Miss Wilkes County 2007 Gracen Ware (left) and Miss Wilkes County 2008 Sheena Kopecky, the first two queens to be crowned, will be on hand September 26 to crown the winners of the 2009 Miss Wilkes County Pageant. Registration forms will be available soon for the third Annual Miss Wilkes County Pageant, set for September 26 at the Pope Center.

Now in its third year, pageant contestants from 12 months to six years of age will be competing at 11 a.m. and the 7-18-year-olds beginning at 6 p.m. said Ashley Barnett, pageant director.

Entry applications will be online at MissWilkesCountyPageant. com or may be picked up at Bee Southern, Talk of the Town2, Tena's Jewelry and Gifts, or at the Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce located on The Square.

As they were last year, little boys will be welcome to enter, Barnett said, "We have two groups for our handsome little guys - Little Mister Wilkes County for boys age 4-6 years and Tiny Mister Wilkes County for boys ages 2-3 years."

Barnett is excited about the third consecutive year of the pageant. "The first two pageants were wonderful," she said. "I know it was a great experience, I hope, for all of the girls."

In addition to the boys' classes, pageant divisions will be: Toddler Miss 12-23 months; Tiny Miss, 2-3 years; Little Miss 4-6 years; Petite Miss 7-9 years; Deb Miss 10-12 years; Teen Miss 13-15 years; and Miss 16-18 years old.

To keep the competition fair, Barnett said, one rule has changed. "Once you have won an age division, you cannot compete in that division again, you have to wait until you move up to the next age group," she said. "That is so one girl or boy does not win the same group twice, out of fairness."

Contact Ashley Barnett at 706-678-2013 or email misswilkescountypageant@ yahoo.com with any questions.

Barnett said that the pageant is seeking sponsorships and will be selling ad pages for the program.