The Miss Central Alabama Fair Pageant is extending their application deadline to Friday, Sept. 14.

The pageant, scheduled for Oct. 2 is one of four pageants that will take place at the Central Alabama Fair.

The other three pageants, Junior Miss Central Alabama Fair, Little Miss Central Alabama Fair and Tiny Miss Central Alabama Fair each had more than 20 applicants sign up on or before the original deadline of Aug. 31.

The Miss Central Alabama Fair Pageant, for ages 17-21 however, only had 11 applicants sign up while there is space for up to 30 girls, pageant director Tracie Haskell said.

“We just didn’t have a good turn out,” Haskell said, which is why they decided to extend the deadline.

Haskell said they were unsure whether there just weren’t many girls in that age group this year, or if the entry fee was keeping some from participating.

The cost to enter the Miss Central Alabama Fair Pageant is $85.

“Sometimes it can be hard to come up with that $85 just to get in,” Haskell said. “We just want everyone to have the opportunity.”

Haskell said they are willing to work with interested participants if financial reasons are holding them back form entering the pageant.

“If there’s anything that we can do to help somebody, or if they need some assistance or something, they can just contact me and we’ll get them to the right people,” Haskell said.

She said, “if anybody (ages 17-21) is interested then they can contact us. If it’s a financial thing then maybe we can help find somebody to sponsor them. There are local businesses around here that will help.”

Haskell said applications can be found online at Central Alabama Fair’s website and Facebook page, as well as at the radio station Fusion 100 and local dance studios.

The pageant will consist of an on-stage interview question and won’t involve any sort of wardrobe change or talent portion.

“We’re real simple,” Haskell said.

Even if the extended deadline doesn’t bring in any new participants to the Miss Central Alabama Fair Pageant, Haskell said they will continue with the 11 girls that have already signed up.

“We’re not going to cancel it,” Haskell said. “We’ll go ahead with the 11 that we’ve got.”

For more information on applying for the Miss Central Alabama Fair pageant contact pageant director Tracie Haskell at 375-6977.