MARYSVILLE — The All-American Girl Pageant is making its return to the Marysville area Oct. 2.

Marysville’s Monica Berginc, who was a preliminary pageant director when the All-American Girl Pageant was last conducted in Marysville Feb. 27, has since been promoted to the pageant’s Washington state director.

“On a national level, the pageant is spreading out to a number of new states,” Berginc said. “We hope that we’ll eventually be truly ‘All-American.'”

In the meantime, Berginc is once again inviting area contestants of all ages to try out for the Oct. 2 preliminary pageant, which will be hosted by the Marysville Holiday Inn Express located at 8606 36th Ave. NE. This year’s age categories include:

• Baby Miss for 0-2 years old.

• Tiny Miss for 3-4 years old.

• Mini Miss for 5-6 years old.

• Little Miss for 7-9 years old.

• Young Miss for 10-12 years old.

• Junior Teen Miss for 13-15 years old.

• Teen Miss for 16-18 years old.

• Miss for 19-26 years old.

• Ms. and Mrs. for 27 years and older.

All contestants will be judged through interviews, personal introductions and modeling of casual wear and party dresses or evening gowns. Contestants from 0-4 years old will also be competing in the “Playtime” category. Talents are not required, although an optional talent division will be available for those with skills they wish to show off.

“A lot of people see pageants in a negative light,” said Berginc, whose daughters have competed in and served as ambassadors for the All-American Girl Pageant. “They think of shows like ‘Toddlers & Tiaras,’ and girls wearing tons of makeup and gowns weighing 70 pounds each. By contrast, we see ourselves as a youth development group that puts on pageants. Our girls are active in the community, they wear little to no makeup while modeling and none during their interviews, and the interviews themselves teach them how to speak professionally and in public.”

The Oct. 2 Marysville preliminary pageant’s registration and practice starts at 9 a.m., with interviews following at 10 a.m. The deadline to apply for the pageant, to avoid a $25 late fee, is Sept. 30. Entry forms should be mailed to Monica Berginc c/o All-American Girl Pageant, 9021 76th Ave. NE, Marysville, WA 98270. To obtain entry forms or for more information, call Berginc at 360-386-8388.