VIDALIA &045; Bowie Festival organizers hope the third time is the charm.

In its third incarnation this year, the festival, to be called Bowie Lite&160;&045; Take 3, will go on Saturday with the spirit, if not all of the activities, very much in evidence.

&uot;It’s a full day of entertainment for the people, a way to keep the Bowie Festival alive,&uot; Jan Simpson said.

Originally scheduled as a three-day event for Sept. 22-24, the Vidalia Chamber of Commerce first scaled the event back to a two-day schedule to accommodate a lack of hotel space and difficulty with travel plans for some of those scheduled to attend.

But when Hurricane Rita forced most of the sound equipment workers and some of the bands to cancel, the entire event was cancelled &045;&160;but not without hope of resurrection.

Saturday’s event will run from noon to 9 p.m. with most of the musical acts that had been scheduled for the original Bowie Festival. Admission is $5 and free for children 6 and under.

Country star Ty Herndon will headline the event with a performance from 7 to 9 p.m. sponsored by the Isle of Capri.

Other bands scheduled to play are The Chosen, Back Roads, Marada, Shane Ward & Company and Bernie Alan & Knight Train.

With the bands already under contract to play, organizers chose this weekend to have a scaled-down version of the festival. Plans call for next year’s event to be back at full strength, Simpson said.

Herndon will collect donations for hurricane victims and has also donated a piece of art to be auctioned off. Money raised will go towards local relief organizations.

&uot;Ty’s also an artist, and he’s donated an original painting to us to help relief efforts,&uot; Simpson said.

Herndon will be going back into the studio after the concert to record a new album, which should be out in November.