Vicksburg’s City Auditorium will soon be filled with the flurry of wardrobe changes and talent routines as 24 young women begin competing for both a title and crown.

The 11th annual Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant will be held at 8 p.m. in the auditorium, 901 Monroe St., from Thursday, June 2 through Saturday, June 4.

On the first two nights of the three-night pageant, contestants compete in preliminary competitions, including talent, lifestyle, eveningwear and onstage questions.

After preliminary competitions are completed and scores are compiled, the judges narrow down the 24 young women into the top-10 that will compete for the winner and runner up positions.

“Each pageant stands on its own merit and is completely different,” said Winky Freeman, executive director of the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant. “It’s a kaleidoscope that comes together to make a pretty thing.”

Though this year’s theme — Four Seasons — and some production elements have changed, Freeman, who has been working with the pageant for more than 25 years, said it remains basically the same. He said preparation for this year’s pageant began as soon as the curtains closed on last year’s production, though the time contestants took to prepare varied.

“Some girls participate in the pageant on a whim because their friends are doing it, and others work their talents year-round,” Freeman said.

In addition to the contestants’ preparation for competition, Freeman said they will also be participating in autograph signings around Vicksburg. The first will be held on Thursday from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Outlets at Vicksburg, and the other will be held on Friday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Downtown Vicksburg. Reigning Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Grace Post will also attend the autograph signings.

“They give the contestants the opportunity to learn how to operate in public and give the public the chance to meet the girls up close and personal,” Freeman said. “It also gives visitors to Vicksburg the opportunity to go into several of the downtown shops, so they hopefully spend some of their money while they’re here.”

He estimated that 2,000 people will travel to Vicksburg to support the girls during the week of the competition and said the pageant remains a local effort.

“Almost all of the work is done by volunteers, and a lot of people from Vicksburg help with the production,” Freeman said. “They contribute countless hours. It’s a local production.”

Tickets for Thursday and Friday cost $25, while tickets for Saturday cost $40. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 601-638-6746 or visit missmississippipageant.com.