Twenty-nine second- and third-grade girls from all over Schuylkill County took to the stage at Boscov's auditorium Saturday to show off their interests, hopes and dreams during the Snowdrop Fashion Show.
The show was part of the 47th annual Greater Pottsville Winter Carnival and was hosted by 2009 Snowflake Princess Brooke Lewandowski, who said it was her fifth year doing so.
Assisting Lewandowski onstage was 2013 Winter Carnival Snowflake Princess Devan Direnzo and 2013 Winter Carnival Snowdrop Princess Helena Fredericks.
Lewandowski said that this year's theme was "Once upon a time."
Contestants wore a wide range of outfits from mimicking their favorite Disney princess to those that showed off their personal style and interests.
Emilee Clews, 8, of Saint Clair, took the audience "under the sea" with her Ariel the mermaid outfit.
Besides telling Lewandowski that Ariel was her favorite Disney princess, Clews said that she likes to play basketball, hangout with friends and cheerleading.
Ava Marie Frantz, 8, of West West Terrace, dressed in a pink dress and wore different masks because she loves the theater and music.
Frantz acts, dances and sings at the Sovereign Majestic Theater in Pottsville and plays the piano and guitar.
When introducing her, Direnzo said that Frantz was distraught when she heard that the arts may be eliminated from some schools and that she prepared for battle in her armor, her pink dress.
"We must be tough and insist that the arts in Schuylkill County are appreciated for children young and old," Frantz said. "You see, you don't need to be rescued by a prince in order to have the ever after. A true princess would use the power of her voice to make her own once upon a time story ending."
Emily Lascala, 8, of Pottsville, dressed as a cowgirl in a pink dress, cowboy boots and a hat.
She said that her favorite singer is Carrie Underwood because she has a good voice and Lascala recently got to see her in concert.
Lascala also is learning to country line dance.
"It's fun to do it with my family," she said.
Other outfits included a Snow White costume, a zebra striped and pink, blue and green tutu, Alice in Wonderland, Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" and "Oz the Great and Powerful," and Theodora, eventually known as the Wicked Witch of the West, from "Oz the Great and Powerful."
The next Winter Carnival event will be the fashion show for the Queen contestants at 7 p.m. Jan. 26 at Mountain Valley Golf Course, Barnesville.