DOWAGIAC — The city’s newest royalty will be crowned this Saturday during the 79th annual Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant.

The show will be at 7 p.m. at the Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center 57072 Riverside Drive. Tickets cost $15, and may be purchased from the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce office, located inside the historic downtown train depot, at 200 Depot Drive.

Pageant Director Jessica (Cuthbert) Voldrich, who served as Miss Dowagiac in 2002, selected the theme of “Fearless” for the upcoming event, hosted in part by the Chamber of Commerce.

“Whether it is small and insignificant or very real and worrisome, fear is a part of everyone’s life,” Voldrich said. “My hope is that these young women will realize they have the ability to overcome life’s challenges and obstacles, which threaten to hold them back. Fear has a way of paralyzing us. While we may never be fearless, we can learn how to fear less.”

Michelle Stambaugh, owner of Mud-Luscious, will bring this concept to life on stage with a modern chic approach of brick, metal and bling.

“As a décor anchor, the wings you see on stage, will symbolize taking flight to overcome our fears,” Voldrich said.

For Voldrich, her favorite part of directing the Dowagiac pageant is the opportunity to pour into the lives of these young women.

“What a privilege it is to walk alongside Miss Dowagiac 2017 Emily Dodd and our wonderful contestants, as they experience this once-in-a-lifetime moment. Each year we have contestants who bring new life to our annual pageant. This is what makes the experience so entertaining and worthwhile.”

Going into year two as the director of the annual pageant, Voldrich said she is even more aware of the amazing volunteers and the generosity of so many who make the Dowagiac pageant possible. Fourteen corporate advertisers and more than 70 gift and scholarship donors contributed to this year’s pageant, as well as Brian DeLong, owner of The Business Center of Southwestern Michigan, who provides in-kind float storage.

As a long-standing tradition, the Dowagiac pageant awards college scholarships to members of the Court of Honor and also affords Miss Dowagiac the opportunity to enter preliminary competitions to the Miss Michigan/America or Miss Michigan/USA pageants. Nearly $69,000 in scholarships have been awarded by the Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant and the tradition continues this Saturday, as the pageant will award $8,500 worth of scholarship dollars to winners.