Ice Cream Festival to host Little Miss Ice Cream Pageant

Utica, Ohio (April 20, 2011) –The 2011 Utica Sertoma Ice Cream Festival will host the inaugural Little Miss Ice Cream Pageant on Saturday, May 28, at 1 p.m.

The contest is sponsored by Girls, Glitter & Grace of Newark and the Utica Floral Company.

It is open to all six-year-old girls residing in Licking County. Participants must turn six on or before May 28, 2011.

The contest is limited to the first 15 qualified entrants. Parents can obtain an entry form and official rules at

www.velveticecream.com, or at Velvet Ice Cream's corporate office, 11324 Mount Vernon Road, Utica, during the hours of 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Entry forms must be received at Velvet's headquarters by May 15.

Local judges will score each contestant on a two-minute stage interview based on a 30-point scale. Scoring will be determined by:

- Appearance (up to 10 points);
- Behavior on stage (up to 5 points); and
- Interview and personality on stage (up to 15 points).

Each contestant will receive a halo and a flower for participating. The top three contestants will each receive a sash, tiara, and flower bouquet. The winner also will receive a free princess ice cream party for eight at the Ye Olde Mill and a gift certificate to Girls, Glitter & Grace. The first and second runners-up will receive a $25 gift certificate to Ye Olde Mill.

Headquartered at Ye Olde' Mill in Utica, Ohio, Velvet Ice Cream has been a family owned and operated business for nearly 100 years. Founded in 1914 by family patriarch Joseph Dager, Velvet has been run by four generations of the Dager family. Each year, Velvet produces more than five million gallons of ice cream, which can be found in freezer cases throughout the Midwest and Florida. The historic Ye Olde' Mill, which houses the company headquarters, an ice cream museum and restaurant, attracts more than 150,000 visitors a year.

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CONTACT:
Robin Yocum
614.378.3286