LIBERTY – Saturday night ended with a bang while fireworks shot in the air and balloons fell from the stage ceiling after Roy Costner of Liberty Idol announced Amanda Cowan from Anderson was the 2009 Liberty Idol winner.

The top eight contestants of this year’s Idol performed for the audience and judges on Saturday. The votes were close as Jeff Williams finished second with 710 votes to Cowan’s 796 votes.

Pam Jennings came in eighth, then Hannah McGuire, Joseph Jones, Misty Holder, Nick Giles, Oneida Martin, Jeff Williams and Amanda Cowan.

The top five spots were awarded with cash prizes, with Cowan leaving with $2500.

Cowan received a standing ovation from the audience after her performance Saturday night. One of the judges told her after she sang that she would be standing on the stage as the winner at the end of the evening.

30-year-old Cowan is the director of activities for the Pickens County Disabilities and Special Needs Board.

Bill Ellis of the Ellis and Bradley Morning show on WSSL FM Whistle 100 was a guest judge for the night, as well as Randall Griffith of Epic Label in Nashville.

The crowd topped 5,000 people at Saturday’s finale said city officials.

Ronald McDonald was on hand at the event to help raise money for the Ronald

McDonald House of the Carolinas, a charity that Liberty Idol has raised money for each year. The first annual Liberty Idol Golf Tournament that was played on Friday, the day before the finale, raised over $500. The Liberty Idol Value Cards sold out at the finale and raised around $500. A check of $3,370 was given to the charity board members during the show.

The 13 week competition came to an end after hosting 65 contestants and auditioning over 200 people for the 2009 season. But Saturday night, it all came down to one.

Contestant Nick Giles, who came in fourth overall said he really didn’t want to win Liberty Idol. “I have so much fun doing it, I don’t want to win. I want to be able to compete again next year and every year after that.”

Adam Gray, the 2007 winner, and his friend Justin Holliday were guest performers singing and playing the guitar to a song Gray wrote.

Hartsville, South Carolina will host Hartsville Idol beginning on July 25 which was modeled after Liberty Idol.

The evening ended with more ballets being given out than ever before in Liberty Idol history. Costner hopes that next year will be even better. He wanted to thank everyone for their continued support for the Ronald McDonald House of the Carolinas and for the town of Liberty.