By DARLENE PRINCE
prince@crescent-news.com
PAULDING -- A craft fair, two "American Idol" competitions, lots of band music and good food will make the Relay for Life of Paulding County an entertaining place to be on Friday evening and Saturday morning.
Events start at the Paulding County Fairgrounds at 5:15 p.m. Friday with survivor registration, followed by the opening ceremonies and a survivor lap at 6 p.m. Featured in the opening ceremonies will be the Paulding High School quartet, flag raising by the VFW and an introduction of the 2008 relay committee.
From 6-9 p.m., children can be entertained by face painting and balloons by TNT clowns.
The Reunion Band will perform from 6-8 p.m. and the Oakwood Community Band will play at 6:30 p.m. Also performing will be Raise the Barre Dance Studio at 7 p.m., Blind Justice from 8-10 p.m., Dooley Drive from 10 p.m.-12 a.m., deejay Johnny Martinez from 12-6 a.m. and St. Francis Alumni Jazz Band from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday.
Featured during the luminaria ceremony will be St. Joseph's Choir.
Paulding County Hospital will offer a derma scan and blood pressure checks on Saturday from 8-10 a.m.
The raffle drawing will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by the closing and award ceremonies at 12 p.m.
Lots of tasty food will be available during the relay including cheeseburgers, quesadillas, pulled pork and hot dog sandwiches, snow cones, brats and kraut, homemade soup, and a pancake and sausage breakfast on Saturday at 7 a.m.
A number of team events will also be held during the relay. Those include a craft and vendor fair on Friday, sponsored by the Paulding County Carnegie Library team, from 3-9 p.m. in the youth building. The Paulding County Hospital team will sponsor Shoot for the Cure and chair massages from 6-11 p.m.
On Friday, an "American Idol" kids competition begins at 7:30 p.m. with the "American Idol" adults competition at 11 p.m. The public is invited to join the competition.