to your Facebook profile! CarmelFest is hosting a “Freedom Photo Contest.” The winning photo will receive a prize of $250 and may be used in CarmelFest 2012promotions.

According to CarmelFest chairman, Gary Frey, “We’re encouraging this year’s festival-goers to shoot and submit CarmelFest pictures that illustrate our community pride and patriotism. We are looking for that spectacular moment that defines what CarmelFest and this community is all about.”

Submit your entries on-line by tagging “CarmelFest” on www.facebook.com/carmelfest. Or send photos (with your contact information) via e-mail to gary@carmelfest.net. (Note:  The rights to the winning photo must be assigned to CarmelFest for future promotions.)

Deadline for submission of photos is July 10. For more information about the contest visit our blog at http://carmelfestnews.com.

This year’s St.Vincent CarmelFest Parade on Monday, July 4th features over 120 entries. Some of this year’s entries include the Indianapolis 500 Gordon Pipers, Boomer the Pacers mascot, the Carmel High School marching band and cheerleaders, former Butler University basketball standout Matt Howard, steel beams from the World Trade Center, Miss Indiana Jackie Jerlecki, Fox 59 news anchors Bob Donaldson, Chris Hagan & Fanchon Stinger, a civil war reenactment group, WTHR 13 anchor Scott Swan, WISH TV 8′s Dick Wolfsie and Eric Halvorson, WRTV 6′s Joni Michels, atCarmel.com’s “Mom of the Year” Heather Stephenson, and USS Indianapolis survivors.

For a complete lineup of who will be featured in this year’s parade, click here.

If you are unable to attend the CarmelFest parade on Monday, July 4th, you can watch the parade coverage LIVE online or via your smart phone. Thanks to St.Vincent Health, atCarmel.com will be streaming the video and review stand commentary for this year’s CarmelFest parade scheduled to kick off at 10:30 am. Tom Britt, the Publisher of atCarmel.com and the Carmel Community Newsletter, will also be doing taped interviews with various CarmelFest dignitaries and patrons and creating a compilation video which will be viewable on cable television afterward. Here are the links to watch the parade coverage, both online and through on demand:

• What: Live CarmelFest Parade Coverage Presented by St.Vincent Health
• When: Monday, July 4th, 10:30 am-12:00 pm
• Where: www.atCarmel.com or www.TownePost.com
• Mobile Devices: www.atCarmel.tv
• Afterward-Online: www.atCarmel.com or www.TownePost.com
• Afterward-Cable Channels On Demand: Brighthouse Channel 600 > “atCarmel”
  Comcast Channel 1 > Get Local > Life & Home > GeistTV

This year CarmelFest offers more options for free parking throughout Carmel. In addition to street-side parking there are several new parking venues:

• The new Palladium Performing Arts public parking garage (with 600 spaces) on 3rd Avenue – south of City Center Drive
• The covered underground parking and surface parking at the Indiana Design Center on Range Line Road – south of Main Street
• The new Sophia Complex, covered parking garage, in the Carmel Arts District on Main Street – west of Range Line Road
• The Palladium Parking Garage is only a 5 minute walk to CarmelFest via the Monon Trail. Both the Indiana Design Center Building parking area and Sophia Complex parking are a short walk to the Festival.
• A free shuttle will be running July 3rd & 4th from noon to 8 pm – picking up at the archway (Gradle Handicap parking is available throughout the festival at the Huntington Bank on Range Line Road.

Bringing the family to the CarmelFest fireworks on July 4th? Here is a map of road closures and traffic patterns for that evening to make sure you can get home as fast and safe as possible, compliments of the Carmel Police Department.

The “Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St.Vincent KidZone” will be buzzing with new attractions, rides, games, shows and an expanded entertainment stage. The zone located just south of the Carmel Courthouse will offer free entertainment throughout the festival on the family-friendly performance stage. According to KidZone Director, Kevin Mendell, “The KidZone community stage encourages audience participation. And, we want kids to have a chance to interact with performers.”

On both Sunday-July 3rd & Monday-July 4th, the stage will lead off at 1:00 pm with a demonstration from Master Yoos Tae Kwando team. Spectators will have a chance to test their own skills and apply some of their newly learned Tae Kwando moves.

Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm, you will have your choice of rocking to the sounds of the Girls Band as they perform “The Way We Live” … or heading over to the grassy area (just east of the KidZone) to watch the Indy Dog & Disc Frisbee Dog Show or join the Carmel Fire Department in a ceremony dedicating their new “Safety House”.

Later in the day, the fun will continue as the KidZone stage offers the magical talents of Ryan Demler, Indiana Jim’s Reptile Experience and performances by the Sho’Time Dancers. And, if you are in the mood for a musical, you will have two opportunities to enjoy CYT’s presentation of “Hats Off to Broadway” (July 3rd at 5:30 pm & July 4th at 4:30 pm).

The KidZone Stage will wrap up each day with an encore performance by talented vocalist and “CarmelFest Has Talent” 2010 Winners Blake and LaTina (July 3rd & 4th at 8:00 pm).

For more details on the entertainment schedule, visit www.CarmelFest.net.