What You Ought to Know About American Idol Season Six Auditions

Season 5 of American Idol has come and gone. You laughed, you cried, you voted. And voted. And voted. Finally, Taylor Hicks was crowned the new American Idol.

Now the American Idol Tour is underway and seems to be successful on all counts. Although you would've thought that Katharine McPhee had won American Idol instead of Taylor Hicks with the amount of press that she's been generating.

So what's next? FOX is gearing up for American Idol auditions for Season 6! That's right, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul will be visiting 7 cities across the country searching for the next American Idol. Could it be you?

Here's what you need to know before you head out to audition for America's most popular show - American Idol!

Be Sure You Qualify

You must be between the ages of 16 and 28 and eligible to work in the US to audition.

Register As Early As Possible

American Idol auditions will be held in the following cities - Los Angeles, San Antonio, East Rutherford, Birmingham, Memphis, Minneapolis and Seattle. But this year, you will be able to register for your audition 2 days before the actual audition day.

This means that you need to show up at the appropriate venue to get your wristband and seating ticket. If you wait until the actual day of the audition to register you risk the chance of American Idol audition staff running out of time and/or space.

What To Bring When You Register

VERY IMPORTANT: You'll need 2 pieces of ID that show proof of age and a photo. Acceptable forms of ID include: Driver's license and birth certificate, passport and birth certificate or school ID and birth certificate. If you're under 18, you must bring your parent and legal guardian and they must bring a photo ID as well. Also, legal guardians need to show proof of legal guardianship as well as photo ID.

More About Registration

Do not show up to registration before the designated time. You will not be allowed to camp overnight at the venue before registration. When you register, you'll receive a wristband and seat ticket. Remember that registration does not necessarily mean that you will have a chance to audition.

Audition Day

Show up to the venue by 5:00 am on audition day. Be sure to have your wristband, seat ticket, signed release form and 2 forms of ID. Do not remove your wristband. If you lose your wristband or seat ticket, you will be sent to the end of the line. Everyone must be in their assigned seats by the time auditions start, usually sometime around 8:00 am.

Here's what you need to know about location, registration and parking for each city:

American Idol Auditions - Los Angeles

When: Tuesday, August 8th

Where: Pasadena Rose Bowl, 1001 Rose Bowl Dr., Pasadena, CA 91103

Registration: August 6th - 8th. Register as early as August 6th at 6:00 am. Registration will continue until the morning of August 8th (audition day).

Parking: Some free parking is available. Parking attendants will be on hand to assist you.

Line Up: Westside - Gate F. You should see a banner that say "Front of Line", or just follow the crowd.

American Idol Auditions - San Antonio

When: Friday, August 11th

Where: Alamodome, 100 Montana St, San Antonio, TX 78203

Registration: August 9th - 11th. Register as early as August 9th at 6:00 am. Registration will continue until the morning of August 11th (audition day).

Parking; $10 per car. You will have to pay the $10 fee every time you re-enter the venue parking facilities.

Line Up: North Plaza doors. You should see a banner that says "Front of Line", or just follow the crowd.

American Idol Auditions - East Rutherford

When: Monday, August 14th

Where: Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ / 50 State Route 120, East Rutherford, NJ 07073

Registration: August 12th - 14th. Register as early as August 12th at 6:00 am. Registration will continue until the morning of August 14th (audition day).

Parking; $10 per car. You will have to pay the $10 fee every time you re-enter the venue parking facilities. (This applies only on audition day.)

Line Up: Gate A - Continental Airlines Arena. You should see a banner that says "Front of Line", or just follow the crowd.

American Idol Auditions - Birmingham

When: Monday, August 21st

Where: BJCC, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr, Birmingham, AL 35203

Registration: August 19th - 21st. Register as early as August 19th at 6:00 am. Registration will continue until the morning of August 21st (audition day).

Parking; TBA (Check website for details)

Line Up: TBA (Check website for details)

American Idol Auditions - Memphis

When: Sunday, September 3rd

Where: FedExForum, 191 Beale St., Memphis, TN 38103

Registration: September 1st - 3rd. Register as early as September 1st at 6:00 am. Registration will continue until the morning of September 3rd (audition day).

Parking; TBA (Check website for details)

Line Up: TBA (Check website for details)

American Idol Auditions - Minneapolis

When: Friday, September 8th

Where: Target Center, 600 First Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55403

Registration: September 6th - 8th. Register as early as September 6th at 6:00 am. Registration will continue until the morning of September 8th (audition day).

Parking; TBA (Check website for details)

Line Up: TBA (Check website for details)

American Idol Auditions - Seattle

When: Tuesday, September 19th

Where: KeyArena, 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Registration: September 17th - 19th. Register as early as September 17th at 6:00 am. Registration will continue until the morning of September 19th (audition day).

Parking; TBA (Check website for details)

Line Up: TBA (Check website for details)

One other note, registration details (date/time/etc.) have yet to be set for some cities. So keep checking back to the American Idol website for updated information and for a complete set of rules.

Good Luck!