Got Talent?

Whether you’re a master ventriloquist, dancer, juggler, or singer, Hatboro wants to see what you can do.

Organizers of the seventh annual Hatboro Summer Fun Festival and Carnival have retired the Hatboro Idol contest in favor of the brand-new, any feat goes competition dubbed Hatboro’s Got Talent.

“We’ve been doing Hatboro Idol since we started this. That only encompasses people who can sing,” said and immediate past president of the . “We want to know all the talents in the community.” 

And, like the TV show starring celebrity judges Howard Stern, Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne deciding who advances and who goes home, the Hatboro version will have its own yet-to-be-announced “celebrity judges,” according to Blair Johnson, the carnival’s entertainment chairman.

The talent show features three competitions with eliminations each round, Johnson said. And the top three talents can claim cash prizes of $300, $175 or $100.

Besides finding the best talent, the carnival - which is expected to draw 10,000 people during its weeklong run from May 25 to June 2 – will feature 48 rides, along with plenty of fair food and games, according to George.

The jewel in the crown for ride enthusiasts is the brand-new Charlie Chopper, which will make its debut in Hatboro, according to George. The “real gentle” ride goes 45 feet in the air, George said. 

“A 4-year-old could ride it well up to grandma and grandpa,” he said.

The helicopter ride’s $450,000 price tag “could buy two houses in Hatboro,” George joked.

As is the case with previous carnivals, George said proceeds help fund other Chamber events including the and the . In addition, George said the , the , Hatboro Rotary Club, Main Street Hatboro and Elm Street all receive funding from the event. This year, George said he hopes to generate $50,000 to be distributed to the Chamber and the five other organizations.

Unlike , George said he’s never had a problem with rowdy teens.

“I’ll tell you what does it. We charge kids a buck to get in,” George said. “The troublemakers hang out where they hang out every other Saturday night.”

If George has his way, the other youth (and adults too) will be trying their hand, feet, voice and more at the chance to win the Hatboro’s Got Talent 2012 honor.

To learn more about the contest, or to register, click here. 

If you go

The Hatboro Summer Fun Festival will be held May 25 through June 2 at Miller Meadow, Horsham and York roads in Hatboro. The carnival opens on weekdays at 6 p.m. and 2 p.m. on weekends and Memorial Day. Fireworks are slated for June 1, with a June 2 rain date. For more information and pricing, check Patch’s events listing here.