Fall is right around the corner, and so is the annual Swedish Fest Pageant scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. in Thorsby.

Registration will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11 at Helen Jenkins Chapel across from Thorsby High School.

The entrance fee is $55 per person, and contestants (ages 2-19) need to bring two wallet-size photographs, preferably headshots, to registration.

Pageant festivities will begin Monday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. with the Tiny Miss (ages 2-4) and Little Miss (ages 5-7) pageants, as well as a new photogenic competition for contestants ages birth to 2 years who are too young to compete in the pageant.

“We haven’t done this before,” said Marika Porter, a contact for the Swedish Fest pageants. “This is the first time we’ve offered babies to have a little part in it.”

The entrance fee for Baby Miss Photogenic is $20, and the winner will be announced on stage Oct. 10.

Young Miss (ages 8-11), Junior Miss (ages 12-15) and Miss Swedish Fest (ages 16-19) will compete on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m.

Porter said each group will have an opening number and an evening gown competition, and the Junior Miss and Miss Swedish Fest contestants will also have a one-minute, individual meet-and-greet with the judges, who will then select a “first impression” winner.

In addition, the judges will select one Miss Photogenic winner and four alternates from each age group.

Contestants will not be judged on their performances in the opening number.

“Each queen that is chosen represents Thorsby,” Porter said. “This year’s queens will meet the governor.”

The Swedish Fest queens will also lead the parade for the Swedish Festival on Saturday, Oct. 15, and they will be introduced to the festival crowd at Richard M. Wood Memorial Park.

Porter said Miss Swedish Fest will receive a $1,000 scholarship for tuition at the school of her choice.

All other queens will receive a monogrammed sash, a crown, flowers, a scepter and a rhinestone crown pin.

For more information, call Marika Porter at (205) 287-1263.