Thursday's Internet Edition, August 28, 2008.

Twenty-eight contestants are scheduled to compete in the Miss W.Va. Black Walnut Festival Scholarship Pageant, which will begin at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium.

Spencer singer Andrew Miller will provide entertainment during the pageant and Micah Looney of Gandeeville will sing the national anthem. Adam Anderson will emcee the event.

The 2007 winner, Katie Murray of Ripley, will crown the queen. Murray was selected from a field of 30 hopefuls a year ago.

The official coronation of the new queen and her court will be Thursday, Oct. 9 on the opening day of the 54th annual festival in Spencer.

Miss Roane County will also be chosen during preliminary rounds and announced at the end of the pageant. Emily Shimp of Leroy, now a junior at RCHS, is the reigning Miss Roane County.

Contestants for festival queen must be between the ages of 16 and 21. Miss Roane County contestants are required to be entering their sophomore, junior or senior years at RCHS.

Miss Black Walnut Festival will qualify for the W.Va. Association of Fairs and Festivals Pageant in January. The winner of that pageant will reign during the 2009 W.Va. State Fair in Lewisburg.

Festival officials and scholarship sponsors will also be recognized during the pageant.

Streetwear and evening gown competitions will take place before the field is narrowed to finalists. Interviews and a second evening gown competition will be staged for the remaining contestants.

Along with the queen, court and Miss Roane County, the Miss Congeniality and the Lindsey Mann Miss Photogenic awards will be presented.

Pageant winners will receive scholarships totaling $2,100 as well as prize packages.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for students. There is no admission fee for children under age 5 or for visiting pageant royalty.

Contestants include:

• Maggie Jane Cavender, 15, of Clendenin, a sophomore at RCHS

• Ashley Conley, 17, of Orma, a junior at Calhoun County High School

• Morgan Cottrell, 17, of Spencer, a junior at RCHS

• Anastashia Cottrill, 15, of Spencer, a freshman at RCHS

• Katie Cox, 18, of Spencer, a senior at RCHS

• Heather Crum, 19, of Henderson, a student at Marshall University

• Amanda Dolan, 19, of Spencer, a student at West Virginia University

• Megan Ellis, 18, of Spencer, a senior at RCHS

• Leslie Garrett, 15, of Mt. Zion, a sophomore at Calhoun County High School

• Paige Garrett, 17, of Spencer, a junior at RCHS

• Brittney Hanshaw, 16, of Spencer, a sophomore at RCHS

• Caroline Harris, 18, of Spencer, a senior at RCHS

• Cassandra Heib, 18, of Gallipolis Ferry, a student at Marshall University

• Jessica Hixson, 17, of Glenville, a junior at Gilmer County High School

• Allison Holliday, 16, of Spencer, a sophomore at RCHS

• Whitney Johnson, 16, of Ravenswood, a sophomore at Ravenswood High School

• Callie Jones of Amma, a junior at RCHS

• Meghan Martin, 15, of Spencer, a freshman at RCHS

• Casey Miller, 14, a freshman at RCHS

• Michelle Randolph, 16, a sophomore at RCHS

• Megan Skaggs, 15, of Spencer, a freshman at RCHS

• Vanessa Stearns, 15, a freshman at RCHS

• Carly Stover, 15, of Spencer, a freshman at RCHS

• Annalee Tallman, 18, of Spencer, a senior at RCHS

• Marcie Uhl, 18, of Vienna, a senior at Parkersburg High School

• Jessica Vannoy, 15, of Reedy, a freshman at RCHS

• Anitra Westfall, 16, of Spencer, a sophomore at RCHS

• Gara Whiting, 16, of Spencer, a sophomore at RCHS