Classics, convertibles and crowns traveled Washington Street Monday as the contestants for Miss Mississippi introduced themselves to the city of Vicksburg.

About 300 people lined the sidewalks of downtown Vicksburg to watch as the potential Miss Mississippi 2016 passed by riding perched on the rear of a collection of convertibles – classic cars, Corvettes and other sports and passenger cars.

Many carried placards, flags and fans bearing photos and the names of their favorite contestant. The spectators spent the parade in any shady spot they could find to protect themselves from the sun and the heat, and most dressed in anticipation of warm weather.

Some contestants provided their own way of drawing attention with signs on the sides of their chariots and enthusiastic waves. The Hinds Community College Hi Steppers and music preceded the car carrying Courtney Helom, Miss Hinds Community College.

One enthusiastic spectator was 3-year-old Vida Mixon, who was dressed in her own gown with a crown on her head as she stood with her mother, Lindsay, as they waved to the queens.

“She wants to be a princess one day,” her mother said, “she loves pretty dresses.”

Her mother said this was Vida’s third parade.

“We try to make it every year,” she said.

Other spectators had more personal reasons.

Janice Faust of Greenwood and Vicki Harmon of New Orleans were carrying fans with a picture of Katie Sims, Miss Madison Metro, as they crossed Washington Street to take the positions on the route.

“Our granddaughters are Katie’s princesses,” Harmon said.

Sims’ mother, Karen Sims, said this was her’s and her daughter’s second trip to Miss Mississippi.

“She was Miss William Carey last year,” she said.

“This is just a wonderful experience,” Faust said.

Not far away, Wendy Ford of Brandon, whose daughter Stella Ford was recently named Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen, was relaxing in a chair along with her mother, Portia Ford, waiting for her daughter to pass by.

“This is our first time and we are all very excited,” she said.

Cindy Judge of Jacksonville, Ala., made the drive from Alabama to watch her daughter, Allison Judge, Miss Jones County, participate in the parade and the pageant. She said the family was originally from Ocean Springs, but were forced to leave after Hurricane Katrina. Her daughter, she said, attends Millsaps College.

“This is our second year,” she said, “And I’m so excited because our friends drove all the way from Jacksonville so Allison could ride in their convertible, a 1958 Chevrolet Impala, in the parade.”

Anthony and Tonya Shaw of Byram had one of the younger participants in the parade. Their 7-year-old daughter, Ava, is a princess for Cortise Brianna Brown, Miss Coahoma County.

“This our first year,” Anthony Shaw said. “We’ve never been to a parade.”

“This was something she wanted to do,” his wife said. “She wanted to be a princess. We’re going to be here all week with her.”

Claire Parsons of Brandon was waiting on her grandniece, Macy Mitchell, Miss USM, and turning a fan with Mitchell’s picture back and forth.

“This really exciting,” she said. “This is a marvelous town.” She added she will be traveling back and forth to Vicksburg during the pageant.”

Shelley Tingle, an engineer at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering Research and Development Center, stepped out of her technical mode and into mom mode as she waited for her daughter, Emily, Miss Warren County.

“She just graduated from Warren Central High School, so she’s 18,” she said. “We’re very new to pageants, and it’s been a very good learning experience. Miss Mississippi is the fifth pageant she’s been in and it’s been a life growing experience.”