A local tradition five decades in the making

A beloved local tradition is about to take center stage and it’s a major milestone year, with the Miss Pahrump Pageant set to celebrate five decades of history during its golden anniversary showing.

Set for this Friday, the 50th Annual Miss Pahrump Pageant - presented by sponsor Saitta Trudeau Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram - will bring the community together for a night of glamour and talent as six local teens step into the spotlight to compete for their chance at donning the iconic crown. The venue is sure to be filled with cheers and applause as the contestants display their poise and stage presence and it’s bound to be a challenge for the judges to determine just who will become Miss Pahrump 2026.

Contestant No. 1 is Kinley Smith. The daughter of Emily and Brian Smith, Kinley is 14 years old and entering ninth grade this coming school year. She’s active in volleyball, basketball, track and dance, with both dancing and swimming notable hobbies. Her talent for the pageant will be a lyrical dance to “She Used to Be Mine” and her community platform is “Kins Kindness Crew”. For her future, Kinley is aiming to become a marine biologist.

Contestant No. 2 is Angel Martin. Supporting her on her Miss Pahrump Pageant journey are her father, JR Martin and her grandparents, James and Janet Martin. A 17-year-old about to enter her senior year in high school, Angel is a part of Pahrump Valley High School cheerleading and enjoys both cheer and dance as hobbies. She will be showing off her skills with a cheer dance to “Only Girl in the World” during the pageant’s talent portion. Her community platform and her plans for her career dovetail perfectly, with her platform being “Helping Animals in Need” and her career goal to become a veterinarian.

Contestant No. 3 is Eva Armendariz, daughter of Rachel Armendariz and Marco Magana. At age 15, Eva is readying to begin 10th grade and is a member of the PVHS Trojanette Dance Team and Nevada Dance Center. Her hobbies focus on shopping and swimming. She will be performing a contemporary dance to “Pearls” and her community platform is “Women and Children’s Center”. Her future aspiration is collegiate dance and a career in professional sports.

Contestant No. 4 is Avery Sampson, with her father, Scott Sampson, bolstering her adventure into the Miss Pahrump Pageant. Avery is 14 years old and will begin her freshman year of high school this year. She participates in volleyball and track and her hobbies include crocheting, musical theater and singing. She will be incorporating the latter of the two in her talent, a performance of the song “Finish the Fight” from the musical “Suffs”. Her community platform is one that already had a deep history in the valley, The Avery Project and she aims to one day become a teacher and a Broadway performer.

Contestant No. 5 is Natalie Soto, the daughter of proud parents Javier and Elizabeth Soto. Natalie is 17 and will be starting her final year of high school in August and enjoys a wide array of activities, from gymnastics and competitive cheer to soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball and dance. Her hobbies range from playing sports to drawing, modeling and photography. She will be offering a folkloric dance to “El Son de La Negra” as her talent. Her career goal is to enter the medical field and her community platform is “Paws of Pahrump”.

Contestant No. 6 is Aubree Chiancone. Daughter of Mario Chiancone and Katie Meek, Aubree is 13 and about to start ninth grade. She is involved in cheerleading, dance and off-roading, with her hobbies being dirt biking, choreography, small dances and time spent with friends. She will be performing a jazz dance to “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” at this year’s pageant and her community platform is “Aubree’s Animal Awareness”. In the future, she would like a career as a cosmetologist specializing in nails.

“Join our 2025 Miss Pahrump, Emilee Rodriguez… when she crowns our 2026 Miss Pahrump,” the Miss Pahrump Pageant organization encourages. “A tradition of 50 years is worth celebrating!”

The Miss Pahrump Pageant will take place Friday, July 24 inside the Saddle West Showroom, beginning at 7 p.m. General admission is $15 per person and VIP tickets are available for $20 each. Tickets can be purchased ahead of the pageant from any contestant or by contacting MissPahrumpPageant@gmail.com

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com