Hattiesburg, MS — The Mississippi Miss Hospitality Program, which awards more than $100,000 in scholarships and prizes annually, is encouraging at-large contestants to apply to participate in the 2026 state competition.
Eligible applicants are women between the ages of 18 and 24, residents of Mississippi, high school graduates, and have a 2.5 or higher scholastic average. Additionally, contestants must represent their hometowns, not the community where they attend college. Applications and additional information can be found at https://misshospitality.net/at-large-program/.
At-large applications will be accepted by the State Office through March 9, 2026. The 2026 competition guide, contestant requirements, and current application can be found on the program’s website. An independent panel will select contestants from the at-large candidate pool based upon the established scoring criteria.
Fifteen at-large contestants have competed in Miss Hospitality since its addition seven years ago. These participants have seen tremendous success at state competition, having competitively placed in the program. In 2022, at-large contestant Hannah Grace Crain of Hernando won the state title of Mississippi Miss Hospitality.
Now in its 77th year, Mississippi Miss Hospitality will continue the program’s service to economic development and tourism in 2026. Annually, the competition brings together the state’s best and brightest young women for a week of leadership development as they ultimately compete for the state title. The young woman crowned in 2026 will serve as Mississippi’s Official Goodwill Ambassador for economic development and tourism, traveling to promote the state through ribbon cuttings, special tourism events, organized appearances and speaking engagements.
The 2026 Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition will be held at Hattiesburg’s Historic Saenger Theater July 17 and July 18.
