After nearly three decades without a pageant, the Miss FireAnt Festival Pageant returned to Marshall, Texas, on Saturday. Held at the Scottsville Camp and Conference Center, the event welcomed contestants and families from across North Louisiana and East Texas for a day focused on confidence, friendship, and lasting memories.
Community effort revives a beloved tradition
Pageant director Kaitlyn Richard, who once competed in the pageant as a child, said bringing the event back was a meaningful way to revive a tradition that shaped her own childhood. Inspired by a local social‑media post that sparked interest, Richard presented the idea to the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce and began organizing the pageant in August.
With the help of volunteers, sponsors, and local businesses, Richard assembled the pageant in roughly two months. Sponsors such as Pazzeria by Pietros, Signature Cleaning of Waskom, Twisted Pines, and Elevate Photography contributed resources and captured moments from the day.
Queens crowned across age groups
The 2026 Miss FireAnt Festival queens were announced:
- Tiny Miss: Ehlani White, Marshall
- Baby Miss: Evie Comeaux, Minden, LA
- Toddler Miss: Senua Dokupil, Greenville, TX
- Mini Miss: Sawyer Kate Burns, Beckville, TX
- Little Miss: Adaline Abernathy, Waskom, TX
- Deb Miss: Rowan Floyd, Elysian Fields, TX
- Preteen Miss: Amelia Schiele, Waskom, TX
- Junior Miss: Madison Ream, Waskom, TX
- Teen Miss: Lilly Claire Garrison, Benton, LA
The newly crowned queens will return to Marshall next weekend for the FireAnt Festival parade and downtown festivities as part of the 44th annual FireAnt Festival.
Looking ahead
Richard hopes the revived pageant will become a lasting tradition, giving future generations of girls the same opportunity to build confidence and create memories through the FireAnt Festival.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
