Miss Apple Festival Scholarship Pageant

Sunday, September 18, 2022 2:00PM - 5:00PM

2021 Miss Apple Festival Isabela Cerrato

Sponsored in the pageant last year by Mandy Korando of Glam Salon, Queen Isabela was a busy high school student playing soccer and cheering for the Murphysboro Red Devils when she was crowned Miss Apple Festival.
A 2021 graduate of Murphysboro High School, she is currently pursuing a degree in Biological Sciences and Physiology Education at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. SIU awarded her the University Excellence Scholarship and the Blake Family Foundation Scholarship.
As a little girl, Isabela remembers September being her favorite time of the year because of the festival. She loves everything Apple Festival, from the pies and cider to the craft fair, rides, and grand parade. She has always been excited to see who the new queen would be and never dreamed that one day she would be standing in the shoes (or heels) of the girls she looked up to for most of her life. Most of all, she says, “I love seeing our community come together and celebrate something we all share - the love for our little hometown of Murphysboro. I will miss my reign and the amazing memories and conversations I have shared, but I am so happy I was able to play a major role in my favorite time of the year!”

Isabela is the daughter of Carlos & Diane Cerrato

The Miss Apple Festival Scholarship Pageant is one of the oldest and longest-running events of the Murphysboro Apple Festival. Each year, one young lady is chosen to represent Murphysboro and the Apple Festival at several events all across Southern Illinois. THOUSANDS of dollars in scholarship money is awarded every year as well as many other gifts. All contestants attend and participate in several events during the Festival, including the Queen's Tea, Apple Pie Eating Contest, and Grand Parade.

*2021 Queen contestants pose with 2019-2020 Queen Connor McBride for a photo op before the Grand Parade*.

NEW FOR 2022: TWO NEW SCHOLARSHIPS!

In 2021, the following scholarships were awarded to the top three contestants:

$3,500 awarded to the Queen
$1,000 awarded to the 1st Runner-Up
$800 awarded to the 2nd Runner-Up

This year, we will be awarding two additional scholarships!

$200 Miss Congeniality prize, provided by White House Salon
$200 Miss Photogenic prize, provided by Dr. Lindsey Ingle, The Smile Place of Murphysboro

The Miss Photogenic prize is voted on by you, the public! The contestant with the most votes after the contest has ended will be named Miss Photogenic and be awarded the prize.
Click HERE to be taken to the voting page (VOTING IS NOW CLOSED).
*NOTE: Voting is free. You may only vote one time for one contestant. Email verification is required to vote. Email addresses collected will only be used for verification purposes.*

*Queen Connor crowns Queen Isabela at the conclusion of the 2021 Miss Apple Festival Scholarship Pageant with First Runner-Up, Ashley Jarrett (R), and Second Runner-Up, Alara Pfeaster (L).*

Tickets for the Miss Apple Festival Scholarship Pageant are $8.00 and are on sale August 24th, available to purchase online through Eventbrite. Buy early and pick your own seats! Any unsold seats will be available for purchase at the door.
Click HERE to purchase tickets through Eventbrite (now closed)

2022 Miss Apple Festival
Savannah Neef

2022 Miss Apple Festival Contestants

Click on each photo to enlarge
Click HERE to vote in the Miss Photogenic contest!
VOTING IS NOW CLOSED!

Alara Pfeaster, 20
Murphysboro
Sponsored by Small Town Scoop

Brought to you by

MISS APPLE FESTIVAL PAGEANT

WHERE: Murphysboro High School Performing Arts Center

WHEN: Sunday, September 18, 2022, at 2:00 PM

EVENT CHAIRS: Gaye Youngman, Patty Thrailkill, Jessica White, & Kelly Lattan

NOTE THE DATE, TIME & LOCATION CHANGE FOR 2022!

Tickets are $8 and are available to purchase through Eventbrite starting 8/24. They will also be available to purchase at the door.

Click HERE to purchase tickets through Eventbrite
Sales are now closed!

~~Click HERE to register online to be a Queen Contestant~~
Registration for 2022 is now closed!

RULES & REGULATIONS

Contestant must be female and a permanent resident of Jackson County, or be a student or graduate of a Jackson County high school at the time of application.
Contestant shall not be younger than 17 (seventeen) or older than 20 (twenty) years of age at the time of the pageant. Contestants younger than 18 (eighteen) years of age must have the written consent of a parent/guardian.
Contestant/Reigning Miss Apple Festival must be single, never married, never divorced, not had a marriage annulled, never pregnant, nor given birth to a child, and must be of good moral character.
Contestant/Miss Apple Festival may not hold another pageant title at the time of the pageant or during her reign as queen.
Contestant agrees to have photographs taken at the discretion of the Murphysboro Apple Festival and Queen's Committee. It is understood that these photographs may be used in any manner related to the Murphysboro Apple Festival.
The contestant chosen at the 2022 Miss Apple Festival agrees to be available to reign over the 2023 Murphysboro Apple Festival and make all personal appearances arranged by the Murphysboro Apple Festival Committee.
If for any reason the winning contestant becomes incapable of performing her duties or is deemed ineligible according to the rules and regulations outlined here, at the discretion of the Murphysboro Apple Festival, she will relinquish her title and remaining scholarship money. The runner-up will then be named Miss Apple Festival, provided she is qualified. In the event the runner-up is not qualified to serve as Miss Apple Festival, the Murphysboro Apple Festival reserves the right to use the immediate past Miss Apple Festival to fulfill the duties of Queen.
Winning contestants must provide proof of enrollment at a college or university to the Murphysboro Apple Festival to receive scholarship money. The scholarship will be paid upon completion of her reign as Queen.
Contestants will be judged in these areas of competition: swimsuit, evening gown, private interview, and on-stage speaking.
Contestants must have a sponsor for the pageant. The sponsor's fee is $100 and contestants may only have one sponsor.
The decision of the judges is final.
The Murphysboro Apple Festival reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.

Click below to download a copy of these rules with a paper application form