Pretty Little Princess Pageant review: Starfire Pageeants 44

My daughter did this pageant years ago. It was fun and very well run. She wasn't even a runner up.

I went through the same application process that you probably did. I didn't have any problems. Did you bother to read all the paperwork? There is nothing misleading about it. The website is pretty clear as well. I had a question and called the company directly.

It's really not fair to blame a pageant because you didn't know what you were doing.

It's says right on the website there is an application fee of $20 and and ENTRY FEE of $95 for a total of $115. That's not a stunt or scam. It's there in black and white. YOU are at fault.

Actually Pageant ###, . . oops I mean mom. They didn't start putting the actual application fee out there until this last year. Anyone who has participated in this Before say 2008 (which I did and had the same kind of $20.00 Mail in, and then later receive the information), could not check the website to find out about the heist. The program its self is very nice. Nicely run, and my daught and I had a good time. But the way the pageant goes about louring entrants in is dishonest, and thankfully, seems to be resolved. If you dont believe me about the $95.00 being their all the time, go ahead and call them. you seem really resourceful like that.

You obviously have no idea what you are talking about. My daughter entered this pageant in 2002. The paperwork was the same and the website was EXACTLY the same as it is now, except for the pageant dates/locations. Face it, you didn't read the imformation as carefully as you should have, and you cried SCAM where there was none. Don't get angry at me because I pointed out your stupidity, opps I mean mistake. Don't worry dear, this whole website is full of whiney cry babies that can't read before they sign.

You should try the My Girl USA pageant. There are NO application fees and you only purchase your daughter's sash for community appearances IF she is selected. There are delegates all over the country and they are very active and having many opportunities!

The website for My Girl USA pageant is www.mygirlusa.com

I think "pageantmom" sounds like someone with attitude who works for the company!

As far as not reading before signing up, the mailed application form does not indicate anything about a separate entry fee. As a busy Mom and the type of person who believes you should be able to take things at face value...I thought how cool is this! Of course a $20 fee sounds too good to be true, and it is. It is misleading anyway you slice it. If they wanted to be straight forward about it it would be on the mailer! You would not have to search the web site for the $95 Entry fee. The application is just a way of taking advantage of the busy/naive Mom and making money off thoes who can't afford it. Unfortunately more and more people find this kind of practice acceptable (the norm)...and to you, I ask, WWJD?

OMG!

Pageant Mom does own the pageant! (I am from that area).

It makes sense that she would try to defend her pageant company and its reputation. Sounds like it could be easier to just disclose the true cost of entry to parents and their families in the first place.

Honesy for this pageant would be better. Be straight up about the cost before you get the kiddies all excited. Who wants to disappoint their child?

Miss Shannon B.

I have to agree with teammom. I just received a flyer today and there are no other fees listed except the $20 application fee. They give you the website to download additional applications to give to friends but they give no extra fees in the flyer. They really should be upfront and tell you that there will be an entry fee if you are chosen. Just my thoughts, what do they have to lose? Cindy C.

Hello!

I received a bulk mail flyer in my mail last week too. I am glad I read this before I mailed in $20.

THEY DO NOT LIST ON THE FLYER THE TOTAL COST TO ENTER, JUST $20.

It is dishonest. I am so glad I read these posts today. I didn't know if I was going to enter or not (and this is when I thought it was only $20).

The economy is so bad here, it seems kind of frivilous when my neighbors are losing their jobs...I was on the fence to begin with. This just cemented my decision not to throw away a couple of hundred dollars for an hour and a half.

