Celebrations This Weekend For North Texas American Idol Finalist

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SUNNYVALE (KRLD) - North Texas gave the country its first American Idol. Why not the last one too?

Dalton Rapattoni of Sunnyvale cracked the final four last night, and his rendition of the Beach Boys "God Only Knows" sent chills down many a spine.

"Without a doubt, that was my favorite performance of his," says Sunnyvale's mayor Jim Phaup.

Since Rapattoni is now an "Idol" finalist, that means a hometown visit. The show is helping the town leaders set up for a whirlwind afternoon celebration tomorrow.

Almost all of Sunnyvale has gathered to watch "American Idol" every week and cheer Rapattoni's progress.

"For one of our own to have made it this far is so, so special to a great little town," Phaup says. "Dalton's talent was evident from an early age, and over the last few months he's really honed his craft."

A parade will kick off the afternoon and begin outside Sunnyvale Elementary School. Rapattoni and his family will lead the way to the town's park. He'll leave the parade briefly for a press conference at town hall, then rejoin the crowds at the park to perform.

The parade begins at 4PM. The concert is free, starts at 5, and is expected to last an hour. Phaup says they're expecting almost 10,000 people to come from across North Texas.

"It's one of those magical moments that rarely happens for a small community," says Phaup. "We couldn't be prouder or more excited for Dalton, and of course we can't wait to welcome people to this town we love so much."

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