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Wheeling party is on after Haley makes Top 3 in 'Idol'

Concert also on tap at Arlington Park

The "American Idol" stage was awash in tears on Thursday, and none of them belonged to Haley Reinhart.

First there was the eliminated James Durbin, who sobbed his way through his exit performance of "Maybe I'm Amazed." Then Jennifer Lopez put waterproof mascara to the test when she watched Durbin sing for last time on "Idol's" stage.

"I did so much stuff that's never been done on this show before," said Durbin, a heavy metal and pro wrestling enthusiast from Santa Cruz, Calif.

Meanwhile Haley Reinhart smiled. A few minutes before Durbin was sent home, she heard the four most important words of the night from host Ryan Seacrest:

"Haley, you are safe." She needed a peek at his notecard for proof she really made the cut.

She did. Which means Wheeling will be Haley Day on Saturday. She'll get her own hometown parade followed by concert at Arlington Park.

Sound familiar? Mount Prospect's Lee DeWyze got the same treatment last year and more than 40,000 crammed the track to see him perform.

Reinhart will join Lauren Alaina, 16, from Rossville, Ga., and Scotty McCreery, 17, from Garner, N.C., who are getting hometown celebrations of their own.

On Thursday, Reinhart's fate was far from certain. Like last week, she was the only contestant to hear any real criticism from the judges. And boy, did she hear it again on Wednesday. Both Lopez and Randy Jackson said her pick of Michael Jackson's "Earth Song" was the wrong one.

Only Steven Tyler defended Reinhart, saying, "They're both wrong," about his fellow judges and mouthing "Don't believe him" at Jackson.

Reinhart roared back in the second round. Her rendition of "I (Who Have Nothing)" earned the 20-year-old her third standing ovation of the season from the judges who slammed her minutes before.

"This was a classic moment with classic Haley," Tyler said. "You just Reinharted yourself into the middle of next week."

Haley's fans must have also felt the need to defend their Idol and texted their fingers off in her defense.

More than 72 million votes were cast Wednesday night, the highest top-four vote tally ever.

Wheeling officials sent out Saturday's itinerary minutes after Reinhart was declared safe.

"We are all so proud of Haley, and so impressed with her talents," said Wheeling Village President Judy Abruscato. "This hometown visit is an outstanding opportunity for the whole Wheeling community to show the world all the great things happening here in our village. Her success has truly been an inspiration to all of us!"

Wheeling's party begins at 4:30 p.m. Saturday with a motorcade to the Wheeling village hall, followed by brief public remarks, during which Abruscato will proclaim May 14 to be "Haley Reinhart Day." The motorcade will head south on Northgate Parkway to Dundee Road, then east on Dundee to the Wheeling Community Campus.

After the motorcade, Haley's hometown visit will conclude with a performance at Arlington Park.

The following week the "Idol" group of three will be narrowed to two before an final winner is announced May 26.

Contestant Scotty McCreery, Haley Reinhart and host Ryan Seacrest onstage during American Idol. Both made it to the. Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup
See Haley Reinhart perform as part of the American Idol Live! Tour 2011 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont on Saturday, Aug. 6. Ray Mickshaw / FOX
Top 3 contestant Haley Reinhart and host Ryan Seacrest onstage during American Idol Season 10 Top 4 To 3 Live Elimination Show on May 12, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup

Haley info

Follow the Daily Herald's latest on Haley, “American Idol” and the Hometown Celebration plans at @haleyscoop on Twitter.

Haley hotline: (847) 403-4636 for up-to-date Hometown Celebration information.