This weekend, the Saenger Theater in downtown Hattiesburg will be hosting the 75th Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition, where over 40 young women from various hometowns across the state will be participating.
Kristen Brock, the program director of Mississippi Miss Hospitality, emphasized the significance of tourism and economic growth for the state’s future. She expressed her excitement for the upcoming event, which will highlight the accomplishments and community service of the emerging leaders. The program also places a high priority on retaining the exceptional talent of its contestants and is proud to offer the largest scholarship opportunities in its history.
The stage will light up with 42 contestants displaying their finest talents at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. The winner of the competition will be revealed after Saturday’s event. Unfortunately, tickets to the live shows are already sold out. However, fans can still catch the action by tuning in to the competition’s Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as misshospitality.net where the show will be live-streamed.
Saturday’s event will kick off by revealing the Top 10 contestants.
Abney Grace Pittman, a junior at the University of Mississippi and a Wayne County native, won last year’s competition. She is the daughter of Ricky and Amy Pittman, as well as Sandy Pittman, and is a proud member of Kappa Delta sorority. Abney is pursuing a major in communication sciences and disorders, with a minor in gerontology and marketing. She has plans to attend graduate school to specialize in speech/language pathology.
This year’s Mississippi Miss Hospitality will be crowned by Pittman.
On Sunday, participants from across the state made their way to the Hub City to kick off a week of activities. These activities include rehearsing for the weekend program, networking with fellow members of the organization, and engaging in community outreach.
The public is invited to an autograph party at Turtle Creek Mall from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, where contestants for Mississippi Miss Hospitality and their Little Misses will be present. Admission is free for all.
Contestants in the competition week had a chance to participate in a social media challenge featuring posts that highlighted their hometowns and journeys to the competition. These posts were both informative and entertaining, and the winner of the challenge is set to receive an additional scholarship. To view all the posts, simply search for the hashtag #MSHosp2024 on Instagram and Facebook.
As Mississippi’s ambassador for economic development and tourism, the winner of the competition will hold a significant role. The contestants will have a chance to win more than $100,000 in scholarship money, including a cash prize of $25,000 for the winner. The Mississippi Miss Hospitality contest also includes a Little Miss Hospitality component, where participants are encouraged to mentor a young girl from their hometown. The crowned Mississippi Miss Hospitality will have the honor of having her Little Miss serving alongside her in fulfilling her responsibilities as the state’s Goodwill Ambassador.
The Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition is sponsored by VisitHattiesburg and presented by esteemed organizations such as the Mississippi Development Authority, University of Southern Mississippi, city of Hattiesburg, Hattiesburg Saenger Theater, and Forrest General Hospital. Through their generous patronage, these organizations sponsor the scholarships for the competition.
Marlo Dorsey, the executive director of Mississippi Miss Hospitality, expressed her excitement in hosting the Diamond Jubilee competition in Hattiesburg for these talented women, their Little Misses, and their supporters. She finds their love for their community and state to be tremendously inspiring and looks forward to witnessing their growth and leadership development in the years to come.
Miss Hospitality week contributes a significant economic impact of around $450,000 to the Hattiesburg area economy every year. This program attracts visitors who choose to stay in local hotels, dine in local restaurants, explore tourist attractions and shop at local retail stores.
