Executive Director: Miss Mississippi events moving forward

Published 3:17 pm Tuesday, January 5, 2021

In 2020, the Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen Pageant and the Miss Mississippi Competition were canceled because of worries about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Contestants vying for those titles were given the option to compete in 2021 and title holders were allowed to continue their reign.

Following a board meeting Monday, and with the pandemic continuing to be a concern, the Miss Mississippi Board of Directors announced they are moving forward with both competitions.

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“At this time, we are doing the teen competition in April and the Miss competition in June,” Miss Mississippi Pageant Executive Director David Blackledge said.

But depending on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Miss Mississippi Outstanding Teen Pageant could “possibly change,” he said.

While both pageants are scheduled to take place in Vicksburg, Blackledge said the orientation weekend, normally held each February for both competitions, will not take place.

“With so much uncertainty, we are going to do a virtual orientation on March 6,” he said.

However, if needed, Blackledge said, there was a possibility the Miss Mississippi contestants will come to Vicksburg.

During the orientation, participants receive information on what it will be like during the competition, costuming and what to expect during the week of competition. Orientation also provides participants in both competitions, as well as the Miss Mississippi Belles and Beaus, to learn the choreography for each production.

Instead of learning that choreography in person, Blackledge said those participating would be sent videos to learn from before coming to Vicksburg for final rehearsals.

The cancellation of last year’s events was not only a blow to organizers and participants, but to the local economy as well. It is estimated that canceling the events cost the local economy an estimated $2.35 million.

The dates set for the MMOT Pageant are April 24-25 and for the Miss Mississippi Competition June 23-26.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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