Singer Ayla Brown's recent smash-dash grab for the gold ring on `` American Idol'' is not only a coup for her but bonafide incentive for the city of Attleboro to continue what's now a sterling tradition here.

The Hottest Act in Town.

Our own `` American Idol.''

Brown, 17, of Wrentham, just successfully auditioned for a chance to be berated by boss Simon Cowell on the national TV competition. You don't know the show? Talented (well, there are some exceptions) ingenues perform live, risking ridicule from judges for a shot at fame.

We congratulate Ayla, and wish her fortune and, certainly, the fortitude she'll undoubtedly need. But let's not forget, before Simon ever found her, Ayla was a star at Attleboro's summer talent show -- the flame in an otherwise increasingly lukewarm Wednesday Night Market.

Twice she made the finals, taking second place in 2004, with 292 points of a possible 300, trailing winner Ashley Root of North Attleboro, who garnered 296. The year before, Ayla was one of four finalists. That's another story I'll get to below.

The Wednesday Night Market, which blasted from the starting gates 11 years ago, has become forlorn. Some sponsors have fallen away, the number of food booths has shrunk.

`` This is not a money-making venture,'' Market Executive Director Jack Lank told Sun Chronicle writer Janette Sears this past summer. `` We do this for the community, and sponsorship has dwindled in the past few years.''

The excitement definitely lies in the Hottest Act, which has drawn successively larger crowds over its three years, and has given some unknowns the chance to strut their stuff.

It's fantastic.

The market may eventually flourish or fold. Who knows for certain.

The talent show, however, must be salvaged -- moved to Capron Park, perhaps, where it could be tacked onto the Thursday night summer concert series. Imagine the Big Band folks in their recliners, cheek-to-jowl with tattooed teens on blankets rooting for peers belting out `` Since U Been Gone'' afield*fldinst SYMBOL 162 f "Symbol" s 8fldrslt la Kelly Clarkson.

I like it.

The talent show, if staged in the park with food and drink under the stars, might even bring visitors in on the train from Providence and Boston. The slogan could be `` Ride It, Park It.'' Meaning the train and your fanny. In the park.

`` The Hottest Act in Town will be our mainstay this year, as it has been the past couple of years,'' Lank said in August. `` It's been very successful, and it's very popular with the community. We've got some fantastic talent from around the area coming this year again.''

Let's hope they'll be coming in 2006 also.

The Hottest Act, with prizes such as recording studio packages, donated by local businesses, is a four-week competition, judged each week by a panel of three. Judges have included politicians, music teachers, community theater actors, and newspaper editors.

Ayla Brown competed for two summers and everyone thought she was just terrific. But what made her as much a stand-out as her vocal talent was her grace.

She agreed to perform at the last minute in the 2003 finals, the very first year, after a woman was disqualified less than two hours before the show because she couldn't prove she was an area resident.

Ayla, the next highest scoring contestant -- who had narrowly been eliminated the prior week -- stepped in. She did it with about an hour's notice, and she did it with a smile and a great performance, a cappella.

Now that's class that not even Simon can tarnish.

rdrtrdrsrdrw15rsp160 BETSY SHEA-TAYLOR is Living Well editor and associate editor of the Opinion Page. She can be reached at 508-236-0439 or at btaylor(at)thesunchronicle.com.