By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
The 2026 Miss Del Rio Pageant will celebrate 76 years of Del Rio pageant tradition on Friday,
Jan. 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the Enchanted Event Center, 4934 U.S. Highway 90 West.
The 76th Annual Miss Del Rio Pageant, the first official pageant of 2026, is sponsored by the
International Good Neighbor Council (IGNC) of Del Rio, and it will be hosted by Esme Esparza
and Michelle Gonzalez. The winner of the pageant will serve as the ambassador for the city of
Del Rio at multiple community events throughout the year.
The Miss Del Rio 2026 delegates include Jazel Sanchez, Audrey Benavides, Hailey Alonso,
Naomi Cepeda, Miriam Verastegui, Ann Sophia De La Piedra, Sian Kamila Meza, Tiana Perez,
AnnCamila Martinez, Vianka Diaz, Reyna Salazar and Alyssa Aguilera.
The pageant is put together by co-directors Claudia Lopez and Esparza, and Lopez spoke with
The 830 Times early in the week to give more details about the pageant. Lopez said the
pageant has 12 contestants competing for the Miss Del Rio title and crown. Lopez said this is
the largest number of contestants the pageant has had in over three decades.
The pageant focuses on the Miss Division, which includes nine categories: Miss Del Rio, First
Runner-Up, Second Runner-Up, Miss Congeniality, Best Interview, Best in Fitness, Miss
Photogenic, Best Evening Gown and People’s Choice.
Evelyn Dominguez, the outgoing 2025 Miss Del Rio, will pass on the title of Miss Del Rio to the
new pageant winner at the end of Friday’s competition. Lopez said Dominguez is known as the
only Miss Del Rio pageant winner to capture four back-to-back titles within the span of 12
months. Dominguez was crowned Miss Val Verde Teen, Miss Queen City, Miss Del Rio and Del
Rio High School (DRHS) Prom Queen.
Nine scholarships totaling $6,000 will be awarded to the pageant winners, which Lopez said is
the highest dollar amount the pageant has acquired for scholarships in the pageant’s life cycle.
In celebration of the 76th annual pageant, Lopez also mentioned that none of the delegates
were charged for submitting an application to enter the pageant.
“We’re just excited that (Miss Del Rio) is the first Del Rio pageant to start here, so it’s the
original pageant. And we’re excited that Miss Del Rio will be the official ambassador of the city
of Del Rio,” Lopez said.
Admission is $25 at the door, and VIP tables are $300 for a table of 10
seats. The doors to the pageant event open at 5:30 p.m.
