Indio to celebrate 'American Idol' finalist Abi Carter during hometown visit Tuesday
Indio native Abi Carter has had quite a journey on "American Idol" Season 22.
And Sunday night, that journey took one more giant step when she was voted into the Top 3.
From earning a coveted Platinum Ticket (and causing judge Luke Bryan to utter the words "that may be the winner of 'American Idol'") during her audition to earning some pushback from those same judges as she got into the habit of only singing ballads at a piano, the 21-year-old singer's race toward the finish line has gained her more fans each step of the way.
On Tuesday, she'll be face-to-face with several of those fans when the City of Indio hosts her hometown visit, which will consist of a small gathering at one of her old schools, followed by a public parade and concert.
Hometown visits are a classic tradition of the 'American Idol' series
Every season, when the "American Idol" contestant pool narrows to its last few finalists, the show sends its stars back to their hometown for an emotional visit with family, friends and old teachers or mentors who helped them grow into the performer they've become. These visits typically culminate with a big public concert, and Carter's will be no exception.
That means that Carter's Tuesday hometown visit will be filmed for ABC viewers across America to see in next week's episode.
It all kicks off with a visit to Carter's former elementary school, George Washington Charter School in Palm Desert, where students will welcome her and sing to her. She will also get to speak with a few former teachers from both Washington Charter and Horizon School, both Desert Sands Unified Schools that she attended.
That portion of the day is not open to the public. However, those who want to see Carter perform or cheer her on during the parade are invited to head to downtown Indio for the evening's public festivities.
The Abi Carter parade starts at Miles Avenue Park
The parade is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, and will start at Miles Avenue Park and travel along Miles Avenue to Smurr Street.
If you go: 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 14 at Miles Avenue Park, 82-540 Miles Ave., Indio
Abi Carter will perform a concert at Center Stage in Indio
Carter will perform a concert at 7 p.m. at Downtown Indio's new outdoor entertainment venue Center Stage. The concert will be standing room only. There will be a grass area on Miles Avenue across from the venue for those with blankets and chairs.
Food trucks will also be on-site for fans to purchase snacks and beverages.
If you go: 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 14 at Center Stage, 82-868 Miles Ave., Indio
Where can I watch 'American Idol'?
You can watch the “American Idol” Season 22 finale at 5 p.m. PT/7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET on ABC on Sunday, May 16. You can also stream the show with a subscription to FuboTV or Hulu the next day.
More: Indio’s Abi Carter talks about ‘American Idol’: ‘I get to do what I love every single day’
More: Indio's Abi Carter was serenading the Palm Springs area long before 'American Idol' debut
More: Indio native Abi Carter makes 'American Idol' Top 5 after Fall Out Boy, Adele covers
Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @bblueskye.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Indio to celebrate 'American Idol' finalist Abi Carter on Tuesday
