For the performers and their families at the county fair’s talent show, it was about fun and hope and the little whisper that says now is the time to shine.

Allen Wood, 11, of Elmira is a veteran of the talent show, having competed in it annually for several years. What talent he has doesn’t come from his parents, they said.

“He just started singing a song, it could have been from Hannah Montana, and I thought, ‘Woah!’” said his mother, Dorothy Wood.

Allen’s father, Darryl Wood, said he has no idea where his son’s musical ability comes from. But the parents are doing all they can to encourage him, his dad said.

On the other end of the “mini” youth division, 7-year-old Madison Wright, of Pulteney, pirouetted across the stage as a woodland sprite.

 Madison couldn’t really say why she enjoys dancing, but admitted she favors jazz dance.

 Her dancing teacher and mother, Tanya Wright, said her daughter also competes in gymnastics.

 “She has a competitive edge,” Tanya Wright said. “Far more than I do.”

 Sponsored by the Masons, the talent show began at the fair several years ago and offers cash prizes in addition to ribbons and certificates. Organizers hope to increase the number of entries, building the event into an even bigger attraction at the fair.

 The contestants also earned the right to compete at the state Fair in Syracuse.

 For some, the county and state competitions could be their springboard to a national showcase.

Dorothy Wood said she would love to see Allen on “American Idol.” Darryl Wood would like to get a demo made of his son’s singing.

 But there is always going to be a loving audience closer to home, they know.

“At his grandmother’s funeral, Allen sang ‘Breaking Free,’” Darryl Wood said. “They gave him a standing ovation.”