Donna

TEAMMOM- What are you talking about? Been hitting the sauce, have we? The fact is, I don't own this pageant. My daughter did this pageant when she was about 3, she's now 11(do the math) The prices were just the same then as they are now. I did the pageant in Braintree, MA, but now I live in New Jersey. The pageant isn't based out of NJ. So I don't know why you think I'm the owner. Actually, I think you are trying to bring down this pageant, fo whatever reason. Maybe you're a bitter or maybe this pageant is competition for your own. The fact remains, this pageant is clear about the $20 and the additional $95. Don't blame others when you don't bother to read everything before you sign and please, don't say you're such a busy mom you can't possibly be expected to read everything you sign and pay for. That's just a lame excuse. As for the economy... if you can't afford to lose a measley $20 (due to your inability to read and comprehend), stay away from pageants. They are way to expensive for you anyways!

TO ALL OF YOU:

PAGEANTS ARE OUT-DATED. That's why they are so expensive to enter...nobody wants to do it.

I suggest you gear your girls into a top-notch college (instead of community college due to lack of funds because of this pageant entry fee business)...Self esteem comes from brain-smarts too!

This is ridiculous. It is obvious the demographic of pageant mothers is lower middle class white women with no college education.

Ivy League Mother

Hello,

My name is Carrie Crawford, and I am the owner of Starfire Pageants, Inc. I live in Seattle, Washington, and started the Pretty Little Princess Pageant 16 years ago. I am not Pageantmom...nor is she me or one of my employees. If you'd like to contact me to verify the validity of this posting, my email address is carriecrawford@comcast.net.

I think the Internet can be a valuable resource to gather information on well, just about everything. Blogs can be helpful too, but the problem with them is, that anyone can pretend to be anything. Competitors, disgruntled employees, or even angry ex husbands can destroy a companies reputation with very little effort. All it takes is a few nasty comments and you can be out of business. I think it's wonderful to have a forum to express your opinion, but unfortunately, it's impossible to know the motivation behind what you're reading. I would like to take just a moment to share my thoughts about my company with you.

I am very proud of the Pretty Little Princess Pageant. I have poured my heart and soul into this company over the years...it is so much more than a job to me. When I first started out, I had a 3 year old daughter who was into the whole Princess thing. She loved to wear pretty dresses and perform for anyone who would pay attention to her. I entered her into a local pageant, just so she could have the experience of it all, and it was so disappointing. There were no decorations and my child didn't a prize of any sort. She left in tears. I thought to myself "I could do this...and I could do it so much better." I have always been quite entrepreneurial and was excited about the challenge of developing something that was so close to my heart. I wrote all the words. I took all the pictures. I didn't want it to be like the pageant my daughter was in. I wanted a place where little girls could look like little girls and just feel sweet and special, without all the makeup and fake teeth and hair. Most importantly...I wanted everyone to win a prize.

I'm sure anyone who comes to the pageant and sees us selling tickets and t shirts, they think we're making money hand over fist. What most people don't realize, is that even though we may have 200 contestants, our average return on or direct mail is less than .5%, which means, to get those 200 contestants, we had to mail over 50, 000 applications. The application does state that the $20 is an application fee, and all the other fees are listed on our website, which is the next place people usually go after they receive the app and want to know more about us. The fees are also listed on our outgoing phone message. Most people who have done a pageant before know the fees (and ours are considerably less than many) and if they've never done one before, they usually call us with several questions. If ever anyone sends in the $20 application fee and decides not to participate, for whatever reason, the $20 is fully refundable, no questions asked.

Everyone has their opinion of pageants and I accepted long ago that you can't please all the people all the time. I use to take every complaint personally, but I try not to do that anymore, because I know that there are some things that are beyond my control. I also know, with every fiber of my being, that I do the very best that I can to produce a pageant that is affordable, that is beautiful, and is a positive experience for the children and their families. I am a single mother. I am not rich. I care about this company and my mind is always racing, trying to think of new ways to make it better. This is more than just a job to me...it's a huge part of my life.

If you think pageants are a waste of time like Ivy League Mother, then you definitely shouldn't enter one. I know they're not for everybody. But if you have a little girl who loves to play dress up and be on stage, and you can afford to give her this special experience, my hope is that you would really enjoy it.

