The hot ticket on these dark days is at the Grange on Saturday, Jan. 23 with two shows: the Orcas Idol Junior competition at 3 p.m. and the idol adult auditions at 7:30 p.m.

There are 17 eager auditioners who will sing their hearts out to win a “Golden Ticket” for the chance to perform at the sell-out, Idol Finale Show at the Orcas Center main stage on Feb. 6. The judges will choose only eight singers to make it through to the next round of competition, where they will compete for a $200 cash prize, a recording session and the Orcas Idol of 2010 crown.

The auditions start at 7:30 p.m. New for this year, contestants

may use an instrument as accompaniment. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Don’t miss the Idol Junior show, before the auditions, where the up and coming talented singers in grades five through eight try to wow the judges with their favorite songs and compete for the Orcas Idol Junior crown and the chance to sing for the finale show. The show starts at 3 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.

The Orcas Idol Finale Show is on Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Orcas Center. Orcas Idol is the feel-good version of the hit television show American Idol.Tickets sell out each year, but here’s your chance to take advantage of a pre-sale offer to guarantee “center of the house” reserved seating with Idolizer advanced tickets on sale now through January 23 (go to www.orcasprevention.org).

Regular ticket sales start Jan. 25 at Radio Shack & Darvill’s. This is an Orcas Island Prevention Partnership fundraiser sponsored by Radio Shack.