GULF SHORES, Ala. – Students from Gulf Shores High school will again strut their stuff this weekend in the 11^th Annual “Night of the Arts” talent show.

For the second year the show will be in the auditorium of Gulf Shores United Methodist Church. It is located in the Winn Dixie Shopping Center and a perfect venue for the schools event.

“This is our big gala and it supports all the arts for our school and we want the community involved,” parent organizer Dale Jernigan said. “The Methodist Church has been kind enough to let us use their auditorium.”

Organizer Maribeth Howard said the night offers a chance for students to show their talents.

“I think it really helps with the self-confidence, being able to get up in front of people and being ability to display your work and talk to people about your work,” Howard said. And, of course, it’s nice on your resume.”

The night starts with hors d’oeuvres in the lobby and coffee shop at 5:30 p.m.  Musical performances start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults. It is organized by the Parent Teacher Student Organization.

It is one of the many entertaining and fun options that will cover Pleasure Island this weekend.

Also Friday night, the Preservation Hall Jazz band will perform in Waterfront Park in Orange Beach to kick off the Festival of Art at the newly named Coastal Arts Center at Orange Beach. The festival itself will run 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

Also Saturday and Sunday nights, the Celebration Winds will be performing at the Erie Meyer Civic Center in Gulf Shores to wrap up the city’s winter Entertainment Series.

Saturday night Eric Church of Blood, Sweat and Tears is performing at The Wharf.

Friday’s “Night of the Arts” competition starts with the food.

“Some of the culinary students are helping, but a lot of the parents, like us, donate and bring food to the coffee shop from about 5:30 to 6:45,” Jernigan. The price of admission also includes food.

Around the lobby will also be students’ art work which is also part of the show.

“We have photography, we have art and drawing, we have the creative writing, we have the culinary competition,” Jernigan said. “And then we do the big show starting at 7.”

Helping organize that part of the show is Cody Johnson, Director of Worship Arts at Gulf Shores United Methodist. He will employ the state-of-the-art equipment in the church’s auditorium.

“This is the premiere public facility as far as we already have the sound equipment here, we have the lights here,” Johnson said. “We don’t have to bring anything, it’s all here.”

His job is to make the show look and sound good. There are at least two rehearsals before the Friday show, the last one this afternoon at 3:30.

“We do rehearsals going into this and if we have to do a rehearsal right before, or a sound check, we do,” Johnson said. “It’s very organized. It’s kind of like American Idol. We use the curtains to separate the acts. It’s very streamlined. Every year it gets better.”

The proceeds from the show are donated to the school.

“If they need something new for the classrooms, if they need something for the band room, we’re just there to help contribute to the needs of the teachers and the students,” Jernigan said.

Judges this year are Jim Aicone of the Hangout, Dr. Don Lewis a retired Professor of Music and accomplished trombonist and Christopher Swinney who runs Rock and Roll Summer camp and is a guitar teacher.