About Highlights:
Highlights is a 30 minute weekly TV show featuring organizations, events, grass-roots efforts and people who move our state and community forward in a positive way.
The show is a collaboration with Kanawha County Schools, Optimum Communications and Jim Strawn & Company.
The show airs daily at 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Optimum’s channel 17.
West Virginia Coal Festival Pageant
The show airing April 29, 2024 through May 6, 2024 features the WV Coal Festival Pageant.
We interviewed Elizabeth Clay, co-director, WV Coal Festival Pageant.
She discussed the pageant and what if means to the community, and coal industry and the state of West Virginia.
The WV Coal Festival is held each year in the spring order to prepare their royalty for their responsibilities to the festival and to the town. They expect their representatives to be spokespersons for the town, community and it’s citizens at a statewide level. Through appearances, community service, and activism they encourage the Coal Festival Royalty to emphasize tourism to the lovely town of Madison and dedicate themselves to a year of service to others.
Current Royalty
Click here to learn about the current royalty. From the 2023 WV Coal Festival Pageant.
We talked with 2 current title holders, WV Coal Festival Teen- Kinley Simmons and Mrs. WV Coal Festival- Jessie Mullins.
They both describe the benefits of participating in this pageant and the life-long friendships they fostered.
How to Register
The Queen’s Pageant will be May 18, 2024, at the WV State Museum Theater, aka Culture Center The deadline to enter is May 11, 2024. There are four phases of competition: Interview, Personal Sense of Style in the color black, Evening Gown, and Onstage Question.
The Weekend Warriors will be featured performers during the evening gown portion of the pageant, and you are the emcee! We are also planning to have the girls do a scavenger hunt through the museum after orientation to make the day fun! We encourage ladies that have always wanted to try pageantry to enter this one because we guide you all the way!
The Master of Ceremonies will be Jim Strawn.
Divisions
This pageant has 5 divisions:
Mrs. 18yrs + Married
Ms. 22 yrs +
Queen 16-21yrs
Teen 13-15yrs
Jr. Teen 10-12yrs
The Queen will receive a $1,000 scholarship to UC and the first runner up in that division will win a $500 scholarship. They are giving a $500 cash award and a $500 clothing award to the Queen. They are giving the Teen winner a $250 cash award.
The Queen will have the opportunity to compete, all expenses paid, in the West Virginia Association of Fairs and Festivals Convention in January 2025. During that event, they crown a new State Fair of WV Queen each year!
WV Coal Festival
This is the 30th Anniversary WV Coal Festival. It will take place on June 18-22nd in downtown Madison, WV. It promises to have something for everyone!
Make sure you follow them on FB and Instagram.
And check out the website wvcoalfestival.com. Be looking for entertainment announcements very soon!
