The 43rd annual Olton Sandhills Celebration kicked off Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022 with an open house at the Cavett Memorial Center from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Olton Volunteer Ambulance Association sponsored and served hamburgers at 6 p.m. They expected to feed between 200 and 300 people. Just before 6 p.m., people started lining up for burgers, chips and drinks.
The gospel singing started at 7:30 p.m. The Sandhills Sweetheart pageant candidates passed out booklets with the gospel songs and lyrics. After a few songs, the pageant contestants were announced. The contests were Emma Acker, Makenly Smith, Amie Beelitz, Sarah Chavira, Betsy Capen, Ceralyn Wakefield, Payge Davina, Diana Arriola, Sandra Reyna and Delaney Lowe.
At 8 p.m., the ice cream social started. The pageant contestants gathered money in exchange for the ice cream cups. There were three categories for the ice cream contest; fruit, candy, and other. There were 35 people who entered the ice creamcontest. Before the winners of the ice cream contest were announced, there was a drawing for, what was described as, the “Ferrari of ice cream makers.” The winner of the drawing was Debbie Spain.
Pam McFadden won the fruit category with her peach ice cream. Tammy Smith won the candy category with her Butterfinger ice cream. Stacie Ramage won the other category with her cinnamon vanilla ice cream.
Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022was the Sandhills Sweetheart pageant at the Olton High School auditorium at 7 p.m.
There were 10 girls in the pageant and 49 little girls and boys, split into two groups, for the Little Miss portion of the pageant. Each little girl received a little tiara and a red carnation, as a prize, presented by the former Sandhills Sweetheart Queen, Karla Arriola.
The beginning of the pageant started with the introduction of each pageant contestant followed by a casual wear portion. During the casual wear portion, Robyn Stevenson, director ofthe pageant, read a little bio about each contestant.
Afterwards, the little girls and boys from group one were introduced. Stevenson read a little bio about each girl and boy and the girls received their prizes. After group one was introduced, the pageant contestants were brought out again for the formal wear portion.
After the formal wear portion, group two for Little Miss were introduced, while Stevenson read a bio for each girl. After group two was introduced and their prizes were handed out, the pageant contestants were brought back out. Each contestant answered a question they drew from a hat.
Following the questionnaire portion, a group of seven little girls were brought out for an adorable little tap dance and song. Next was the judging of the pageant girls and crowning the winners.
The winner of Miss Congeniality and the first runner-up was Diana Arriola. The new Sandhills Sweetheart Pageant Queen was Sandra Reyna.