Strawberry Pageant kicks off 2024 festival next week

EVENSVILLE — The first event of the 2024 Tennessee Strawberry Festival is set for next week, as the annual Strawberry Festival Pageant officially kicks off the 2024 festival.

The Strawberry Pageant will be held on Saturday, April 27, at 11 a.m. at Rhea County High School, located at 885 Eagle Lane, Evensville, TN, 37332.

The age categories are as follows:

- Baby Miss/Mister: 0–11 months

- Toddler Miss/ Mister: 12-23 months

- Tot Miss/Mister: 24-35 months

- Wee Miss/Mister: 3-4 years old

- Tiny Miss/Mister: 5-6 years old

- Little Miss/Mister: 7-9 years old

- Young Miss/Mister: 10-12 years old

- Junior Miss/Mister: 13-15 years old

- Miss/Mister: 16-20 years old

Each Miss contestant will compete for Winner, First Runner-Up, Second Runner-Up Prettiest Dress and Personality Plus. Likewise, each Mister contestant will compete for: Winner, First Runner-Up, Second Runner-Up, Best Dressed and Personality Plus.

A first place $1,000 and second place $500 scholarship will be awarded in the Miss/Mister 16-20 year old division. Checks will be made to the winner and their school. No scholarship funds will be awarded to an individual.

Boys should wear a suit or tux with dress shoes. Girls should wear a pageant dress and dress shoes, not to be confused with a flower girl dress or “Sunday’s best” dress. Absolutely no high glitz. Failure to follow rules will result in disqualification.

The Dayton Chamber of Commerce and the Tennessee Strawberry Festival reserves the right to allow or not allow any participant in the pageant for whatever reason. Pageant scores are immediately destroyed after the pageant is over.