Winners in Saturday's pageants included: (front, l-r) Tiny Mister Wilkes Cameron Bowen, Tiny Miss Katie Ertley, Litte Miss Carly Mayo, Petite Miss Kelsey Scott; (back) Deb Miss Amy McAvoy, Miss Wilkes County Sheena Kopecky, and Teen Miss Tabitha Tench holding Toddler Miss Madison Wheatley. Not pictured is Little Mister Wilkes, Chase Chafin. Proud mamas and papas, grannies and grandpas, friends and neighbors packed The Pope Center Saturday to see their little queens and kings crowned in the 2nd Annual Miss Wilkes County Pageants.

At the end of the evening, Sheena Kopecky was crowned Miss Wilkes County by last year's winner, Gracen Ware. "I am thrilled about our new queens, I know we will have another successful year with them representing our county," organizer Ashley Barnett said.

With 43 entrants in nine classes, Madison Wheatley was crowned Toddler Miss; Katie Ertley was named Tiny Miss; Carly Mayo took the Little Miss crown; Kelsey Scott was crowned Petite Miss; Amy McAvoy won Deb Miss; and Tabitha Tench was crowned Teen Miss.

Miss Wilkes County 2007 Gracen Ware (left) passes on her crown to the new queen, Sheena Kopecky. In the boys' category, Cameron Bowen was chosen as Tiny Mister, and Chase Chafin was named Little Mister.

Tabitha Tench was also chosen as the winner in the Peoples' Choice competition.

All winners, runner-ups, and pictures can be found on the pageant website misswilkescountypageant. com

"We had a great turnout," Barnett said. "The night pageant was standing room only."

Last year's queens crowned their successors, Barnett said. "And just as they did last year, the newly crowned pageant queens will make their first appearance at the Mule Day Southern Heritage Festival on October 11 and many other appearances through the year."

Bradley Barber served as master of ceremonies. For entertainment during the pageant, reigning Miss Wilkes County Gracen Ware sang two numbers, and dancers from the Washington Dance Academy performed.

Helping make the pageant possible were sponsors Washington- Wilkes Chamber of Commerce, Farmers & Merchants Bank and The News-Reporter, Barnett said, plus "Tena's Jewelry & Gifts for donating all of the crowns; Nancy Barnett and Vonice Wells; Carol McTier; Connie Turner; plus Rachel Arnold, Jane Bundy, Sue Davidson, Brittaney Gebing; and thanks to Mercer Harris, our Official Photographer, Ed Franklin of Talk of the Town; Washington Dance Academy; and Old South Marketing and Public Relations for the video."