The Louisiana Red Beans and Rice Heritage and Music Festival Pageant is open to male and female residents of Louisiana. Contestants must currently live in Louisiana.
Teen contestants must never have been married or pregnant. Louisiana Association of Fairs and Fesivals requires contestants who compete at their state pageant not be currently or previously married or pregnant. As of 2022, should an eligible winner for the Louisiana Red Beans and Rice Pageant choose to go to Miss Louisiana USA, the marriage and pregnancy requirement does not apply.
Teen contestants must be ages 14-17 as of the day of competition.
Mr / Miss Contestants must be 18 years of age at the time of the competition as of the day of the competition and must be no older than 23 as of March 22, 2026.
Contestants may not hold a binding title at the time of the competition. If the contestant holds any non-festival title, he/she agrees that their first obligation is to the Louisiana Red Beans and Rice Heritage and Music Festival for appearances. If it is discovered that a contestant holds another binding title or festival title, he/she will forfeit their eligibility to compete unless the contestant can provide a waiver from his/her current director or pageant board allowing he/she to compete in anticipation of passing on the current title.
If a contestant has previously held a binding or festival title, she/he must be in good standing with his/her past organization(s). Failure to disclose previous titles may result in disqualification from the competition.
Contestants must identify themselves as birth given gender in order to participate (male or female).
Parents and/or Legal Guardians of minor aged contestants will be required to sign a code of conduct along with their children. Any behavior found to be unbecoming of a parent or legal guardian before, during, or after the pageant (or during the year of the reign in the case of the winners) may result in disqualification or stripping of all awards and titles for the contestant/titleholder. Disrespect, bullying, threats, or unsportsmanlike conduct – whether verbal or in writing – are examples of behavior that will not be tolerated by contestants, parents, guardians, or our titleholders. Parents and contestants understand that in participating in the Louisiana Red Beans and Rice Heritage and Music Festival Pageant, they are representatives of our pageant, festival, parish, and sponsors.
Both the Teen and Mr/Miss winner will be required to sign an official contract after winning the pageant.