Thank you for taking the time to hear me out. I hope that if you decide to participate in a pageant, whether it's ours, or someone else's, that you have a wonderful time with your daughter. It won't be long before she thinks Princesses are for babies...and wants to pierce her nose and dye her hair black:-)

Warmly,
Carrie Crawford

PS To the person who pretended they were me on the phone at the last pageant, and canceled the order for the all the girls flowers...shame on you. I guess your mother never taught you to play nice.

These pageants are just outdated. With the passage of time, (2 or more years max) there will be no more to enter. So take it easy!

My little girls did these in the 80's and I don't think I have seen one around here in more than 3 years now. They used to be every weekend at any given hotel or mall! Times have changed! THANK GOD! It has gotten really out of control, I agree.

Linda C.

Hi,
I just happen to see this site by chance, and my daughter was in the pretty little princess pageant about five years ago. We do not enter pageants all the time. She simply loved tp play dress up and pretend all the time. We decided to let her be a princess for a day and thankfully starfire set themselves apart from other pageants. We truly had awonderful time, there was no competition just simple fun. It was very organized and well decorated, my daughter was so happy. Her family came to watch her she couldnt be more proud. I really think innocent things like this pageant, has helped my daughter have the personality and self-esteem she has now. She gets straight A's, she 's very confident and she is still a little girl at heart. I truly hope thing's like this don't go away. It's day's like these that our daughter's will remember forever. About the cost, of course it's going to be little exspensive I'm sure it takes a lot of hard work and preperation, not only that it's not free to plan an event like. I'm an event planner and can relate. You know I should think about starting my own so that things like this don't disapear. Look, if it's not for you that's okay, Im sure it's not for everyone...I just think it's very sad to be so cruel to someone you don't even know. I'm sure the owner of Starfire has only good intentions-her pageants show! Thank you!

WOW! I don't know what to say.. I recieved the from in the mail and read the whole thing. I must agree that no where on the form does it say that there is an additional fee for the pagent. I later found out there was when I recieved the packet to enter my twins in the pagent. I will pay the fee because this will be a one time thing for them, but not because of the fees, but based on the way that grown women would speak to each other regarding this subject. I hope that this is not the kind of atmosphere that our kids are around when participating in such a pagent where it is suppose to be fun and entertaining. This is proof of why the children of today are so negative towards ech other. Grown women, who are mothers none the less, can't carry on a civil conversation with out attacking anothers intelligence. This is crazy.

Good luck with your twins at the event.

Be prepared, it is CASH only...tickets for "Daddy" (and any one else you are encouraged to invite) are $15.
Program books CASH only are $15. Little kid tickets are just $5 (cash only again).

You will also be suckered into purchasing tee shirts, tiaras, sceptors, candy, pop and popcorn. All cash to the pageant ladies.

This is not a bash towards any person or persons, just a mom who got suckered in "one fee at a time" like the others...

Oh! They DO give a "free video pass". The way they word it is so we assume that in years past, they charged to video tape. What a bargain right? We get to video tape our own kid for free? We all thought that was a classic line in their literature. It was obviously a stunt at using the word "free" one time. Water is free.

umm I got the form about two months ago and it says on the form about the fees, in tiny print. also the website says that too ;). Like I was always taught, before you sign anything read the fine print, even if it is tiny tiny.. I still have the flyer and I am looking at it right now and it says that there is an additional fee.

and no I don't work for them. I did sign up my daughter. Nothing is free anymore, sadly. I am doing because it because I think it would be fun for my toddler.

These pageants are a desecration of girlhood and a parody of womanhood.

The pageant operators and the stage mothers are all part of the same reprehensible system. They feed on each other and they deserve each other. Oh yeah, too bad about the little girls.

Shame on all of you!

