Miss Virginia-affiliated pageant returning to 2014 State Fair

Applications for the Miss State Fair of Virginia Pageant are being accepted through Aug. 30. The pageant will be held Sept. 28 at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County.

The pageant, which is affiliated with the Miss Virginia program, was brought back to the fair in 2013 after several years’ absence. In June the reigning Miss State Fair, Courtney Garrett of Prince Edward County, was crowned Miss Virginia 2014. She will compete for the Miss America title this fall.

“As in the past, we are proud to be affiliated with the Miss Virginia and Miss America organizations,” said Sherri McKinney, executive director of the pageant. “Those organizations have long-standing commitments to scholarships and to supporting young women’s educational endeavors.”

The Miss State Fair pageant will include Teen, Preteen and Miss programs. Preteens must be ages 9 to 12; the Teen program is for girls ages 13 to 17 and not in their senior year of high school; and Miss contestants must be 17 to 24 and a high school senior or beyond. All participants will take part in interview, fitness, talent and evening gown competitions.

The new titleholder will represent the State Fair of Virginia at the 2015 Miss Virginia Pageant in Roanoke, serve as a spokesperson for the State Fair and make appearances throughout the state. She also will receive a $500 scholarship toward her college education and paid registration in the MissVirginia Pageant. The Teen and Preteen winners will receive paid registration fees in the Miss Virginia Outstanding Teen and Preteen 2015 program.

“We are very excited that our Miss State Fair Preteen, Audrey Kate Taylor, was named third runner-up in the statewide pageant as well,” McKinney said. “The Miss State Fair, teen and preteen pageants are good stepping stones to other opportunities to earn money toward participants’ education.”

For more information about the Miss State Fair of Virginia program, visitMissStateFairofVirginia.webs.com.

This year’s State Fair of Virginia will run from Sept. 26 through Oct. 5. Information is available atStateFairVa.org.

The State Fair is held each fall at its permanent home at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County. The fair’s mission is to increase agricultural and natural resource awareness and interest through educational programs, exhibitions and competitions in a fun, family-friendly setting.