Miss Volunteer America Pageant: Opening Night

JACKSON, Tenn. — Wednesday was the opening night for the Miss Volunteer America Pageant, featuring contestants from all across the nation.

“One group will do swimsuit, one group will do evening gown, and one group will do talent. It will just rotate each night until Friday and then Saturday, of course, is the final night,” said Darren Lykes, a member of the National Committee for the Miss Volunteer America Pageant.

There are four categories, the three mentioned by Lykes, plus an interview. Each category accounts for 25% of their overall score.

Lykes said that there are a lot of moving parts to putting on a huge event like this.

“I think people don’t realize that you’ve been to a pageant at school, but this type of pageant, I mean it’s huge. And I encourage everyone to come out. You see the stage, you’ve been to the civic center before, it looks nothing like it normally looks,” Lykes said.

Lykes said this is their first year getting a contestant from every state to the event.

These contestants first have to win their local pageant, then their state pageant, and then finally compete in the national pageant here in Jackson.

Once here, the stakes are high and the contestants are looking to win.

“Ultimately, this is a scholarship pageant. So of course they win scholarship money, and they win a great crown,” said Lykes.

For Jackson and the surrounding communities, this event is about more than the pageant. There is an economic boost as well.

“People are coming here, they’re staying in Airbnbs, they’re staying in hotels, they’re eating in our restaurants. It definitely has a huge economical impact for Jackson and our towns,” said Lykes.

The winner in the fitness and wellness category was Miss Volunteer Indiana and the winner in the talent category was Miss Volunteer Georgia.

Find more local news here.