You must be new to Pageantry. You can pay application and entry fees up to $2, 500 consider yourself lucky, you did a low cost pageant. I'm mean I would jump at a $20 pageant. You can definitely count on additional costs, it's a given in pageantry. Sometimes there are optionals you want to do, such as photogenic, talent, casual wear, swimsuit, fitness, etc., then definitely wardrobe can go sky high, hotel stay (depending on the length of the pageant, some can last a week), travel cost, accessories, possibly a gift for the New Queen, a donation of some kinkd, like toys for tots. Admission to the pageant, program book (Sponsor fee). It all does add up, but you should have done your homework and asked all these questions first before you were certain you knew what the $20 covered before you sent in the $20. When doing pageants, at all ages, as there are Adult pageants as well, in which I particiapte and know what is required. Consider it a leaerning experience. Don't let one "miscommunication" keep you from all the great pageants out there, but be prepared to shell out some cash!

I entered my three year old in the pageant you just had a t he Marriott in Atlanta on July 26, 2009...It wasn't a good experience ... there were a lot of moms there that obviously take their kids to every freaking pageant there is anywhere...and will spend any amount of money...this is sad...because to call there kids beautiful is really a stretch...that's why they have to do this thing and "buy them a title"...I took my baby there because she wanted to be a princess for a day, that's all...I'm not complaining about the fees or anything like this ...there were a lot of pretty little girls at the pageants...but the winners were not all that hot...sorry...I talked to a lot of mom's afterward and then got an understanding of what was really going on...that title is obviously for sale! this little girl on the front cover of the glossy magazine that they hand out for example had 32 ads on the inside of the book all courtesy of her parents and relatives...Get a life people...is this really necessary? The whole thing was just a great big dissappointment and has nothing to do with me being bitter or anything like that...this was our first and last pageant for sure...she cried for hours after the thing was over with and is still all heartbroken today...they gave away a "prettiest hair" thing to a child with a frizzy little ponytail...all we could do was look at each others...all these titles were obviously for sale (adds, accessories, etc) and it was blatent...SHAME ON YOU MISS CARRIE or whoever you are...

I put my daughter into the pageant on 26th, July 2009 and I feel that it was fun (although some parents took it too seriously lol) but the things that bugged me is all that money you pay, entry fees, application fees, etc.. you should NOT have to pay for tickets for your family (unless there are more than 3 or 4) and then you can 'purchase additional booklets, tiara, and other stuff'

I mean where is all that money going towards?!?!?

My daughter had fun, but the lady who did the announcing got annoyed when the toddlers who were already cranky and tired decided to walk around and not get into trouble, wanted them to sit with the parents. Remember toddlers have short attention span and parents have short patience when the toddlers are throwing their fits.

will I do it again? probably not. My daughter did win a couple of trophies and it was a fun experience but I don't need my daughter turning into a Diva snob. She is already a diva and feels like a princess (especially with all the toys out there lol)

I also wanted to point out, the modeling agents that were there, Atlanta's Young Faces and Jon Casablanca's agencies, are not 'legit' in a sense. They charge fees AND they will make you use their photographer (which will cost you more money!) and try to get your kid into modeling school.
I am a former model and I know what is legit and not legit. I thought agencies that would show up to this pageant would be legit agencies.

plus I called them up and they said they had no way to contact the parents if their kid was 'chosen' to be a member of the agency... humm...

so parents if you read this NO AGENCY WILL ASK FOR FEES! If they do, they are not a legit agency... and makes me wonder why these agencies are still in the business.

