Youth talent shows and fair queen contests will be featured at the Southeast Arkansas District Fair on Sept. 30 through Oct. 5 at Hestand Stadium Fair Grounds at Pine Bluff.
Jefferson County youth between the ages of 10 and 20 years old may enter the Jefferson County Talent Show, which will be held Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m., in Exhibit Hall 1. There is no entry fee for any of the talent shows or fair queen contests, including the Jefferson County show. To participate in the Jefferson County Talent Show, entrants must be a resident of Jefferson County, age 10 to 20, and have never been married.
Categories for the Jefferson County Talent Show, the Southeast Arkansas District Talent Show and the Arkansas State Fair Talent Show include vocal solo, instrumental solo, dance solo, vocal group, dance group and variety group. For an application, entry deadline and show rules, call 870-535-2900. Contestants in all shows must furnish a CD containing only the music needed for the performance in the talent shows. Applications for this show are sent to music teachers in Pine Bluff, Dollarway and White Hall public schools. Arkansas State Fair Talent Show Rules are furnished with the application and must be followed by each contestant.
First- and second-place winners in each talent category will receive a trophy and advance to the Southeast Arkansas District Fair Talent Show on Oct. 5. First-place winners of each talent category in the District Talent Show will advance to the Arkansas State Fair Talent Show at Little Rock, where they will compete for the Arkansas Grand Champion.
Talent shows on Oct. 3-4 are open to residents in Jefferson County and the counties in the Southeast Arkansas District. Persons ages 6 to 70 and above and will be judged in age groups — 6 to 11, 12 to 18, and 19 and above.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Gospel Talent Show is scheduled for Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. The Anybody’s Talent Show is Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m. Both will be in Exhibit Hall 1. First- and second-place winners win a trophy and do not advance to any other talent show. There is no entry fee for participants who enter the Gospel Talent Show or the Anybody’s Talent Show. For an application, call 870-535-2500.
The Southeast Arkansas District Fair Talent Show finals is Oct. 5. Contestants must be winners from one of the following sanctioned county talent shows: Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Grant, Jefferson, Lonoke, Ouachita, or Prairie. Applications are available from the county talent chairman or by calling 870-535-2900. There is no entry fee for the Southeast Arkansas District Talent Show and each application must be signed by the official county talent chairman. For more information, vist www.arkansasstatefair.com.
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Fair Queen
In preparation for the Arkansas State Fair, the Southeast Arkansas District Fair will sponsor a Jefferson County Junior Fair Queen contest on Sept. 30, which is for girls ages 10 to 13 by Oct. 1, 2013. The Jefferson County Fair Queen Contest for young ladies ages 17 to 21 is also on Sept. 30. Entrants must reside in Jefferson County.
The first- and second-place winners of the Jefferson County contests will advance to the Southeast Arkansas District Queen contests on Oct. 5.
One District show winner will advance to the Arkansas State Fair Junior Queen Contest and one will advance to the Arkansas State Fair Queen Contest. District Fair entries for queen contests must be from one of the following counties: Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Faulkner, Grant, Jefferson, Lonoke, Ouachita, or Prairie.
The Southeast Arkansas District Mrs. Fair Queen contest is also on Oct. 5. All contests will be at Hestand Stadium and will begin at 6:30 p.m. The winner of each queen contest will advance to the appropriate level at the Arkansas State Fair.
Talent is not part of the Fair Queen contest, however, the talent show and Fair Queen contests will be conducted concurrently with Fair Queen contestants appearing between talent show contestant performances.
The Fair Queen contestants will be judged in three categories, which include private interview (valued at 35 percent of available points), sportswear clothing from favorite sport (valued at 15 percent of available points), and evening gown of choice (valued at 50 percent of available points.)
District Fair Queen applicants must be 17 years old by Oct. 1, 2013, and must not be over 21 years old by Oct. 1. The first-place district overall winner will advance to the Arkansas State Fair Queen contest.