Rehearsals are underway for 36 ladies competing for the crown of Miss Tennessee Volunteer, which is being held at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.

Besides rehearsals, competitors will participate in luncheons and private interviews.

Preliminary competition will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.

The finals will be held at 7 p.m., Saturday.

The winner of the Miss Tennessee Volunteer Pageant crown will also serve as Gov. Bill Lee’s spokesperson for character education and receives $25,000 in scholarship money.

The winner of the pageant also qualifies for the Miss Volunteer America Pageant, which will be held June 19-22, 2024, in Jackson.

Participants from all 50 states will compete in the national pageant.

“We are having a blast,” Emily Pennington said, “We are at our second rehearsal of the day, and we had the opportunity to eat at a luncheon with the community members today.

“We are having so much fun, and we are learning all our awesome choreography and we are able to really just bond and make a sisterhood.”

Emily, who is from McMinnville, is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Martin, and is competing as Miss Northwest Tennessee.

She is the Social Media Strategy Coordinator at Grace Media Group – NEWS/TALK 101.5 FM – WNWS.COM.

“We start competition (Tuesday) with interviews, and we are just having the best time.”

Tickets can be purchased both individually or as a package at etix.com.

(PHOTO: Emily Pennington)