Hi everyone! I am going to somewhat defend the Pretty little princess pageant. I actually found it online and we were going to do the pageant on June 28th in Jacksonville, fl. I read everything on the website and knew there were extra fees. I sent in my $20 app fee and got accepted but then things came up and we werent able to afford the whole pageant. I never asked for a refund for the $20 app fee back it was my fault I should have managed my money better. If they do come back to Jacksonville I will be entering my daughter into the pageant again. I also own my own pageant company (that my daughter will not be competing in) and pageants start in Jan 2010. However I do not ask for money up front and you pay the day of the pageant at a registration table. I do know that it costs alot to run a pageant. Just for 1 of my pageants it is going to cost me $850 in just prizes. Nobody will go home empty handed. We cannot help the amount of people who enter, there are only a certian amount of titles and so many children. So to make sure every kid feels like a winner at my pageant they will get a trophy no matter what. But also you have to include the amount of the place where it is being held. I also do not charge for any person to watch. Most places that do charge for tickets are putting it towards helping pay for the banquet room in order to hold the pageant. My daughter is sooooooo shy, but putting her in pageants has made her come out of her shell and she lights up everytime she is on stage. For those of you who are sitting here complaining about how pageants are so horrible why are you even posting to this? Your opinion on a pageant is not going to stop another parent from entering there child. So just take your nasty comments somewhere else. Most of you who posted negetive comments have never even seen a pageant. And watching toddlers and tiaras does not count. That show does not make pageants look very good. All kids get hungry and tired and get crabby and cranky. Its not just pageants that make them that way. 95% of those little girls and boys in pageants LOVE them...the other 5% is there moms love them and push them no matter what and are trying to live their life through their childs. The day my daughter says "mommy I dont want to do pageants anymore" Then that is fine by me we will always have all of her crowns, sashes, trophies, medals and pictures to remember those days. Also for the person who said something about paying for college instead of pageants. My daughter won a $5000 savings bond for being a supreme winner and what is that going to...COLLEGE...There are so many pageants that have savings bonds and scholorships. They highly encourage college! Sure some dresses can be expensive. But that is your own stupidity for paying $400+ dollars for one dress. I get all her dresses off ebay and have never paid more then $150 when she grows out of them I sell it and make my money back so really I dont pay for dresses at all. Ok I think I am done now. Carrie I hope you will be bringing Pretty little princess back to Florida as I will most def be ther!

Wrong! My daughter did this pageant in 1999. Had never done a pageant before. We bought no ads, and paid for only the basic pageant, no extra, no tee shirts, etc. Her 1st pageant ever and she got 3rd runner up!

We didn't do another pageant for 7 years, but kept the friends we made forever. At age 12 she wanted to try pageants again. The confidence she has gained from the natural pageant systems is awsome. Thanks to her pageant experiences she has now as a teen appeared on TV numerous times (and I am not talking about the toddlers and tiaras crap) has an agent, has appeared in the Dillards and JC Penney catalogs, shot a BBC documentary, did the Tyra Banks Show...I could go on and on.

NONE of this would have happened for her if we had not paid that $20 app fee and the $95 entry fee for PLP. The majority of the natural pageants out there are NOT fixed, are a great road to personal development, and are worth every penny we have ever spent.

2 basic rules for pageantry: 1. If you can't afford it, don't do it. There is only 1 winner, and chances are good that your daughter WILL NOT be it. You should be in it for the fun, not the win! 2. If your daughter does not do well, it is because SHE did not do well. Do not blame the pageants, the Directors, the other contestants, or the phase of the moon! Practice, get her a coach if you have to, but make sure you teach her to be happy for those who did win on that day, and to not be upset with herself or her "loss". If handled right, your are competition is against yourself and the goal is to improve your self esteem with every pageant you do. Graceful losing is a very important lesson. YOU ARE NOT TEACHING THAT LESSON RIGHT!

pgntmom:

first of all, a child doesn't have to be in a pagent to be on tv or in magazines. As a former model myself, I know better (i.e. I have been in movies, in magazines and also on tv) :).
My child didn't lose, and even if she did, I wouldn't care.

things have changed since 1999, if you were at the one a couple weeks ago, you would see why a lot of us were a bit upset. Some it was because of the fees, but others it was more.

but other than that, I did it because I knew modeling agencies would be there, thinking "oh okay, that will be great, because I used to model, why not get my toddler on it"

then I saw what agencies were there, they are not legit kind because NO AGENCY WILL CHARGE YOU MONEY! and these do!

