Orcas Islanders took the stage Saturday night to sing, dance and play their hearts out for an enthusiastic audience of friends, family and neighbors.

Of 15 acts, eight finalists/groups took home “golden tickets” to the finale show of Orcas Has Talent, but the audience was perhaps the biggest winner, enjoying a fabulous feast of local talent and lots of laughter. Organizers’ decision to open the traditional vocalist “Orcas Idol” show to new kinds of talent paid off with the arrival of some splendid dancers and instrumentalists.

Finalists who will compete for the $500 prize on Feb. 5 are: “Practice Makes Awesome,” (band members Julia and Christian Bailey, Jessica Gudgell, Kellen Comrie, Emy and Lisa Carter); Carl Burger; Marissa Veldman; Susan Weiss; Laura Ludwig and Charles Dalton; Zachary Edwardson; Marlene Dickey; Al Bentley and Matthew Wallrath. Tickets for the Feb. 5 finale show go on sale at Darvill’s on Monday. “Given this talented lineup, we are sure to sell out in record time!” said organizer Donna Laslo. In addition, tickets for a 5 p.m. pre-show dinner provided by Portofino will be on sale at Island Market, Darvills or call 376-2596. There are only 60 dinner tickets available.