8.13.25 Bill Riley Talent Search Preliminaries

Four talented Sprout division acts (ages 2-12) and five Senior division acts (ages 13-21) have advanced to the semi-final round in Bill Riley’s 65th annual Iowa State Fair Talent Search. Each act will perform again on Thursday, August 14, Friday, August 15 or Saturday, August 16.

The names, ages, hometowns and routines of the sprouts acts are:

Reese Freml, 11, Johnston, Tap Dance Solo

Harper Schrader, 7, Mapleton; Viviani Hernandez, 7, Denison; Jemma Frehse, 7, Denison; Tap Dance Trio

Harper Wittmer, 12, Muscatine, Vocal Solo

Lexia Leone, 12, Panora, Lyrical Dance Solo

The names, ages, hometowns and routines of the senior acts are:

Lily Bruening, 18, Sioux City, Vocal Solo

Claire Ovel, 14, Cedar Rapids, Vocal & Guitar Solo

Emersynn Harter, 18, Norwalk, Baton Solo

Dawson Huinker, 15, Clive, Musical Theatre Vocal Solo

Lucy Grey, 17, Bettendorf, Vocal & Piano Solo

The Bill Riley Talent Search has put Iowa’s young talent on stages across the state each summer since 1960. Nearly 100 local qualifying competitions are held across the state and winners advance to the State Fair competition, where there are seven days of preliminary competition for Sprouts (ages 2-12) and Seniors (ages 13-21), followed by the semi-finals and, ultimately, the selection of one Senior Champion. The Sprouts do not compete beyond the semi-finals, but perform in the Championship Show as Sprout Champions set for Sunday, August 17 at 1:30 p.m. on the Anne and Bill Riley Stage sponsored by Pepsi and media sponsor iHeart Radio.

More than $22,000 will be awarded to the Senior and Sprout divisions combined.