Areas of Competition and Contestant Requirements
PRIVATE INTERVIEW (40%) Judging will be based on personality, poise, speaking ability, personal achievement in education, and civic community participation. Interviews will be 5 minutes in length. Questions will start immediately after the contestant's introduction. At the 4:30 mark. the contestant will be stopped and will be given an additional 30 seconds to complete the question in progress OR make a final statement on any topic of their choosing OR she may conclude the interview. Interviews will end at the 5- minute mark. A schedule will be distributed at a later date with your start time. Please arrive to the interview area 10 minutes prior to your start time. Required dress for interview competition is a tasteful short dress or pantsuit with jewelry and footwear that complement the outfit. No cocktail attire, please. All interviews are scheduled for Saturday, August 10, 2024 beginning at 8:00 am at the Windsor Town Center (23361 Courthouse Hwy., Windsor, VA 23487).
OPENING NUMBER The opening number will be a simple dance routine taught at rehearsal. The opening number outfit will consist of denim bottoms (pants no rips, tears or holes, skirts or shorts of modest length), western style/cowboy boots and shirt provided at rehearsal (Juniors-green, Teens-blue, Miss-orange). Have fun with your design and accessorize as you please! NO TRAINS or OVERSKIRTS permitted. After the opening number is completed, each contestant will proceed to the microphone to introduce herself, giving her name and contestant number.
PERSONALITY WEAR (15%) Your personality wear will be modeled in a fast-paced modeling pattern which will be taught at rehearsal. An outfit of your choice that best displays your personality is to be worn. Each contestant will present her community engagement speech while wearing this outfit. Please be tasteful, yet youthful when choosing this outfit as it will be representative of you. Outfits that could serve as evening wear are STRONGLY discouraged. Judging of this portion will be on appearance. poise, and personality.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (15%) Each contestant will be given up to 30 seconds to speak on the value of community service or a platform in which they are involved and intend to promote if they are selected Miss Isle of Wight County Fair. Do not over-rehearse your speech. Contestants will be judgedon their ability to spread awareness and encourage others to advocate for their cause as well as their stage presentation. Do not state your name or contestant number in your speech. If the contestant goes over the 30-second time limit, five (5) points per judge will be deducted from her OVERALL score.
EVENING GOWN COMPETITION (15%) Contestants will model their evening gown of choice in a modeling pattern taught at rehearsals. Judging of this portion will be on appearance, poise, and stage presence.
ONSTAGE QUESTION (15%) Each contestant will be asked an on-stage, unrehearsed question.
PHOTOGENIC AWARD Each contestant is required to bring ONE (8x10) FULL COLOR HEADSHOT in a simple black frame (no matting) to the interview. Please identify with name and division TYPED on a small white label placed on the bottom right corner, under the glass. To protect the photo, do not stick the label on the photo. Photos will be judged and Miss Photogenic will be named for each division. These photos will be on display in the lobby during the pageant. Please collect your photo after the pageant. The Isle of Wight County Fair Pageant will NOT be responsible for photos that are left behind.
COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD To support our reigning queen with her community platform, Not A Victim, a Community Impact Award will be presented to the contestant that collects the most donations for the National Sexual Violence Resource Center to provide research and tools to advocates working on the frontlines to end sexual harassment, assault, and abuse. To donate, you can go to www.nsvrc.org/donate and click ‘Donate Now.’ On the donate page, please select ‘in Honor of’ and type in “Madison Lowe.” Under Gift Designation, please select: ‘Direct my gift to NSVRC’. Please print out or forward a copy of the receipt to missiowpageant@gmail.com. If collecting cash, please bring all monies to rehearsal on Friday, August 9. All monies are due by rehearsal on Friday, August 9.
DRESSING AREA A dressing area will be provided during the pageant only. It will open Saturday at 12:30 pm and close at the completion of the pageant. This area will be for contestants, designated Isle of Wight County Fair Pageant personnel, AND ONE (1) female assistant per contestant. A wristband will be provided to each assistant that must be worn at all times. Hanging racks and dressing tables are limited and you are STRONGLY encouraged to bring your own. PLEASE COME PREPARED – There are no mirrors in the dressing area.
PAGEANT TICKETS Tickets will be available for purchase beginning August 1, 2024 online at a rate of $10 for adults ages 10 and up and $5 for children ages 5-9. Free admission for visiting titleholders. A link will be sent out via email and posted on the Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Facebook/Instagram accounts. Admission tickets will also be sold at the door on the day of the pageant. All ticket sales at the door are CASH ONLY. All ticket sales (online or at the door) are nonrefundable.
CONTESTANT ORDER Contestant order will be determined by random drawing. All contestant materials must be received before the contestant is placed in the lineup.
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY FAIR PAGEANT DIRECTORS NO LATER THAN MONDAY, JULY 15, 2024, 11:59 PM.