More than 40 young women will represent their hometowns across the state in the 75th Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition this weekend at the Saenger Theater in downtown Hattiesburg.
“Showcasing the importance of tourism and economic development is key to our state’s future, and we look forward to a week of displaying the achievements and community service of these emerging leaders,“ Kristen Brock, Mississippi Miss Hospitality program director, said in a news release. “Retaining the incredible talent harnessed by our contestants is a priority, so we’re especially proud to offer the largest in-state scholarship opportunities in program history.”
At 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, the 42 contestants will take the stage to showcase their best talents. The winner will be announced after Saturday's program. Tickets to the live shows are sold out, but will be livestreamed at misshospitality.net and the competition's Facebook and YouTube pages.
The Top 10 contestants will be announced at the beginning of Saturday's event.
Last year's winner, Abney Grace Pittman, a Wayne County native, the daughter of Ricky and Amy Pittman and Sandy Pittman, is a junior at the University of Mississippi and a member of Kappa Delta sorority, She is majoring in communication sciences and disorders with a minor in gerontology and marketing. She plans to attend graduate school for speech/language pathology.
Pittman will crown this year's Mississippi Miss Hospitality.
The contestants began arriving Sunday in the Hub City from all parts of the state for a week of activities which include rehearsing for the weekend program, networking within the organization and taking part in community outreach.
Mississippi Miss Hospitality contestants and their Little Misses will attend an autograph party from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Turtle Creek Mall. Admission is free and open to the public.
Leading up to competition week, contestants participated in a social media challenge with informative and entertaining posts that showcased their hometowns and journey to competition. The winner of the challenge will be awarded an additional scholarship. Posts can be found using the hashtag #MSHosp2024 on Instagram and Facebook.
The winner of the competition will serve as Mississippi's ambassador for economic development and tourism. Contestants will have the opportunity to win more than $100,000 in scholarship money, including a $25,000 cash award for the winner. The Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition features a Little Miss Hospitality component, which encourages contestants to serve as mentors to a young girl from each of their hometowns. If crowned the next Mississippi Miss Hospitality, the contestant’s Little Miss will serve alongside her as she fulfills her duties and responsibilities as Mississippi’s Goodwill Ambassador.
Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition is a program of VisitHattiesburg and is presented by the Mississippi Development Authority, University of Southern Mississippi, city of Hattiesburg, Hattiesburg Saenger Theater and Forrest General Hospital. Their patronage helps sponsor the scholarships.
“We are delighted to be hosting these talented women, their Little Misses, and supporters in Hattiesburg for this year’s Diamond Jubilee competition,” said Marlo Dorsey, executive director of Mississippi Miss Hospitality. “Their love of community and state is tremendously inspiring, and we look forward to seeing their continued growth and leadership development for years to come.”
The Miss Hospitality program generates approximately $450,000 in economic impact annually for the Hattiesburg area economy. During Miss Hospitality week, visitors stay in local hotels, dine in local restaurants, enjoy tourist attractions and shop at local retail stores.
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