19th Annual Whistlestop Festival in Ashdown this Weekend

The 19th Annual Whistlestop Festival is making its stop in downtown Ashdown, Ark.,. on Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2.

Admission to the festival is free. It's fun for the entire family with entertainment, food and games.

The 8th Annual Miss Whistlestop Pageant will be held on Friday night at Ashdown High School Auditorium. Start Saturday with a 5k run at 8 a.m. or the kids' fun run at 10 a.m. Enjoy entertainment on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the talent hour from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.. Bring your lawn chairs. There will be lots of vendors, children activities, good food and entertainment. Walk around and look at the antique cars and antique tractors. Watch the horseshoe tournament and turtle race. Fun for the entire family! Catfish lunches will also be available.

This is also the official kick-off of the Farmers Market for the season.

For more information visit Little River County online or call the Little River County Chamber of Commerce at 870-565-2758. To enter the pageant or to get a booth space at the festival.

2015 Miss Whistlestop Pageant Rules:

1. Each participant must conduct themselves in a proper manner and portray high moral standards.

2. Every contestant must sell a minimum of 250 raffle tickets. Each raffle ticket is $1. Once signed up for the event, the participant/(parent/guardian) is responsible for both tickets and sales. Tickets must be turned in by noon on the day of the pageant. A full pageant disqualification will occur if not all 250 ticket are sold and/or $250 submitted for ticket sales. All unsold tickets must be returned to a pageant official and accounted for by noon as well in order to avoid a $50.00 fine. This is to ensure there are no unauthorized ticket sale.

3. Each contestant must participate in the appropriate age category.

4. Each contestant may have one parent/guardian and one additional person in the dressing room.

5. It is the parent/guardian's responsibility to ensure that the pageant attire fits properly and is appropriate. The officials are not responsible for slips showing, broken straps, torn hems, damaged or stolen items before-during-or after the pageant. If you bring “it” (dress, shoes, makeup, hair accessories, etc.) you are responsible for it and any mess created.

6. It is the parent/guardian's responsibility to prepare and dress the contestant in the area provided. An official will be available to assist you in anyway possible. However, it is not their responsibility to find the participant or allow extra time. The contestants will be given a warning before their division is ready to proceed to staging.

Contestants must never have been married or pregnant and shall remain unmarried and without child throughout the contestant's reigning year.

Dress Code:

Infant/Baby/Tiny/Little Miss - Short party dress or pageant dress
Petite/Young - Short party dress, pageant dress, tea or floor length dress
Junior/Teen/Miss - Floor length, formal evening, or pageant gown

Photogenic Requirements:

Photos must be less than 1 year old
Photos must depict good, clear, frontal view of the face from the neckline upward
Photos may be in black and white
Photos must be either 4x6, 5x7, or 8x10 in size
Photos will be available for pick up after the pageant

No verbal or physical abuse will be tolerated and no profanity. If any is reported the contestant will be disqualified and will be banned from re-entering the following year. The judging officials will be selected by the staff and their decision is final. The winner of the Miss Whistlestop will receive a $500 tuition waiver to University of Arkansas Cossatot Community College. Entry fees will not be returned for any reason. The winners in each category will need to be present at the 2015 Whistlestop Pageant the following day to assist with the days activities. An itinerary will be provided.

Contact these ladies regarding any comments or questions: Sarah Hinton 479-216-4958 or Lyndi Blanton 903-949-0544.