Mis World Cayman Islands pageant coming to Camana Bay

The Miss World Cayman Islands pageant is set to take centre stage at the Arts & Recreation Centre (ARC) on Saturday, 26 Oct., where attendees will see Cayman Islands pageant history made.

"We're actually going to crown three queens. ... It's the first time we're doing that," said Miss World Cayman Islands Director Pamela Ebanks-Small.

The Miss World Cayman Islands Pageant included crowns for Miss World Cayman Islands and Miss Supranational Cayman Islands in the past. This year, organisers have added the Miss Teen World Cayman Islands crown.

"Miss World, Miss Supranational and Miss Teen World will all be going away internationally next year to represent Cayman," Ebanks-Small said, underscoring the significance of this year’s pageant.

Beyond the glamour and glitz, the Miss World Cayman Islands Pageant plays a crucial role in empowering young Caymanian women, Ebanks-Small said.

"What pageantry does for young women is it builds their confidence and helps them in everyday life," she said. "Pageant training is really just life skills."

Participants are trained in a variety of areas that contribute to personal development, including dressing appropriately, improving interview skills and staying informed about global and local issues.

"A lot of people look at pageant training as walking on stage and looking pretty, but it's a lot more than that. ... It really does help our young women to accomplish the goals they want to accomplish," Ebanks-Small said.

In addition to personal growth, the pageant encourages community involvement.

"We do a lot of community service. We teach girls what it means to give back to your community," Ebanks-Small said. The experience gained through pageantry equips participants with the confidence to excel in various situations, from public speaking to acing job interviews.

This year marks a significant change for the pageant, as it moves from its traditional venue at the Harquail Theatre to the larger and more accommodating ARC.

"We were ready this year to move to a bigger facility, and we chose the Arts & Recreation Centre because, well, first of all, it's a larger facility," Ebanks-Small said. "Second of all, it has AC. And we felt like it had a big enough stage. Plus, with the bleachers, we felt that was an added benefit, as well as the safety of Camana Bay. The parking is easy."

As the Miss World Cayman Islands pageant prepares to make its debut at Camana Bay, it promises not only an evening of beauty and talent but also a powerful platform for young Caymanian women to develop and showcase their skills, both at home and on the world stage.

This article was originally published in the September/October2024 print edition of Camana Bay Times.