"The Age of Elegance"
Ms. Arkansas Senior America Pageant
Are You A Women 60+ Who Loves Arkansas and Wants To Help Dispel the Myths of Aging?
If you answered yes to these questions, then the Ms. Arkansas Senior America Pageant is for you!
The Ms. Arkansas Senior America Pageant is not a beauty pageant. Our pageant champions healthy aging, wellness, and mental well-being, and our contestants exemplify the “positive image of aging.” We are redefining the senior woman by motivating and encouraging them to utilize their full potential. We honor senior women 60+ with our pageant, giving the contestants a platform to demonstrate their dignity, maturity, inner beauty, and talents.
The Ms. Arkansas Senior America Pageant will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the King Opera House in Van Buren, Arkansas.
Tickets may be purchased after May 2026 at the door or online through the King Opera House website. Please note: the link doesn’t go directly to the tickets, so you may need to scroll to find them.
2025 Judges
Our distinguished panel of Judges is chosen annually by the state directors. Integrity is the number one quality required to serve on the panel.
Each Judge comes highly recommended, is interviewed, and thoroughly vetted. Their character, résumés, and understanding of our mission provide complete confidence in their ability to represent with excellence every phase of the Ms. Arkansas Senior America competition. Different Judges are chosen each year and will not be repeated. Their decisions are their own and are final.
Forever Queens
| 1988 Betty Wing |
| 1989 Miranda Thompson |
| 1990Shirley Shirley Baker-Searcy |
| 1991 Mary Fine – Little Rock |
| 1992 Mildred Minton – Ward |
| 1993 Velta Ming – Mulberry |
| 1994 Ester Braggs – Little Rock |
| 1995 Constance Waddell – Bella Vista |
| 1996 Joie Jeffords – Fort Smith |
| 1997 Carma Jean Rivers- Conway |
| 1998 Betty Beck – Mena |
| 1999 Peggy Watson – Fort Smith |
| 2000 Joan A’Hearn – Hot Springs |
| 2001 Evelyn McDonald – Fayetteville |
| 2002 Delories Williams – Lafe |
| 2003 Bernice Mitchell – Van Buren |
| 2004 Robbie Brewer – Van Buren |
| 2005 Mary Russell – Fort Smith |
| 2006 Ruby Coulter – Dyer |
| 2007 Delores Bates – Alma |
| 2008 Judith Burgess – Paragould |
| 2009 Virginia Riley – Prairie Grove |
| 2010 Judy Hargrave Fisher – Rector |
| 2011 Foye Shankle – Hartford |
| 2012 Donna Kingston – Paragould |
| 2013 Katy Phillips – Prairie Grove |
| 2014 Karen Cagel – Rector |
| 2015 Jan Throgmorton – West Fork |
| 2016 Patricia Genovese – Hot Springs |
| 2017 Sherry Marshall – Uniontown |
| 2018 Dixie Makepeace Ford – Hot Springs |
| 2019 Sharon Morgan Tahaney – El Dorado |
| 2020 Covid |
| 2021 Janice Zarebski – El Dorado |
| 2022 Dr. Margaret Pace – Little Rock |
| 2023 Serena Spann – Hot Springs |
| 2024 LaGena Brown- Hot Springs |
Ms. LaGena Brown, Ms. Arkansas Senior America 2024
Hot Springs
The Ms. Arkansas Senior Aerica Pageant is a unique opportunity for women 60+ to showcase their talent, philosophy of life, and inner beauty,
This platform allows them to exemplify dignity, represent the age of elegance, and serve as role models for the younger generation.
The lasting bonds of sisterhood I formed throughout the journey, are a treasured gift.
Ms. Judy Fisher, Ms. Arkansas Senior America 2010
Rector
I was encouraged to enter the Ms. Arkansas Senior America Pageant by Judith Burgess, Ms. Arkansas Senior America 2008, and I’m so glad she kept on until I did. This Pageant is representative of “the age of elegance,” and as an older woman, we have so much to offer the younger people, our community, and Arkansas. This pageant has made me a more confident person and was such a rewarding experience. It’s not so much about winning but about the wonderful relations you build through the friends you make from such a diverse group of ladies.
Dr. Margaret Pace, Ms. Arkansas Senior America 2022
Little Rock
The Ms. Arkansas Senior America Pageant is such a fabulous opportunity for women who are 60 and above to showcase their talents, their Philosophy of Life statements, and represent “dignity, maturity, and inner beauty” to the judges and audience at large at the pageant.
This pageant has allowed me to meet other Women of Elegance across the country, all with so much in common, especially being 60 years and above. It’s the best sisterhood with purpose as we empower, encourage, and support each other on our journey. I have gained such liberty in sharing my age with people because we have this in common.
This platform has given me so many open doors to meet and serve people in different age groups and in different ways. It’s been life-changing for me.
Ms. Sherry Marshall, Administrator and Ms. Arkansas Senior America 2017
Uniontown
Not being a “pageant girl,” I am so glad I listened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and the encouragement of Lori Oliver to enter the pageant.
I was alive, but at the age of 65, I “came to life”! I became confident in who I am as a person.
As Ms. Arkansas Senior America 2017, I was able to share about our great state of Arkansas as I traveled not only in Arkansas, but to Oklahoma, Missouri, and New Jersey. I read to, mentored, and entertained students in elementary, middle, junior high, and high school. I attended parades, spoke to various community organizations, and entertained and worked with seniors in retirement centers. I am able to encourage people of all ages to reach beyond their comfort zones and be all that they can be.
The Ms. Arkansas Senior America Pageant is a valuable resource for the state of Arkansas.
Elegance Since 1972
The Ms. Senior America Pageant is the world’s first and foremost pageant to emphasize and give honor to women who have reached the “Age of Elegance.” It is a search for the gracious lady who best exemplifies the dignity, maturity, and inner beauty of all senior Americans.
The Ms. Senior America Philosophy is based upon the belief that seniors are the foundation of America and our most valuable treasure. It is upon their knowledge, wisdom, experience, and heart for service that the younger generation may also gain knowledge and the opportunity to build a better society.
https://mssenioramericapageant.com/
Our founder, Dr. Al Mott, held his first “Ms. Senior Citizen” pageant in 1972. This was a time when seniors had neither financial security nor robust health. As a former 20th Century Fox recording artist turned minister, he successfully utilized his “show business” background to raise public awareness and highlight the need to support and honor our senior citizens, especially senior women.
The organization’s positive philosophy quickly spread throughout the country and blossomed into a national pageant. In 1981, he changed the name to “Ms. Senior America” and incorporated “Ms. Senior America LLC” in 1981 after crowning the first national Queen, Margaret Callan, in 1980. Dr. Mott and his wife, Betsy, worked tirelessly for almost 50 years to keep their mission and legacy alive before successfully passing the torch. He jovially proclaimed that we are “taking women from the rocking chair to the runway.” We are committed to keeping his founding principles and mission alive for decades to come.
Proclamations
Recognized by state and local leaders, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Crawford County Judge Chris Keith and Mayor of Van Buren Joseph Hurst .
Sponsorships
The 39th annual Ms. Arkansas Senior America Pageant, an affiliate of Ms. Senior America, will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the King Opera House in Van Buren, Arkansas.
This event celebrates women age 60 and older who are leaders in their communities and continue to make a difference long after the pageant. Contestants serve our state through volunteer work, appearances in parades, performances in retirement centers, and visits to hospitals and veterans’ facilities.
The pageant is also a powerful way to connect with an engaged audience of active seniors, their families, and their communities. For more than 30 years, the Ms. Senior America Pageant and its affiliates have been featured in both local and national media.
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