The California Garlic Festival has opened applications for the 2024 California Garlic Festival Scholarship Pageant and Prince-Princess Program.
The program is a highlight of the festival, and will take place live during the annual festival at its new home at the Merced County Spring Fairgrounds in Los Banos over Labor Day weekend.
The California Garic Festival had been conducted in Stockton during the last several years.
The expanded program now welcomes children and women of all ages to participate. Contestants in the Scholarship Pageant will have the opportunity to showcase their abilities and vie for prestigious titles and cash scholarships while participants in the non-competitive, recreational Prince & Princess program will each be crowned live on stage by the new festival queens and royal court.
The participant’s age as of Aug. 1 determines their age division. Here are the details for each division:
*New Prince division for boys ages 8 & under will each receive a custom medallion and be named an inaugural Garlic Prince.
*Princess division for girls ages 8 & under will each receive a custom sash, tiara and be named a Garlic Princess.
*New Mini Mr. division for boys ages 9-11 will each receive a custom medallion and be named an inaugural Mini Mr. Garlic.
*Mini Miss division for girls ages 9-11 will each receive a custom sash, tiara and be named a Mini Miss Garlic.
*Teen division for young women ages 12-15 will compete for the title of Teen Miss California Garlic Festival and a $250 cash scholarship.
*Miss Division for young women ages 16-21 who are unmarried and without children will compete for the title of Miss California Garlic Festival and a $1,000 cash scholarship.
*Updated Ms. Division for women ages 18-29 of any marital or maternal status will compete for the title of Ms. California Garlic Festival.
*New Elite Ms. Division for women ages 30-49 will compete for the inaugural title of Elite Ms. California Garlic Festival.
*New Classic Ms. Division for women ages 50+ will compete for the inaugural title of Ms. California Garlic Festival.
Contestants in the pageant will compete in three phases: Fun Fashion (featuring “Boots & Bling” western wear theme), formal wear, and an on-stage interview.
Prince and Princess participants will not compete but will be featured in a show that includes a fun fashion runway with a western theme and on-stage question to help introduce them to the positive aspects of pageantry in a non-competitive setting.
The California Garlic Festival is owned and operated by Noceti Group Inc. The Noceti family also operate an elite motorsport, entertainment and events business that includes the Stockton 99 Speedway, Stockton Dirt Track, Little 99 Go Kart & Motorcycle Racing facility, and San Joaquin Asparagus Festival.
The pageant program is under the direction of Shim Lacy, who also directs the Asparagus Festival pageant.
To be eligible for the pageant, contestants must be a legal resident of the state of California. There is no residency requirement for the prince/ princess program.
The entry fee for the pageant is $75 and the deadline for pageant applications is July 1. The entry fee for the prince/ princess program is $50 and the deadline for those applications is Aug. 1. There is an early bird discount for both programs for entries received by May 15. For complete details and to submit an application, please visit the Pageant tab on the California Garlic Festival official website at
https://www.cagarlicfestival.com/pageant
For inquiries regarding the pageant or princess program, contact: Shim Lacy at 209-518-3915 or
