The Eagle Eye Theatre was transformed into a veritable talent magnet on Friday night, as performers competed in the annual Squamish Star Search contest.
The two-hour event featured singers, dancers, a pianist, and a guitarist who gave it their all, and according to judges, made picking a winner tricky.
"That was the most difficult decision to make; everyone was so good," said guest judge Tamsin Miller.
"All the children should be extremely proud of themselvesI couldn't fathom getting up on stage and doing that. They're all richly deserving of huge praise."
The evening kicked off with the humourous, over-the-top antics of MC Warren Daske, who stopped at nothing for a laugh, including donning an ill-fitting cat suit and making Arnold Schwarzenegger impressions.
Performers in the relatively new junior division, created last year for children under the age of 12, included band Distorted Youth, which played the original song Cardboard Box.
The group was followed by singer David Thompson who secured second place with his rendition of Les Poissons from The Little Mermaid.
Other contestants included Josie Dickson who sang Breakaway, Carli Leppard, who chose Christina Aguillera's Beautiful, Cheyenne Maxim, who performed Ode to Joy, and Ashley Schultheiss, who sang My New Philosophy.
Winning the junior division was dance duo Asia Sinnes and Kate Trann.
"We weren't nervous, but it was hard dancing on the stage, which was so small," said Trann.
"We are used to a bigger stage, so we had to change it a bit to make it fit," added Sinnes.Following the junior division was the youth division, comprised of teens Erin Beaubien, who chose to perform a piece from Canadian classic Anne of Green Gables; Lauren Staats, who sang a contemporary Norah Jones tune; Kirstin Lee, who went with a song from modern rock band 3 Doors Down, Lauren Aikens, who played Springtime Rumba on her guitar, and Eleanor Reed who sang from Annie Get Your Gun.
Winner Hannah VanMook wowed the audience with her piano/song rendition of Fields of Gold, and runner up Shannon Peek dazzled in a gold dress with a song from Beauty and the Beast.
