Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Forest Festival pageant seeks contestants

The 17th annual Forest Festival Beauty Pageant will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, in the Gurdon High School cafetorium.

Pageant coordinator Billy Wells, owner of Billys Main Street Florist, reminds girls to have their photographs and applications turned in by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, in time for pre-event publicity.

Tickets for the event are on sale for $5 at Billys Main Street Florist in Kuhns Hardware on Main Street.

Wells said this years master of ceremonies and announcer for the pageant will be Pastor Jim Farris, of the First Assembly of God Church.

"We are expecting a good turnout in all of the categories," Wells said. "We usually have about 35 contestants."

There will be five age categories this year. They are: 4 to 6 years old, 7 to 9, 10 to 12, 13 to 15, and 16 to 18.

The categories are: Tiny Miss, Little Miss, Junior Miss, the Princess contest, and the Queen contest.

Wells said contestants should be ready to rehearse on the morning of the event, Sept. 16.

"They are to be at the high school cafetorium from 9 until 11:30 p.m.," he said.

Tiny Miss will meet from 9 until 9:30 p.m.; Little Miss, 9:30 until 10 a.m.; Junior Miss, 10 until 10:30 a.m.; Princess contestants, 10:30 until 11 a.m. and Queen contestants, 11-11:30 p.m.

Wells said contestants of the pageant are invited to ride in cars during the Forest Festival parade.

The parade is tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, on festival day.

"The contestants will be judged according to their beauty on the stage," he said. "We would love to have all of our contestants ride in the parade."

As always, winners will be selected by three out-of-town judges.

Wells said contestants for the princess and queen categories will be interviewed in the Hoo Hoo Building at 3 p.m. on the Saturday of the contest.

Wells said contestants may call him to register at: 353-4335 or call Elaine Halliday at: 353-2872. The entry fee for 2006 is $35.

Wells requests that photographs are removed from frames before turning them in to him or Halliday.

Wells said, "We would like to invite everybody to come on out to the beauty pageant. It is usually a big event, and as always there will be a winner taking over a crown in each category."