Duane Hicks
Who will be the 2017 Mini-King and Mini-Queen?
Registration now is open for this year’s mini-king and mini-queen contest, which will take place July 1 at 1 p.m. on the “Fun in the Sun” stage at Point Park.
Organizer Melissa Gushulak noted the contest is open to boys and girls aged four-seven (as of July 1).
She will accept five boys and five girls for the contest.
There is a $5 registration fee to enter, but each contestant will get a goody bag with prizes.
To register, call Gushulak at 275-8526 or contact her via Facebook.
The deadline to enter is 4 p.m. next Wednesday (June 21).
The deadline will be extended if Gushulak doesn’t have all 10 spots filled.
As in past years, each child will be asked a few simple questions (i.e., where they go to school, names of pets, their favourite activities, etc.), with judges choosing the winners.
“It’s not a competition or anything, it’s just for fun,” Gushulak stressed.
“Cuteness overload, basically.”
The mini-king and mini-queen will receive a crown, banner, and a prize in addition to the goody bag all the contestants receive.
The mini-royalty also will have the honour of taking part in parades and other special events throughout the year, although the level of participation is entirely up to their parents, noted Gushulak.
Gushulak started running the mini-king pageant in 2007 and then took the reins of both pageants in 2009, accepting the torch from Gloria Wood, who had organized the mini-queen contest for 33 years.
She keeps doing it because she loves children and wants to keep the tradition alive.
“It’s something fun for the kids,” Gushulak enthused.
“And it’s something that’s been around–a lot of things die out in this town and I don’t want to see more stuff go,” she added.
“I want to keep it going as long as possible.
“If the day comes, hopefully I can pass it on to somebody who will continue it,” Gushulak said.
