Miss Million Pines Pageant Returns After Eight-Year Hiatus

After an eight-year break, the Miss Million Pines Beauty Pageant returned to Soperton, Georgia, on Saturday, May 17, 2025, reviving a beloved local tradition.

The pageant was last held in 2017. Pageant director Amber Carter said bringing it back was a way to spark joy and community spirit after the city faced hardships following Hurricane Helene.

“With the Million Pines Festival and other city events returning this year, I wanted to bring a little sunshine after the storm and crown some new queens for Soperton,” Carter said.

A total of 38 girls participated across nine age divisions. Each newly crowned queen will represent the City of Soperton and the Million Pines Festival throughout the year, attending community events and helping promote local pride.

Carter, who organized the event independently, said she was proud to see her hard work come together and is excited about the pageant’s future. “Watching each young lady take the stage and be crowned—it was a proud moment,” she said. Although the organizing committee wasn’t directly involved this year, Carter hopes to grow the event moving forward. “We’re aiming for a bigger turnout next year. Now that we have these beautiful ladies to represent Soperton and the Million Pines Festival, our town will for sure sparkle.”

Planning for next year’s pageant is already underway, with hopes to make it even bigger and better.