How to Stage a Beauty Pageant

The concept of a beauty pageant or beauty contest dates back over 200 years. It was P.T. Barnum, the renowned showman, who designed the modern-day beauty pageant, often staging competitions where audience members would decide on the prettiest contestant. Today, beauty pageants are likely to judge contestants on more than just looks. Planning such events can be arduous and time-consuming. However, with proper preparation and a hard-working staff, your beauty pageant can turn out to be a successful event.

Instructions

• Put together committees made up of people who will help plan the event. The size of each committee may vary based on the responsibility given to each committee. For instance, the planning committee may consist of as many as five people; whereas, the fashion and design committee may only have three members. Each committee should be given a set of responsibilities. Assign each committee a chairperson to manage the responsibilities. Hold regular meetings with all the chairpersons to assess how each committee is performing.
• Find a venue. This may be a responsibility of one of the committees. Look for a place that can accommodate the demands of a beauty pageant, such as a stage, audience seating and a private area where contestants can to get ready to perform. Attractive venues may include a ball room, a church and an auditorium.
• Plan the pageant around a theme. This is a responsibility of the planning committee. Members should decide on a collective theme that suits the nature of the beauty pageant. For instance, if this is a church-sponsored event, consider choosing a religious theme. If this is a pageant for preteens, consider a theme appropriate for children under the age of 13. Decorations should also match the theme and be age appropriate.
• Draft a set of rules for all beauty pageants to abide by. Consider a dress policy as well as behavior regulations and grounds for disqualification. There should be a set of regulations that govern each contest of the pageant. Various contests may include swimsuit, formal wear, talent show and an interview section. When writing rules, committee members should consider contestant expectations. For instance, should contestants be given a time limit during the talent show? What is appropriate dress for the swimsuit contest? How will the interview section be conducted?
• Finance the beauty pageant. You may decide to finance the event out-of-pocket and recoup expenses from profits earned. If the beauty pageant is performed annually, you may have access to funds left over from previous years. The possibility of sponsors may also offer some finance options. Offer advertisement to local businesses in exchange for donations to go towards the cost of the beauty pageant.
• Hire workers to help run the beauty pageant. Depending on the size of the pageant, this may include several dozens of people. You need an administrative staff to help file records, a set-up crew to help decorate the venue, a cleaning crew to handle maintenance, a support staff to assist contestants, a judge’s panel and at least one host or emcee.
• Advertise your event to attract contestants. Decide how to attract potential candidates for your beauty pageant. Advertise in local newspapers, distribute fliers and encourage word-of-mouth advertising. Include the theme, venue, date and time, prizes, entry requirements and other interesting details concerning the pageant.
• Interview the candidates to finalize the participants of the beauty pageant. Unless your beauty pageant is going to accept every applicant, design a method to select contestants. Ask contestants to include a profile with their application. Profiles may include pictures, lists of talents and accomplishments and a statement of interest. Conduct personal interviews with applicants that stand out. Narrow your candidate list to the number of contestants you want to participate in the pageant.
• Offer training sessions to the contestants. During the personal interview stage, you may notice that some of your contestants need help getting ready for the pageant. In this case, you may want to offer training sessions to help ensure a great show. On the other hand, you may not want the extra responsibility and expenses that come with training contestants. If that is the case, notify contestants that they are responsible for their own presentations.
• Meet with committee members at least three days before the date of the pageant. Ensure that all staff members are aware of their responsibilities on the date of the pageant. Conduct practice sessions designed to go through each stage of the beauty pageant. Stage the beauty pageant on the predetermined date.