You forgot to mention "prettygirl", that getting your picture on the front cover was the advertised PRIZE to the person who placed the most ads. It was a contest specific to placing ads in the souvenir book...and the child who placed 32 ads won. She did NOT however win the title of "Pretty Little Princess" or even a runner up, so that kind of dismisses your theory that the person who spent the most money could buy a title. You said that the winners were "not all that hot." Is it just me, or does anyone else think that little girls aren't supposed to be "hot?" Then you complained about the child who won prettiest hair having a "frizzy pony tail." Let me guess...your daughter has silky blond hair. We had a nice time at this pageant. My daughter didn't win any special award, but still left with a good feeling because of the way the pageant was presented.
Her trophy is on her dresser...her poster is on her wall and her pictures are in our photo album. My daughter got to feel like a Princess, and that was really all I wanted.

hi my daughter was in this pagent last year. it was so great and so nice for her. she was very happy. i love starfire pagents i just wish i can get her in there again . i cant seem to get acces to them again. their phone is disconnected. but there web site is still up but not updated. oh well.

No AtlantaAnne my daughter does not have silky blond hair honey, matter of fact she is biracial so no way... @ twinkers760 girl their phone is disconnected and their website not updated? What a shocker! Go FIGURE!

I used to put my oldest daughter in pagents. from the time she was about 15 months all the way up to 6 years old. She actually did quite well, State Supreme Queen, savings bonds and many other titles. We even did a charity pagent to raise money for the Angel Tree. By the way we raised the most. Not only are pagents there to make your little girls feel like a "princess" they have other advantages. Being able to speak in front of a crowd, poise, and making life long friends. Parents are expected to be involved hess the ad thing. If you think pagents are cheap you are mistaken because by no means are they cheap but it's all about what do you want for your little girl. We quit doing them because my daughter wanted to do something else. I give her the opportuinties to learn from many different things. I am however looking to put my twins in a pagent soon. They love the whole dress up and be princess thing. I am looking for a pagent that will let them compete together instead of against each other. If I am unable to find it I will create my own. The experience a child gets from these last a life time. It's a great thing don't knock it till you try it. No pagents aren't for everyone but from experience we have done several different one and we didn't seem to have any issues. Know what you are getting into before you do it though. Always either talk to the directors or go to the website and research it prior to making a decision.

IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CHILDREN JUST EXPERIENCE BEING ON STAGE DEVELOPING SELF-CONFIDENCE SKILLS ON PUBLIC SPEAKING, etc..MY DAUGHTER WAS TERRIFIC! THE ONLY SHE WON I BELIEVE WAS BECAUSE OF HER PERSONALITY! MAYBE, SHE WOULD HAVE WON "QUEEN" IF SHE HAD NOT BEEN SO "WILD" AND SPILT COLD COFFEE ON HER BEST OUTFIT! IT WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR HER! THE MORE YOU PUT CHILDREN IN FRONT OF OTHERS TO PERFORM THE BETTER! REMIND YOUR CHILD THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO JUST HAVE FUN! THIS IS NOT END ALL BE ALL! EVERYONE HAS HAD GOOD PICTURES AND BAD PICTURES! EVERYONE! MY COUSIN IS ONE OF THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE COUNTRY, IN ALL THOSE BIG MAGAZINES LIKE "BRIDE MAGAZINE"etc! SO MANY KIDS IN MAGAZINES ARE UNATTRACTIVE -- BEAUTY IS RELATIVE? YOU CAN MAKE YOURSELF A "MODEL" -YOUR WEBSITE! EXPERIENCE ON STAGE DEVELOPS GOOD PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS! HAVING ENOUGH EXPERIENCE IN FRONT OF OTHERS IS NEVER BAD THING!

This pageant claims to be a non-profit. Disclosure of where/whom payments are made are public information. Customers should check with the State to be sure they are registered as a non profit in that State or provence. Many companies claim a non profit status simply to avoid sales tax and cheaper vending fees.
ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR STATE ABOUT A NON PROFIT BEFORE DONATING.

