By Mandy Pascal

Tutus and tiaras will be invading the Dothan area this weekend.

It’s time for the annual Miss Alabama Woodlands Scholarship Pageant. The pageant was founded in 2002 by Kay Stone and Carol Waters, a dynamic sister duo that still keeps the pageant running today.

The program’s motto is “Celebrating Alabama’s number one industry while promoting self-esteem, self-confidence, self-awareness and the importance of education in today’s young women.”

The pageant is broken down into six age groups. Tiny (4-5 year-olds), Little (6-8 year-olds), Petite (9-10 year-olds), Junior Miss (11-13 year-olds) Teen (14-16 year-olds), and Miss (17-23 year-olds).

The competition kicks off Thursday with fun time for all age groups. The night will include a “Tutu’s and Top Hat’s” party based upon the Alice in Wonderland theme where all the girls competing in the pageant will dress up and spend time getting to know one another. The official pageant will begin Friday night and run through Saturday.

Throughout the weekend, the girls will participate in an interview competition, evening gown competition and the top eight from each age range will have to answer an on-stage question.

The girls are competing not only for the coveted title of Miss Alabama Woodlands, but also the chance to win a $2,000 scholarship to the school of their choice.

The fun doesn’t stop after the pageant is over. The winners of Miss Alabama Woodlands will spend the next year making appearances in the community and participating in many different activities.

25 girls will be representing Pike County at this weekend’s competition. The lovely ladies competing will be: Catherine Andrews, Sela Balkcom, Karlie Bundy, Jessica Bush, Julie Bynum, Kori Chirico, Anna Laura Cobb, Lizzie Faircloth, Paiyton Flowers, Joslynn Gebo, Chloe Grammer, Dresden Green, Jaisia Guice, Katie Hicks, Nikki Hopper, Liberty Kilpatrick, Julianna Knight, Allie Lewis, Kadee Linton, Alyssa Little, Kiliegh Little, Heer Sanjani, Toni Marie Sarris, Allie Scarborough and Heather Shoemaker.

The Pageant will be held at the Dothan Civic Center. “Anyone is welcome to come support these ladies as they compete,” said Pike County Woodlands Director Nicole Copeland. “We would love for Pike County to have the largest cheering section.”

The winner of the pageant from each age range will go on to compete in the Miss United States Woodlands pageant next Spring.