By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
The 2025 Miss Del Rio Pageant will celebrate 75 years of pageant tradition on Saturday, Jan.
25.
The 75th Annual Miss Del Rio Pageant will be the first pageant of
2025. It will start at 6 p.m.
in the Red Oak Ballroom in the Del Rio Civic Center, 1915 Veterans Blvd.
According to its official Facebook page, the Miss Del Rio Pageant is the oldest pageant in
the city. The winner of the pageant serves as the ambassador for the city of Del Rio at various
community events throughout the year.
The pageant is organized each year by the International Good Neighbor Council (IGNC) of Del
Rio, and it will be hosted by Michelle Gonzalez and Sheanne Geis Espinoza.
2024’s Miss Del Rio was Andrea Padilla, and she will be passing on the crown to one of five
contestants competing to be Miss Del Rio 2025. The deadline for participants to enter the
pageant ended on Sunday, Jan. 12.
The pageant is also part of the IGNC’s Fiesta de Amistad celebrations, the majority of which
take place in the fall. Esme Meza, co-chair of the Miss Del Rio Pageant, said the decision to
have the pageant in January was made to allow pageant winners the chance to participate in
events throughout the year.
“It gives (the pageant winners) time. In October, it felt rushed, and the girls are in school. It
would feel hectic. Schedule-wise and academic-wise, (a January pageant) made the timing
better,” Meza said.
The pageant centers on one division, the teen division, and the categories include 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.
Nine scholarships will be given to the winners of each category, and Meza said the contestants
can receive more than one scholarship.
At-the-door admission will be $25, early admission is $20, a VIP table for 10 people will be
$300, and a platinum sponsorship, which gives access to all the Fiesta de Amistad events in the
year, will be $1,000.
For information on tickets, contact
Priscilla Martinez, at 830-313-3974.
