Get ready for a night of “music, fun and frivolity” as Fayetteville’s Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown returns for its fifth year on May 6 at the Crown Center Ballroom in Fayetteville.

This epic event will benefit the Child Advocacy Center and is considered “one of the most fun fundraisers you can attend in Cumberland County.” Up & Coming Weekly spoke with Tim Edwards, co-chair for the CAC’s fundraising committee, about how this special event came to be.

“We were trying to come up with a new event that people would get excited about,” Edwards explained. “Lots of people can’t sing or dance—but they can entertain.” With the popularity of “Dancing with the Stars” and “Lip Sync Battle,” a friendly competition seemed like just the ticket.

For Fayetteville’s Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown, acts sign up to perform songs of their choosing, design their sets, gather their costumes, and set their sights on super stardom. Over the years, “people have really taken it and run,” Edwards joked.

This year’s stage will include performances from Ursula the Sea Witch, Elvis, the legendary pairing of Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, the cast of “Matilda,” and a group of young performers who go by the rather intriguing name of Alien Horse Hotwheels.

“Every year, this event keeps getting bigger and bigger,” said Edwards. It’s been an exciting fundraiser over the years. “You get to raise money for a nonprofit and have a good time.”

Cocktail hour will begin at 6 p.m. with the showdown set for 7 p.m. Tickets for the event are $75 for standard seating and $99 for VIP. Groups of eight can call and arrange a table to enjoy the action together.

The ticket price includes a menu of heavy hors d'oeuvres, live music, a round of desserts, and coffee service during intermission.
Though entertainment is high atop the list of priorities for the evening, fundraising is the ultimate goal. A combination of efforts accompanies this aim as groups compete not only for bragging rights but also to see who can inspire the most charitable giving on behalf of the CAC.

Performers sell raffle tickets before and during the showdown. Those funds go toward their final contribution, and local groups or businesses can choose to sponsor an act from various sponsorship tiers.
After the show, the audience will have an opportunity to vote for their favorite act. Groups will be awarded prizes in three categories: Top Overall Prize for Performance, Top Prize Overall for Fundraising, and the People’s Choice.

“The acts get excited about bragging rights; the competition is fierce but fun. Our acts hit the stage and really ... go all out. They really want to raise as much money as possible,” Edwards explained.
To purchase tickets, visit the CAC’s website at https://www.cacfaync.org/.

“I really want to encourage people to come out,” Edwards said. “I give it the Tim Edwards Guarantee. If you go and don’t have a good time — come see me after the show.”