On July 25, two young ladies from Picayune will travel to Vicksburg, Mississippi to compete in the 2015 Little Miss Magnolia State Pageant.
According to the pageant’s Facebook page, the event was first held in 2000. There are two main pageants including Miss Magnolia State, which includes four categories for women ages 12 to 28-years-old.
The Little Miss Magnolia State Pageant is held for children ages from birth to 11-years-old. The pageant promotes natural beauty, so contestants are not allowed to wear extravagant dresses, fake hair and eyelashes or spray tans, the Facebook page states.
The mission of the Miss Magnolia State Pageant is “to crown winners who are respectable, intelligent, attractive and have a desire to be role models for the state,” the Facebook page states.
According to the Facebook page, the winners of the Little Miss Magnolia State Pageant will each win a $1,000 savings bond.

Coast Charm Grand Supreme

Two-year-old Tailynn Dillard is the daughter of Rikki and Colby Dillard of Picayune and has been competing in pageants for the past year and a half.
“Her Mimi competed in pageants when she was little and one day, she said we should put Tailynn in pageants,” Rikki said. “Her first pageant was a summertime pageant in D’Iberville, where she won divisional queen, most beautiful, prettiest eyes, hair and smile.”
Since her first pageant, Tailynn has competed in four more, the most recent being Coast Charm in D’Iberville.
This is the preliminary pageant to the Little Miss Magnolia State pageant, Rikki said. Tailynn was named Grand Supreme and also won awards for prettiest smile and hair, best personality and people’s choice.
In preparation for the pageant, Rikki has been buying dresses and outfits and showing Tailynn what to do on stage.
“She really enjoys it,” Rikki said. “If she didn’t I wouldn’t put her through it. She competes in all natural competitions with no makeup, tan or fake hair.”
Tailynn will compete in the 16 to 30 month-old division at the Little Miss Magnolia pageant.
As for Tailynn, she enjoys competing.
“I win crowns and I like to wear dresses with my crowns,” Tailynn said.

Miss Preteen Pearl River County

Eleven-year-old Madison Frierson is the daughter of Haley and Wendell Frierson of Picayune and has been a pageant competitor since she was 6-months-old.
She was named Miss Louisiana as a baby, Haley said. Recently, Madison was named first runner-up at the National America Miss competition in Baton Rouge in May, where she received a scholarship. She was also named Miss Junior Blueberry in 2014.
She was named Miss Preteen Pearl River County at the Little Mr. and Miss Gulf Coast, which qualified her for Little Magnolia pageant, Haley said.
“I’m excited,” Madison said. “Competing in pageants is fun and I make new friends. I met my best friend through competing in pageants. I also want to be Miss United States one day.”
In preparation for this month’s pageant, Madison is working on her walk.
Haley said competing in pageants builds her daughter’s confidence and has improved her interview skills.
“I don’t like all the glitz,” Haley said. “I only allow her to compete in the natural and age appropriate competitions. Pageants are a great way to earn scholarships.”
Madison will compete in the preteen division during the Little Miss Magnolia pageant.
For Madison, it’s not always about winning.
“Even if I don’t win, I know that my parents are out there cheering for me and still love me,” Madison said. “One time, when I didn’t win, my friend and I immediately talked and went straight to the pool.”