Rabbit Fest Pageant adds new features for 2016 contest

By DAVID MORRIS 

Cove Leader-Press

 

Rabbitfestpageant.com has been live for just over two weeks and immediately began netting applications for the 2016 Rabbit Fest Scholarship Pageant. The addition of the website is only one of several changes the pageant will undergo during its third year since returning to the annual festival for Copperas Cove. With the pageant making the move to Lea Ledger Auditorium, the contestants will have a grand stage to compete on, the audience will be welcomed to an opening musical performance and new décor will grace the stage as the pageant will be themed “Simply the Best!”.

 

“The website is something new for our contestants,” Pageant director Wendy Sledd said. “It is an easier process for them because they do not have to make a trip to the chamber and can sign up from the comfort of their homes. For those not comfortable making an online payment, they can still drop their entry fee off at the chamber with a copy of their pageant registration.”

 

Now in the third year, the pageant committee has developed more relationships with the business community of Copperas Cove, adding McDonald’s, Jersey Mike’s, AI United Insurance Agency, Crossfit, Extraco Banks, Cove Total Dental and Glass House to the list of sponsors that help make up more than $75,000 in scholarship monies and prizes.

 

“It would be our goal, as is with any business, to grow and improve every year. Although the pageant is not a business and we are all volunteers, we do make every attempt to run the program professionally as a business would do,” said Sledd. “With the move of the pageant to the auditorium, we now have the stage space to really put on a show and present a fabulous opening number which will be choreographed by the newly crowned national cheer champions, GymKix.”

 

Another addition to the festivities this year include a full-color program book that will allow contestants’ families to have a keepsake from the event in addition to the custom medal that every contestant receives.

 

“This year’s new crown is truly reflective of the City of Cove and Rabbit Fest which the titleholders work tirelessly to represent,” said Sledd. “It takes several volunteers to make the pageant happen. This year, we are in a much larger venue, which requires five times the number of volunteers to facilitate the event. Also, when you have not done something before, you take a risk in realizing you do not know how it will turn out and for us, any mistake is public. But, we are all volunteers giving our heart and soul to this program and can only do our very best.”

 

Combining for more than 10,000 hours of community service since the return of the pageant in 2014 the royalty will turn their crowns over May 14 to a new set of title holders who will bring with them new platforms of service for their year of reign.

 

“As we did last year, we have some amazing titleholders but also some amazing families,” said Sledd. “No doubt, I will cry when I hug these titleholders in their crowns one last time. We are truly like family because we have spent so much time together this year. I cried for my titleholders last year and still consider them family and always will!”

 

The pageant is open to boys 0-8 years and girls/women of all ages from 0-50+ years. Discounted early registration ends today; however, the registration is open until April 30 and late registration is set from May 1-10.

 

Prize packages for titleholders include: educational savings bond, custom-made Rabbit Fest Scholarship Pageant rhinestone crowns for girls and velvet and gold trimmed crowns, scepters and kings’ robes for boys, double-satin embroidered Rabbit Fest Scholarship Pageant banner trimmed in rhinestones, trophy, bouquet of live flowers for queens/boutonnieres for kings, Rabbit Fest Scholarship Pageant protective crown box, Rabbit Fest Scholarship Pageant travel dress bag personalized with pageant title, Rabbit Fest Scholarship Pageant personalized velvet banner pouch for traveling, 31 Gifts backpack embroidered with pageant title, Official Rabbit Fest Scholarship Pageant glitter shirt, official Photo Shoot, family gym membership.

 

For a complete listing of the prize packages, rules and registration information, visit www.rabbitfestpageant.com