Pageant

2025 Italian Festival Pageant

The date has been set for our 2025 Pageant. It will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at the Student Union Theater on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, LA. We thank our reigning royalty who have served for the last year and we look forward to celebrating you at our festival April 25-27, 2025.

Age Divisions

Sessions

Mandatory Meeting for Miss Contestants Only

There is a Mandatory Miss Contestant Meeting TBD at Tickfaw City Hall.

General Information

Contestants must reside in Tangipahoa, Livingston, St. Tammany, or Washington Parishes or be within a 50 mile radius from Tickfaw City Hall. There will be an area to change in the restroom but no official dressing rooms except for Miss Division. A space for hair and makeup will be available outside the theater. Door admission is $10 (cash only). Only contestants are admitted for free.

Starting this year, interview dresses or traditional suits will be acceptable for the interview portion of the Miss division. Tights/stockings will also be optional.

Miss contestants will participate in an opening number that will include a short introduction or jingle. Teen contestants will need a short introduction that includes their name and contestant number that they will say before modeling. For the Teen division their introduction will NOT be scored. Miss contestants will need a 30 second jingle that also includes their name and contestant number. This portion for the Miss division WILL be judged.

You may download an entry form on the  Applications page.

Pre-registration pageant forms for all divisions, except Miss, can be turned in to a pageant director or by mail up until date TBD. After date TBD, you will have to wait to register on site for an additional $10 added to the original pre registration price.

Forms can be mailed to:

The Italian Festival,

P.O. Box 105,

Tickfaw, La 70466

For more information, please contact:

 Bailey Fugarino - (985) 969-1708

Dawn Fugarino - (985) 320-8684

Hailey Taylor - (985) 320-3615

General Rules and Regulations: *will be enforced*

1. The Italian Festival has the right to refuse any contestant if unsportsmanlike conduct is displayed.
2. No contestant or guardian will manipulate any judge for their benefit. If a judge is approached for that purpose you will be disqualified, with no refund. Eligibility to re-enter our pageant will be suspended for at least 3 years at the discretion of The Italian Festival Board. 
3. For ages 12 months-3 years no makeup or big pageant hair is allowed. For ages 4-8 years old only hair and makeup that enhances natural beauty will be allowed. Ages 9-23 years old are encouraged to have full pageant hair and makeup. 
4. Modeling ability is not required in our 12 months-8 year old divisions. Contestants will be judged on facial beauty, personality, overall appearance, and if applicable to the contestant's age, modeling. 
5. There will be 3 Xs on the stage as a guide for contestants but there will be no time for practice on the stage beforehand. 
6. The Italian Festival and Southeastern Louisiana University will not be responsible for personal loss, theft, or injury to any person on the premises. 
7. Score sheets can be requested for your contestant’s scores only. However, score sheets will NOT be available the day of the pageant. To request scores, please email  italianfestivaldirector@gmail.com. 
8. Those chosen as Italian Festival royalty are NOT allowed to enter or hold any other fair or festival titles until you have completed your reign with us. Participation in any weekend or national pageants is allowed but interference with any Italian Festival events could also result in relinquishment of their title. 
9. Contestants must be natural born females in all divisions. If any contestant has ever been married or has bore a child, she will not be able to enter the pageant. 
10. If chosen as Italian Festival Royalty, you will be required to attend mandatory festival events and functions such as the annual ball, area parades, festival weekend (the last full weekend in April), and attending the 2026 Italian Festival pageant to give up their title. If any of the royalty fails to attend mandatory events they will have to relinquish their titles. 
11. Those chosen as 2026 royalty may not enter our pageant for one year after their 2026 reign. 
12. Crowned royalty will be responsible for the care and upkeep of their crowns and banners. If these items are lost or damaged it is the responsibility of the queen or guardian to replace them.