Hometown talent showcase to benefit Rotary Club of Kingston
Kingstonians with unique skills and talents are being sought for a new talent show in support of the Rotary Club of Kingston. Earlier this week, the local organization announced the first-ever Hometown Impact Talent Showcase, which will provide a venue for local “stars” to show off their abilities in the hopes of taking home a $1,000 cash prize.
The event, which will be held on Saturday, Sep. 23, 2023, from 12 to 5 p.m. at Confederation Park, will coincide with a week of special programming taking place at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business. Showcase organizer Marci McMullen explained, “Our current president of the Rotary Club of Kingston is Matt Hawksley, who works at Queen’s and the Smith School of Business. They put together a week of activities; there’s a keynote speaker, job fairs, and some live music. They wanted to do a really fun community event at the end of the week.”
McMullen said the two organizations worked together to create an event that would highlight the rich talent that exists in the city of Kingston. “We wanted to do something that would be impactful for our city. We thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to dig into our local talent here in Kingston?’… We started talking it through, and that’s how we landed on a Hometown Impact Showcase for Kingston.”
According to McMullen, on the day of the event, a panel of celebrity judges will pick an overall winner, who will take home $1,000 in cash. “There’s some skin in the game [for participants] to enter and… show off their talent,” McMullen said of the grand prize.
As for what acts organizers are hoping to get for the showcase, McMullen said the event is open to participants of all ages and backgrounds. “It’s completely open: we don’t have any specifications. It’s open to all ages. Whatever we get, we’re going to vet those applications… and see where we end up. It could be a singer, a dancer, whoever.”
While the event is open to a wide range of participants, those interested in taking part must first apply through the Cultivate Kingston website. While there, prospective participants will be asked to complete an application that includes some personal information; they will also be asked to upload a video. “They have to fill out an application and actually upload a video clip of them performing their talent, so we [can] choose the best people to be in the showcase,” said McMullen.
In terms of how the event will benefit the local Rotary Club, McMullen said those in attendance at Confederation Park will have an opportunity to donate to the local organization. “We’re going to have QR codes set up around the park that people can scan to donate to the Rotary Club of Kingston, which will help support local and international organizations that require some funding. We’re just doing it by donation, and we’re hoping people will come out, think it’s a fun event, and make a little donation to help the club.”
To find out more about the Hometown Impact Talent Showcase, or to apply to be a participant, visit Cultivate Kingston’s website.