There’s still two weeks until the 3rd annual Turlock Melon Carnival, but the participants in the 2026 Miss Melon pageant put on a pre-carnival talent show on Friday at the Carnegie Arts Center.

The Miss Melon pageant was one of the activities of the original Turlock Melon Carnival in 1911 that was rekindled when the carnival returned in 2023. For the past two years, the Miss Melon pageant was a one-day affair, but this year organizers have expanded the contest to include events like the talent show, as well as more community involvement opportunities.

“We added a public speaking element. They actually are attending city council meetings so they can be more civic-minded,” said pageant co-director McKenzie Anderson.

Anderson said along with getting the young ladies and women more involvement in their community, that the idea is to get the contestants comfortable with speaking in front of people.

“It’s kind of nice to bring back that tradition and add a new spin on it,” she said.

Friday’s event was not a run-of-the-mill talent show.

The contestants range in age from five to 70, with five different pageant divisions – Little Miss Melon (5-9), Junior Miss Melon (10-14), Miss Melon (15-19), Ms. Melon (20-30), Legacy Ms. Melon (30-plus).

The talents on display Friday included cake decorating, singing, painting, roller skating, a flag routine — and a baton twirling display from Legacy Ms. Melon contestant Gracie Olesen.

Olesen said she is competing this year because she promised her great granddaughter she would participate with her in the pageant.

“It is really fun. I mean, it’s a workout, especially at the age of 70. But it’s really fun,” said Olesen, who brought out her majorette skills from the Turlock Junior Band and Turlock High School days for Friday’s talent show.

The 2026 Miss Melon contestants are:

Little Miss Melon — Charlotte Provencio, 7; Amelia “Millie” Clausen, 7; Audrey Nelson, 7; Amorah Maldonado, 5; Scarlett Stout, 8

Junior Miss Melon — Madelyn Setzer, 10; Lilah Belle Santana, 10; Hailey Cooper, 12; Eleanor Stout, 10

Teen Miss Melon — Narinder Mann, 16; Isabella Kilbride, 15

Miss Melon — Melissa Lopez

Legacy Miss Melon — Gracie Olesen

The Miss Melon Pageant will be held on Sept. 19 during the Melon Carnival in downtown Turlock. The carnival will run from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sept. 19 and 11 a.m. to 4 pm. Sunday. For details about the event lineup, visit: https://turlockmeloncarnival.com/