The Little Miss Mathews Pageant will return to Mathews this year under the auspices of Mathews Market Days and the Court House Players theater group. It will be held beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Harry M. Ward Auditorium at Mathews High School.

Twenty-four young ladies from Mathews County ages 3-18 will be competing, said a press release. The competition has been subdivided into three age groups: Little Miss for ages 3-6, Junior Miss for ages 7-12, and Miss Mathews for ages 13-18.

This year’s judges are Regina South, Mary VanFossen and Casey Pisarek. Christina Amaral will be Master of Ceremonies. Melody Barnes is the pageant committee chair.

“In partnership with the Court House Players, we wanted to make this an opportunity for our contestants to shine and share what they are most proud of instead of a traditional beauty pageant based on glamour,” said Market Days chair Jennifer Roahrig.

Roahrig explained that, while each contestant will have the opportunity to share their talent with the audience, some girls will be “leaning on each other and lifting each other up in performances together instead of competing against each other.”

The pageant is free to attend, but donations will be appreciated. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.