Hi...I just wanted to let you know that this pageant is a wonderful experience for kids. When you go to Disneyland, you spend 3 times as much and you don't walk away with the memories that you get from this pageant. They don't sell candy, pop or popcorn...I don't know where that came from. They do sell trinkets but you walk up to the booth and buy them...nobody is forcing you or making you feel badly if you don't purchase the extras. The fees are spelled out. There are no secrets. The same kind of people complaining about the fees are the same kind of people who signed up for mortgages they could not afford. It's all in writing...read it. The day I took my little girls was a wonderful experience. Families stayed after the pageant for an hour, just relishing the experience. I heard a dad and a grandpa telling the owner that it was the best day they had had in a long time. It is just a fun day for the whole family. This is a very sweet, very innocent pageant. They made money? OMG! What a crime! They do a great job, work hard and if they made a few bucks doing it, then good for them. They are a non profit now but they did not start off that way. They now give away sponsorships to children who can't afford to attend and they claim their non profit legitimately. Please people, take responsibility, read the fine print, and buy your kid a day of fun. It's worth it. It is so sad that we have come to a point where we have to degrade a company that works diligently, puts on a great day that is well worth the money and then gets persecuted for it. Did anybody read the owner's hearfelt description of her business? Get a job, folks. There are actually some devious enterprises out there that deserve our time and effort. This business is not one of them.

Wow! Had to comment...you say you over-heard the "owner"? Non profits don't have owners...it is illegal. Strike 1. Secondly the "staff" of that company all have foreclosures and bankruptcies recorded in the county they live. Doesn't sound fiscally responsible.

Mr. Magenta Dave...you are correct...non profits do not have "owners" but the old "owner" runs the non profit. She is wonderful. There are no "strikes". Get a grip. Also, who DOESN'T have a foreclosure or a BK on their record right now? I know many good, honest, hardworking people who have BK's and foreclosures on their records. If you have a business (which obviously you don't) which calls for credit checking people, you would know that many upstanding people have had issues in the recent past. Also, many extremely high income folks have forclosures on their records. When the value of your home goes down by half, it's just a bad investment to keep it but you do not sound like you are in a tax bracket high enough to understand this. If you know somebody who hasn't gone through hard times in the last 3 years, step up and declare your name...we'll check YOU out. You have NO CLUE about what you speak. You saying it doesn't sound "fiscally responsible" is pure opinion and conjecture based on no fact at all. If you knew these people even the slightest bit, you would back off. I have gone to several of these pageants...have you? Lay off, let people have a good, innocent day of fun, and go back to bagging groceries.

My daughter was in the pageant when we lived in Hawaii and I highly recommend this one. I received the application, paid the $20 and went to the site, I was hyped @ the $20, but when I realized it was a bit more I said okay. I wanted her to have the experience and in a pageant w/ make-up, tan(s), and fake eye lashes. I was disappointed when she did not get win in any categories, but when I saw her face light up when she got her trophy and flower I was happy, because that trophy made her day, she was mommy's winner. My only complaint was that they doubled up awards like prettiest hair and best smile, they had enough girls, they should give every girl a change and not double...I LOVED THIS COMPANY, AND PAGEANT. They are very sweet and personable. I am a military spouse w/a degree, not with the company in any way. I have guardianship of a single soldiers daughter and she wanted a trophy, so since where now in VA we were unable to find a natural pageant. If pageants are not for you no need to insult, be mature people. THANK YOU Carrie and let me know if you come to VA...my daughter just wanted to stand on stage and smile...lol

I meant w/out make-up etc =}

When she did not win...sorry was on my way to get the kids...lol quick reply

Everyone knows this pageant is on the verge of collapse. I strongly encourage you to pay your enry fee at the hotel site to ensure they don't file another bankruptcy before the pageant goes on. If this were to happen, you would not get a pageant and be out hundreds of dollars. (and our daughers would be so sad :( :( :(

Hi Ladies...it's Carrie Crawford again:-) I am the former owner of Starfire Pageants, the company who produced the Pretty Little Princess Pageant. There seems to be a bit of confusion here, and I just wanted to take a minute to clear some of it up. If you question the validity of this posting, please feel free to email me at my personal email, carriecrawford@comcast.net, or at the company email, prettylittleprincesspageant@comcast.net.

