LABELLE -- Following the tradition of more than 25 years of celebration, the Black Heritage Festival, held the third Saturday in May each year, will have food, music, basketball, and more.

The festival will be held in Kid Jones Park, just off of Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard. in LaBelle.

"It has always been a time for friends and family to come together, reunite and enjoy one another,” said Dessie Thomas. “Booths are rented to sell arts and crafts, different kinds of food, snacks, clothing, and photos. Information from businesses will be shared, and those running for office also set up and take part.”

This year it will also include its first pageant. The inaugural Black Heritage Princess Pageant will take place at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 8,  in the LaBelle High School auditorium.

“To kick off the upcoming Annual Black Heritage Festival of 2021, we will be hosting our first princess pageant, and we are looking forward to making a positive impact in the city of LaBelle as well as surrounding communities,” said pageant founder, Dessie Thomas. “We are truly excited about starting up the pageant and hope it goes well enough to expand it somehow next year.”

Pageants like this one aim to promote inner beauty while producing positive role models for the community and promoting self-confidence, self-worth, moral, and academic and social support.

“This pageant is being offered to girls from 6 – 11 years of age.  There will be three divisions: Little Princess, Young Princess and Miss Princess.  Crowns, sashes, trophies and prices will be rewarded to the contestants, followed by a year full of fun, friends and mentorship,” Thomas explained. “Our objective is to provide an encouraging, impactful, and life changing opportunity to the young girls in our local communities.”

Thomas said the pageant committee is definitely hoping to reach out to the community for help in making this event a success, “Any and all financial contributions will be greatly appreciated and your investment will be honored and humbly recognized. Please accept our sincere thanks in advance.” She went on, “Donations can be in cash or check made out to Black Heritage Princess Pageant, mailed to PO Box 2038, LaBelle, FL 33975, or given to one of the four committee members: Dessie Thomas, August Ross, Jesenia Fagin or Kecia Gary, by April 16, 2021. A receipt, recognition, advertisement, and ‘thank you’ will be given in return.”

There will be a maximum of eight contestants for each category. Entrants must be age 6-11 by May 1, have lived in LaBelle for at least 3 years, and have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher.  There is a $30 entry fee for the pageant, and applications are due by April 3, 2021.

For more information about the pageant, you may contact Dessie Thomas by email: dessiethomas01@gmail.com

If you are interested in playing in the basketball tournament, or getting a booth at the Black Heritage Festival, please contact the festival coordinator, Shywona Williams by calling 863-612-5405.