The Fayette County High School Band Boosters will sponsor their annual benefit event, the Miss Pride of Fayette County Pageant, on March 9 and 10 at F.A. Sams Auditorium in Fayetteville. This is the 39th year that the pageant has been held to raise money for the FCHS Band. The pageant will give young women from the age of 3 to seniors in high school the opportunity to prove why they are the pride of Fayette County.

Approximately 150 contestants are expected to participate in the pageant this year, making it one of the largest contests of its kind in the state. Contestants compete for a crown and prizes, including a savings bond and gifts donated by local merchants. The winner will participate in several parades and some public appearances during her reign. Each top ten finalist will receive a portion of her beauty fees paid to participate in the Georgia Beauty Pageant State Finals which will be held later in the year.

Previous winners of the Miss Pride of Fayette County pageant have gone on to be crowned Miss Teen Georgia and even Miss Georgia.

The pageant is open to all girls who reside in Fayette County ages 3-4 and grades K-12. Contestant hopefuls must reside in Fayette County and be 3 years old by Sept. 1, 2006. While applications were due Feb. 28, late entries will be accepted for an additional fee up until the date of rehearsals. Applications are available at all Fayette County schools, and are available for download at www.misspride.com. Mandatory rehearsals will be held for each age group, beginning with Tiny Miss Pride rehearsals on Sunday, March 4 and ending with Miss Pride rehearsals on Wednesday, March 7. Those interested in competing who have not turned in a form by Feb. 28 may call pageant director Sandy Mandall to notify her of their interest, and bring their application form to their age group’s selected rehearsal time. Rehearsal dates and times may be found on the online application forms.

Breaking tradition, the Miss Pride pageant is being held the second weekend in March; the pageant has been held the first weekend of March in years past. Back by popular demand, Keith Sharp, a talented singer and actor, will again act as the Master of Ceremonies for the second year in a row. Sharp will field questions to the young contestants who are also judged on poise, personality, beauty and confidence. Sharp will also provide the pageant entertainment, singing for audiences. Winners from last year’s pageant will be back to perform the opening number as well as participate in a fashion show.

Approximately $11,000 was raised last year, up from $8,500 in 2005, and proceeds from this year’s event will help with the band’s expenses. Mandall hopes the pageant will raise $11,000-12,000 this year.

The pageant is being held at Sam’s Auditorium in Fayetteville. Tickets are $6 for individual pageants or $10 for all five pageants. Tickets will be available at the door.

For the first time, DVDs of each of the five pageants will be available for purchase. Organizers have hired a professional videographer to film the five events.

On Friday evening, the Junior Miss Pride pageant begins at 8 p.m. for girls in grades 6-8. Saturday’s event begins at 10:00 a.m. with Tiny Miss Pride, for 3-4 year olds; at 1:30 p.m., Little Miss Pride for K-2nd grade will take place; at 4:30 p.m., Young Miss Pride, third-fifth grade; and Miss Pride, for ninth through twelfth grade, will begin at 8 p.m.

Mandall returns for her fourth year as pageant director. She can be reached at misspride2007@hughes.net or by phone at 404-510-4148. For more info visit www.misspride.com.

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