VIENNA, W.Va. (WTAP) – Nearly 30 children compete in Vienna event to support queen’s expenses.
The Parkersburg Homecoming Festival Pageant director hosted its annual Christmas fundraising pageant Sunday Nov. 16, with 30 contestants ages zero to nine.
Alexis Martin, pageant director and secretary for the Parkersburg Homecoming Board, coordinated the event to raise money for the homecoming festival pageant.
“I think it turned out great, we had almost 30 contestants come today,” Martin said. “I think it’s always great to see parents bringing their kids and kids getting the opportunity to get up on stage and, you know, kind of build that self confidence at a young age.”
The Parkersburg Homecoming Queen’s Pageant is self funded, according to Martin.
She typically hosts two fundraising pageants each year to cover expenses.
“Our queen, Emma, gets to go to the annual West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals Convention,” Martin said. “Doing fundraiser events like this allows me to pay her way to go and compete in that pageant and help with some expenses along the way.”
The 2025 Parkersburg Homecoming Festival Queen Emma Sloan will represent the festival at the West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals Pageant in January.
Teen Callee Fowler and Preteen Caroline McCoy also plan to attend in support.
The homecoming queens helped with the Christmas pageant, serving as emcees and crowning winners.
“I enjoyed just getting to watch all the cute little kids come up here and just strut their stuff when they do it,” Fowler said.
Sloan said she enjoyed reading about the contestants in each age groups during her emcee duties.
Martin said she loved seeing the children participating in the Christmas pageant.
“I know that it can take a lot of confidence to get up on stage, and I think we oftentimes don’t think about little, tiny kids needing that kind of boost of self confidence, but they do need it,” Martin said. “I think it is encouraging to them to be able to get up on stage and even if they’re just standing there, waving and smiling, it does help with their confidence.”
Sloan encourages parents to bring their children to pageants at a young age.
“I think it is for them to get a step in the right direction and know what they’re doing at a younger age,” Sloan said. “I started whenever I was a teenager, so I felt like I was a little inexperienced compared to everybody else.”
The 2026 Parkersburg Homecoming Queen Pageant will take place at West Virginia University at Parkersburg, with organizers hoping to schedule it in April.
Updates will be posted on the Parkersburg Homecoming Festival Pageant Facebook page.
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