This year marks the 28th annual Miss Curwood Festival Queen's Pageant. Several years ago, the pageant was combined with the Princess Pageant, which is in its 18th year of celebration. The pageant selects six winners total; one young woman as queen and two as court members to represent our community and our festival at other events and festivals throughout the state of Michigan. Three little girls are chosen as well, one as princess and two court members, to represent the festival at local festivals within Shiawassee County. The winners are chosen on their personalities, ability to speak, intelligence, poise and appearance and overall enthusiasm for the Curwood Festival and our community.
The queen candidates meet first a couple of weeks before the pageant for an informational session. This is a chance for the candidates to get to know each other and learn more about the pageant process and more importantly, what's expected of them if they win. The ladies then get together several days prior to the pageant for preliminary interviews by a panel of local judges. Then on pageant day, the girls go on a tour of Curwood Castle, and have breakfast with each other and Queen's Committee members. Afterward, they meet with a new panel of judges for more interviews, and that evening they participate with the little girls in the pageant itself.
This year's pageant will be held on March 1, 2008 at Baker College of Owosso in the gymnasium. The pageant is open to the public and tickets are sold at the door or in advance in the Curwood Festival Office. All proceeds support the Queen & Queen's Court scholarships and the Queens Committee gratefully acknowledges the many sponsors that make the pageant possible.