The Franklin County Watermelon Festival Pageant registration deadline is right around the corner: June 28.

The pageant is hosted by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the beloved Watermelon Festival and is open to girls 0-21 years old.

To register for the July 20 pageant, which crowns the Watermelon Queen, entrants must submit the $45 entry fee and a completed application form, available at www.franklincountychamber.com or by calling 256-332-1760.

To compete in the category for “most photogenic,” contestants should also submit one 8×10 photo.

Chamber director Cassie Medley said girls younger than 10 will not be permitted to wear pageant wear, but girls 10 and older will be permitted to wear pageant wear. The Watermelon Pageant is a “natural pageant,” so makeup should be age appropriate.

Judges will award winners in multiple categories. Each age division will have a queen, first runner-up, second runner-up, most photogenic, prettiest dress, prettiest smile and prettiest hair. The age divisions are 0-11 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3-4 years, 5-6 years, 7-9 years, 10-13 years, 14-17 years and 18-21 years.

Pageant participants will receive a pageant T-shirt and a participation medal. The queen in each age division will receive a crown. Queens will be presented at the Watermelon Festival Opening Ceremony Aug. 16 and at the Historic Roxy Theatre Aug. 17. The Watermelon Festival Queen, from the 18-21 age division, will be responsible for cutting the first watermelon at the opening ceremony; awarding prizes in the melon contests; riding in the Russellville Christmas Parade Dec. 5 and crowning the 2020 Watermelon Festival Queen.

The pageant will be held at Russellville City Schools Auditorium. Admission will be $5.

Registration deadline is June 28 by 4:30 p.m.