MARYSVILLE – The April Friesner Memorial Royalty Scholarship Pageant will be March 3 when the royalty court will be named for this year’s Marysville Strawberry Festival.

The show starts at 7 p.m. in the Marysville-Pilchuck High School auditorium, 5611 108th St. Tickets are $10 at the door.

This year’s pageant features 11 young women and a young man who will compete for the senior and junior queen (or king) titles, and accompanying royalty.

The six candidates vying for 2018 queen and two princesses (or a prince) are Emma Burkett, Cassandra Kunselman and Nathan Weller, juniors at Marysville Getchell High School; Katelynn Melohusky and Eleanor Wilde, both seniors at Marysville-Pilchuck High School; and junior Kaitlyn Norris, also from M-P.

For junior royalty queen and princesses, the field includes Emma Butler, Abigail Lewis, Rowynn Gardner and Rachel Turral, who all attend 10th Street Middle School, and Ziri Morales from Marysville Middle School.

The event is the highlight following several public appearances the contestants make before groups such as the City Council, school board and chamber of commerce, where they sharpen their public-speaking skills.

The pageant is a scholarship event where contestants are judged on talent, brief speeches and responses to an impromptu question. Winners are chosen who would best represent Marysville in the coming year as they accompany the parade float at a succession of parades and festivals throughout the Northwest for much of the year. They also make guest appearances at local events, activities, retirement homes and other venues.

The senior queen receives a $5,000 scholarship and two princesses become recipients of $3,500 scholarships. A fourth prize of $500 goes to the recipient of the Bob Klepper Congeniality Award.

For details call 360-659-7664, email maryfest.org@gmail.com or go to www.maryfest.org.