Sadly yes...after 16 wonderful years...Starfire Pageants did go out of business in 2009. And it was devastating to me. We had one pageant after another that year that lost money, and I finally had to accept the fact that the economy just wasn't going to support such a "luxury" item, when people were losing jobs left and right, and worrying about how they were going to put food on the table. I closed the business, took a step back, and reflected on the things that I loved about it the most, and of course, it was all the sweet little girls in their pretty pink dresses. They were a part of me. Then I thought about how many kids would never have the opportunity to participate because they couldn't afford it, and my mind started racing about how awesome it would be if we could team with agencies that work with underprivileged children (Like Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, ect.) and offer Scholarships to some of their girls. It didn't happen overnight...I had do do a lot of research, and the application process through the IRS was pretty intense. We did finally get the approval, (we are a 501 (c) (3) corp. Tax ID #[protected]) and held our very first "Pretty Little Princess Pageant" as a non profit in December of 2010. Chemistrylover is right...non profits can not have an "owner". I am not the owner...I am simply the organizer. We've only had a few events so far, but it's been a wonderful feeling to be back doing what I love, and to be able to brighten the lives of little girls who might not otherwise be able to afford a pageant. We've worked closely with the Boys and Girls Club, and have provided Scholarships, money for new dresses, shoes, ect, and that has been really rewarding. I was devastated when the pageant collapsed in 2009...I honestly thought I would be doing this forever. But if that hadn't happened, I may never have come up with the idea for the non profit aspect, and I know that there are a LOT of little girls who wouldn't have a pretty trophy sitting on their dresser right now, so I have to believe that everything happens for a reason.

I had no idea that this blog was still here...we're doing an event in Las Vegas in April, so I was updating our website, and wanted to see what came up when I googled. Thank you for all the nice words to all the nice people who said them. Some of the other stuff on here is a little crazy! I had to giggle when I read the crack about us selling popcorn and candy. Wow. Anyway...once more...just for the record...$20 application fee...$95 entry fee...Tickets $10 adults, $5 kids (same price since 1993) . Tee shirts and tiaras of you want them...no popcorn or candy:-)

As far as the comment directly above, saying that we're "on the verge of collapse", well, that's simply not true. We're being cautious. Our biggest expense is the printing and postage of the direct mail piece. (application/brochure.) That money has to be paid UP FRONT, along with the hotel fees. Even if we got a low turnout, we would still hold the pageant, because all of our money has already been spent, and it would be better to get SOME entry fees, than none at all. Starfire Pageants did over 300 pageants. There was NEVER an instance where we canceled one Pageant. Toward the end...when every one of them was losing money because of the economy, I used every cent I owned trying to save it, and yea...MY credit took a hit, but that's not something I feel I need to go into great detail with the whole world.

Our goal is to eventually be able to do a pageant in a different city every month, but for now, we're only doing a few a year. We are very proud of the work we're doing, and hope to be able to continue doing it for many years to come. Pageants are taking kind of a hit right now with all the Toddlers and Tiara's controversy, but we're going to just keep doing our best to produce a Pageant that is beautiful, makes little girls feel like a Princess, and celebrates the beauty and innocence of childhood. Be nice to each other out there moms...we're all setting an example for our girls here! Goodnight...Hope to see you soon!

Grrr! I do not know why it added all those crazy symbols for every " ' " I wro
te. Sorry my message is so hard to read!