Miss & Mr. Spring Fling Pageant coming to Sangertown mall

NEW HARTFORD

A Sunburst Beauty Pageant promotes self esteem, confidence, leadership, poise and growth for participants every single time they appear on stage, said Executive Director Theresa Spooner.

The pageant returns to Sangertown Square, 8555 Seneca Turnpike, to host the Miss and Mr. Spring Fling Pageant at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 25 in Center Court.

Now celebrating 45 years of discovering new faces, Sunburst hosts pageants across the United States and in Puerto Rico and Australia, Spooner said.

“We hold pageants every weekend in 30 states and come to Sangertown once a year,” she explained. “We have been conducting the pageant there for approximately 35 years!”

Current and former Sunburst Beauty Pageant contestants have appeared in ads, commercials, television series, movies and all entertainment fields. Two Sunburst contestants are currently appearing in Nickelodeon shows on TV and two former contestants went on to become Miss America and Miss USA winners. Sunburst Beauty Pageants have also been featured on The Discovery Channel.

All finalists chosen – and crowned – on the day of the Sangertown competition will advance to the New York Sunburst state finals. Everyone who competes receives both a crown and trophy. Contestants compete for the opportunity to win $10,000, $3,000, $2,000, $1,000 and $500 savings bonds and many more outstanding gifts.

The judging in the pageant is based on beauty and personality. There are winners chosen from each of 11 age divisions and the boys are judged in separate competition from the girls.

The three boys’ age groups are 0-23 months, 2-4 years and 5-9 year olds. The eight girls’ age groups are under 1 year, 1-year-olds, 2-3 years, 4-6 years, 7-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years and 18-27 years. Contestants may be married or single.

Seeing the young contestants mature from pageant to pageant is Spooner’s favorite part of overseeing the events.

“I like watching the youth grow with confidence, poise and self esteem, having a terrific time and growing up to be able to handle anything that comes their way,” Spooner said. “This is my 45th anniversary and I always have former contestants contacting me thanking me for all they gained from being in our pageant.”

For more information on how to enter, call 727-2587053 or visit www.sunburstbeauty.com. Entry forms are also available at the mall management office or the mall’s website at www. sangertown.com.