BEHIND THE GLAMOUR:
PUTTING ON A PAGEANT
From the stage to behind the scenes, Darlene Thompson, director of the Benton County Fair Pageants, has seen it all
By Karen Rice
For over 60 years, the Benton County Fair Pageant has become a fixture of the fair and a much anticipated event in Northwest Arkansas. Behind the formal gowns and glittering crowns, there is a lot of hard work and planning that goes into the pageant each year, all designed to make the pageant experience fun and educational for the contestants and entertaining for the public at large.
Thompson has experienced the pageant world both as a winner and now as the person in charge.
“ While pageants weren’ t always in my life, when I did my first in 2017 – the Teen / Miss Gravette Day Pageant – I fell in love and knew it’ d be something I love for years to come,” she said.“ I grew up in the fair scene, but the pageant world wasn’ t my style until I was in high school. I held the Miss Benton County title in 2019 and 2020. My last year as queen, the former director, Kinsley Hurtt-Morman, asked if I would be willing to take over the fair pageant directorship and I happily said yes. She mentored me in 2021 and helped me learn the behind-the-scenes of the pageant, and I fully took over in 2022.”
Being the pageant director takes much more than one might expect. Thompson is on the job yearround, planning and working with the queens, volunteers, sponsors and fair management overseeing every detail of the pageant. From finding sponsors, volunteers and judges to picking up awards from sponsors, putting together goodie bags, setting up the auditorium, managing social media, ensuring registrations are done properly – it’ s a year-round job. Despite this, Thompson believes it is all worth the energy and passion it requires.
“ I have a chance to have an impact on young girls in the community and give them a platform to go out and make a difference in the community. It brings me joy to see them out supporting the fair at so many different events,” she noted.
The positive benefits of the pageant go beyond what most people imagine, Thompson said.
BEHIND THE GLAMOUR contd. on page 19
2025 BENTON COUNTY FAIR 17 121 Years • 1904-2025