Dekalb Take Honors at Street Fair Choral Contest

Dekalb and Northrop resumed their “Battle of the Bluffton Street Fair Choral Contest” Thursday evening, with the “Classic Connection” regaining the crown they lost last year. 

 

Dekalb has been the dominant force in the competition, winning every contest from at least 2000 through to 2008. Last year Northrop edged them by four points, but this year, Dekalb was back, storming home to a 292-280 victory, and pushing Northrop’s “Charisma”  back into the second place they occupied for five years prior to their victory. 

  

Both groups shook the stage with high energy performances, and were well backed by large and vocal crowds of supporters. Judges Chris Brush of Chicago, John Wenning of Huntington and Ric Giest of Decatur found in favor of the “Classic Connection.”

  

As if to underscore their comeback, the Dekalb girl’s group, “Sound Sensation”, claimed the competition’s third prize. 

 

Nine groups participated, with Dekalb fielding both a girls only choir and a mixed choir. As host schools, Norwell, Southern Wells and Bluffton performed exhibitions of their routines, while the two Dekalb choirs, Northrop (mixed and girls), East Noble (mixed) and New Castle (girls) battled it out in competition. 

 

Norwell once again got the show on the road in impressive fashion with their routine which included solo performances by Paige Meyer and, performing on crutches, Tim McBride. Norwell’s routine featured performances of “Jump”, “He Ain’t Heavy” (with Meyer and McBride as soloists) and “You Gotta Dig a Little Deeper”.  

 

Bluffton’s “Musical Entourage” performed midway through the contest, with their routine consisting of “Fame”, “Children of Eden” and “Shake Your Groove Thing”. The Southern Wells’ “New Horizons” was the final group on stage, and performed “Rockin The Paradise”, “The Best of Times’ and “Somebody To Love.”   

 

Mayor Ted Ellis performed emcee duties.

 

Street Fair Grand Marshall Joe Emshwiller again tabulated the judges scores and assisted with the presentation of  the trophies. Following the move to Muncie of Joe’s regular partner, his brother Ned, his son John assisted with the tabulation. 

 

More photos and video from the contest will be posted on our “Street Fair” blog.