Carnival group holds Jr. pageant

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s the opening of carnival season and one of the big bands is kicking it off with a pageant. This weekend six primary school children will be vying for the title of Little Miss Cultural Heritage. Jacqueline Burgess, public relations officer for the group, says that it’s an event which combines family entertainment and education about Belize.

Jacqueline Burgess, P.R. Officer, Cultural Heritage

“First of all, they’ll be coming out, introducing themselves in their cultural costume to let you know what main culture is in each particular district, then they’ll be moving on to their talent. Normally in a children’s pageant, you don’t normally find talent, but this time the girls decided that they have more to show you than just their beauty and that they can walk a stage. Then they’re going to do their little evening gown, of course, where it’s going to be a little girl back in the colonial days, meaning more culture, and then we’re going to step it up where the carnival section kicks in and it’s time to have fun.

“It’s the first major event for the carnival season where both children and adults can attend at the same time. It gives kids, especially during the summer, especially little girls, something to do that is constructive and be involved and interactive at the same time, where what we are doing is highlighting Belize. We always keep it cultural and we’ve decided to take the six districts of Belize and let each girl represent each district and take it to a point where they will highlight that district to a point where people will know something different at the end of that pageant. That’s why we’re taking it…the theme for this year is “Totally Belizean.”

The pageant starts at seven on Saturday night at Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. Tickets are three dollars for children and five dollars for adults.