Times Union – The North Webster Lions Club’s 71st annual Mermaid Festival is rapidly approaching.
The theme of festival this year is the Indiana Bicentennial. Highlights of the festival include the Queen of Lakes scholarship pageant, open to girls ages 16 to 23, and the Cutie Queen & King Pageant, open to girls and boys between the ages of 4 and 6 as of June 1.
Entry fees for Queen of Lakes are $100 if submitted by May 14; entry fees received after May 14 will be $150. There will be no entry accepted after June 1.
The applications and rules can be printed from the North Webster Lions Club website at www.mermaid-festival.com or Facebook at “Queen of the Lakes Pageant.”
There is no entry fee for Cutie King & Queen. Applications for the youth pageant must be received by June 15. The applications and rules can be printed from the North Webster Lions Club website at www.mermaid-festival.com
The Queen of Lakes Pageant will be held June 25 at the North Webster Community Center, Ind. 13, North Webster. Contestants must arrive by 10 a.m.
Judges will meet with the contestants for interviews in the morning and practice for the pageant will continue until dismissal for the parade. All contestants must participate in the Mermaid Festival parade to be held at 4 p.m. and then participate in the Queen of Lakes Pageant, which includes theme wear and formal gowns, at 7 p.m. in the gymnasium of the North Webster Community Center.
Informational meetings will be at 7 p.m. April 26 and at 10 a.m. May 14 at Ken Strong Production Studio, 1700 Kimal Trail, Warsaw. New contestants are encouraged to attend, the release from the North Webster Lions Club states.
The Shoop Sports and Youth Foundation Inc will provide scholarships totaling $5,000 to the Queen of Lakes and her Court. The Lioness Club will provide a Community Service Award and a Miss Congeniality Award. Queen of Lakes parade prize scholarships will be awarded by the Shoop Foundation and will total $1,500.
The Cutie pageant will be at 7 p.m. June 24 at the North Webster Community Center. All contestants must participate in the Mermaid Festival Cutie Parade Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on Main Street in North Webster.
The Shoop Foundation will provide scholarships totaling $30,000 for the parade and $20,000 for the pageant.
