GRIFTON — It was spaghetti Wednesday on a Saturday in Grifton as folks came out to Eat Mo spaghetti and support the Shad Festival pageant.
On March 9 the director of the Miss Grifton Shad Pageant and the Grifton Shad Festival committee hosted their third annual Spaghetti Fundraiser at the Grifton Train Depot to raise money for the pageant in April.
The event was open to the public to come out and meet this year’s contestants, and for $10 they could enjoy a plate of spaghetti with a side salad and dinner rolls. They also sold cold canned drinks for $1, for dessert they served s’mores brownies for $2, and fresh fruit mini cheesecakes for $3.
Samantha Nichols has been the pageant director for three years. Nichols said that he has been learning as she goes and that her goal each year is just to make it the best show possible.
“I’m very proud of what I’ve done so far,” she said. “I know that I have a good group of girls this year, and I’m excited,” said Nichols.
Nichols said that pageantry is still important in her community and there are benefits for those who participate.
“I believe pageantry is relevant and important because I’m working to build young girls, especially from a small community,” said Nichols. “We work to build confidence on a stage, confidence speaking in front of others, and we work on interviewing skills which they can use moving forward going on college interviews, as well as job interviews.”
Nichols said that providing a scholarship is one of the things that makes the pageant much more rewarding, especially coming from a small community.
“We don’t have many opportunities, and I like that we are able to provide our Miss Grifton with a $500 scholarship, and we also have some other scholarships that are going to be announced later,” said Nichols.
Miss Grifton 2023 Aaliyah Hewett, now a senior at Ayden-Grifton High School, is preparing for college now. She has received acceptance offers from 15 schools, and she said that she has narrowed it down to her top choices.
“I have a top five: UNC Wilmington, NC State, Shaw University, North Carolina Central University and Elizabeth City State University,” said Hewett. “I’m so excited; my decision day will be in May, so y’all stay tuned for that.”
Hewett said that the past year has been amazing. She’s participated in three parades, she’s attended local Lions Club meetings, participated in fundraisers, and now that practices have started, she’s been getting to know the new girls participating in the upcoming pageant.
“It’s been so good just walking around Grifton and everybody noticing me for who I am as the newest Miss Grifton, being recognized, having that spotlight as the queen, and meeting the new girls,” said Hewett.
Hewett said that she’s learned many helpful lessons from the experience that she will take with her in life.
“Through pageantry I learned to be confident, I’ve improved my posture and stand correctly, I’ve learned to never let anyone back you down, and to just be myself,” said Hewett.
Nichols said that she is very excited for the upcoming pageant and that this year’s theme is “Starry Nights in Grifton.”
“I have a very outgoing group of girls, they are extremely friendly with one another, they include each other, help each other along the way, and they’re just awesome,” said Nichols.
Nichols said that this is the only fundraiser that they have for the pageant, and despite the rainy weather people came to dine-in and grabbed plates to go, which helped them raise $1,200 this year.
Admission is $5 for the Miss Grifton Shad Pageant at 7 p.m. on April 13 at at the Grifton School auditorium, and Nichols said that they will have People’s Choice again this year, where people place money in their favorite contestant’s box, and the winner will be given a cash prize and award.
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