Young women across Harrison County have the opportunity to represent their community and compete for scholarship money through the 2027 Miss Hospitality program.
Harrison County Miss Hospitality is accepting contestants for its local pageant, scheduled for January. Participants will compete in interviews, speeches and onstage competitions.
Mississippi’s Miss Hospitality is a statewide program dating back to 1949 with the goal of promoting tourism and economic development in participating counties. The program also provides young women with opportunities to earn scholarships and develop leadership skills.
Harrison County Miss Hospitality producer and director Lynn Gauvreau-Fortner said mentoring young women is an important part of her role.
“That’s my goal is to try to train a girl and be able to give her all the experience and the wisdom that I’ve learned,” Gauvreau-Fortner said. “I have many mentors in my past that I’m so appreciative (of).”
Gauvreau-Fortner moved to Biloxi after living in Canada for more than 22 years. She has 30 years of experience in pageantry and the modeling industry and 10 years of experience in social services. She now mentors and trains the local winner as she prepares to represent Harrison County at the state finals in Hattiesburg in July 2027.
“It’s just a year I have her for and then I have a new girl the next year and then you grow, so it always evolves,” Gauvreau-Fortner said.
Applicants must be unmarried female Harrison County residents ages 18 to 24 with no children.
“When you win the finals in Hattiesburg, you receive a $10,000 scholarship that could go towards your current schooling or your student loans,” Gauvreau-Fortner said.
Gauvreau-Fortner hopes to have delegates selected by Dec. 31 so she can produce the local pageant in January.
“I just want to mentor young girls, and I used to do that back home, and I think that was my calling,” Gauvreau-Fortner said. “It made me so happy that I could see someone and know that I helped a little bit in their journey towards (their) career.”
For more information, contact Gauvreau-Fortner at [email protected].
