Photo Provided Chris Hunt and Kayla Henry pose for a picture after taking home first and second places, respectively, during last year’s Everyone’s Got Talent. This year’s event is set for 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 5 at the St. Clairsville Recreation Center’s outdoor amphitheater. All are welcome to attend the free, inclusive event.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Arc of Ohio Presents Everyone’s Got Talent returns on Aug. 5 with dozens of performers showing off their abilities.

This year’s event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the St. Clairsville Recreation Center’s outdoor amphitheater, located at 102 Fair St.

Kara Erwin, regional director of The Arc of Ohio, said the talent show helps to raise awareness for people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“It’s people who have developmental disabilities like autism, down syndrome, to be able to have the chance to be in the spotlight and show that they have talent just like everybody else,” she said.

Erwin said the free event will include food, vendors, entertainment and, of course, the main attraction — the talent show. The talent show will feature 43 performers showing off a variety of talents like singing, dancing, comedy and martial arts.

“The inclusion event has 21 contestants with autism and the other contestants are typical peer mentors,” she said. “The peer mentors – it shows their love and support for people in the I/DD (Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities) community and they just do it to show support, love and kindness and help make the talent show go smoothly.”

The show’s finale will feature winners of Dancing with the Ohio Valley Stars Alex Mitchell, of Studio MC Performing Arts Center, and Anthony Ruiz, principal agent and owner of Ruiz Insurance.

Judges will select first, second and third places in a children’s category and adult category. Winners will each walk away with trophies and cash prizes.

The awards ceremony will take place at 3:30 p.m.

Activities will include a dunk tank with around 20 local celebrities, a petting zoo, raffles, music, arts and crafts, and bounce houses.

“All the local celebrities are people that come around people with disabilities in their daily job. Everybody does, whether it’s restaurant owners, journalists, doctors, politicians, coal miners, everybody, we all do because disabilities touch everybody’s lives,” Erwin said.

“It’s just great that our community is amazing at their willingness to be a part of this and welcome it into St. Clairsville. We have a lot of families that show up to show support who don’t even have anyone with autism or developmental disabilities, they just come to be a part of it. It’s just really exciting.”

From 4-4:30 p.m., the Wild West of the Arc will take place featuring Eme Martin, a horseback trick rider. Musical headliner Blue Spectrum Band of Columbus will perform from 5-7 p.m.

More than 20 informational tables will be on site to provide families with available social services.

“It helps make it easy on families to get the information about their agencies and what they can do to help. This is all basically to help improve the quality of lives for people who have developmental disabilities and their caregivers by providing daily support,” she said.

This year’s platinum sponsors include Oglebay Institute’s School of Dance, Heritage Christian Childcare Center and The Village Network.

Erwin said the event continues to grow each year. She said they are looking forward to the community coming together for another day of summer fun. All are welcome to attend the event. There is no charge for admission.