Let the pageantry begin. This weekend, will kickoff the path to the crown for contestants in both the upcoming Miss Mississippi Pageant and Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant, which are also both scheduled for the month of June in Vicksburg.

Weekend events scheduled for both sets of contestants will include orientations and dance rehearsals.

“We will tell them what is going to happen in June so they will be prepared,” the executive director and chairman of the board for the Miss Mississippi Pageant David Blackledge said.

In addition to the women and teens who will be vying for their respective titles, the weekend will also include the arrival of the Magnolia Prince and Princesses and the Petite Magnolia Princesses will also be participating in their orientations and dance rehearsals Saturday and Sunday.

The 2016 Miss Mississippi Pageant Contestants will arrive between 5:45 and 6:15 p.m. at the Hinds Community College Auditorium on Mississippi 27 Friday. Their weekend schedule will include registration, photos, an introduction to this year’s Miss Mississippi staff, a welcome from Mayor George Flaggs Jr. and 2015 Miss Mississippi Hannah Roberts and the lottery group drawing, Blackledge said.

The lottery drawing will determine which preliminary group contestants will compete in during the week of the pageant.

Each contestant draws a number and beginning with number one, the contestants will get to choose which group she wants to be in, said the executive secretary and scholarship chairman of the Miss Mississippi Pageant Corporation Earl Edris.

Contestants are divided into either group A, B or C, and this will determine which night each contestant will perform during the talent portion of the competition, the evening gown portion and the swimsuit portion.

This year 44 women will be vying for the title, which is up from last year’s 30.

“We are all real excited about the numbers, Blacklege said, who gave credit to Jennie Simmons for this year’s increase.

Simmons serves as the local director coordinator.

She moved into the role and has been active in encouraging state field directors to promote other pageants, Blackledge said.

“She has also provided more information and knowledge for potential contestants.”

During the weekend contestants will also have to fill out an inordinate amount of paperwork, Edris said, which includes information on the contestant’s platform, wardrobe sizes, how her name should be pronounced, scholarship releases, medical information and a request for talent songs.

“A song can only be used once during the competition,” Edris said, meaning no two contestants can sing the same song.

At 1 p.m. Saturday the 24 Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant contestants will begin arriving at the HCC Auditorium and like their sister contestants from the Miss Mississippi Pageant will go through a similar process.

The current Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Grace Post will be on hand to welcome all of the teen contestants and beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday a Petite Magnolia Crowning Ceremony will be held.

This event, which will be held at the local branch of the HCC, is open to the public, Blackledge said.

Preliminary competitions for the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant will be held June 2-3 and tickets are $25 for each night. The final round of competition and crowning will be held on June 4 and tickets are $40. All competitions will begin at 8 p.m. at the Vicksburg Auditorium, 901 Monroe St.

Preliminary competitions for the Miss Mississippi Pageant will be held June 22-24 and tickets are $30 for Wednesday and Thursday’s competitions and $40 for Friday. The final round of competition and crowning will be held on June 25 and tickets are $50. All competitions will begin at 8 p.m. at Vicksburg Convention Center, 1600 Mulberry St.

For more information or tickets, call 601-638-6746 or visit missmississippipageant.com.