After two years, the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce and The Striped Bass Festival, are thrilled to once again host the Miss Striped Bass Festival Pageant.
The pageant will be held April 23 in Weldon Auditorium at 5pm. Contestants will compete in beauty and photogenic categories, with eight divisions: Baby Miss, Tiny Miss, Petite Miss, Wee Miss, Little Miss, Young Miss, Teen Miss and Miss.
The contestants are required to go to school or live in Clarendon County or their parents must own property in Clarendon County. Judges for the competition are chosen from The Miss South Carolina data base and, usually, are not from Clarendon County to prevent bias in the judging.
Contestants will not receive feedback from the judges but will judged on overall beauty, personality, and wardrobe choice. Additionally, the contestant’s biographies will be read while they are on stage.
Since 2019, the pageant has added a Signature Page fundraiser. Each contestant competes to get the most signatures for their division, with a signature equaling a one-dollar donation to McLeod’s Children Hospital. The signature page winners from each division will receive an award during the competition.
Each division’s winners will receive a crown, trophy, sash, flowers and a Striped Bass Festival t-shirt. Runner ups will receive flowers and a trophy.
The winner of Miss Striped Bass will appear at festival functions, Opening Ceremonies and the parade. Teen and Miss winners are also required to volunteer 20 and 40 hours, respectively, with the Chamber of Commerce throughout their year of service.
The pageant is still a county favorite event. “People still value the pageant as tradition,” says Junior Ambassador President and pageant enthusiast, Carrie Trebil.
Entry to the pageant is $5 per person. Doors open at Weldon just before 5pm on Saturday.
