The 66th Annual Dogwood Trail Pageant and Scholarship Program will take the stage at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17,  at the Fairhope Civic Center, where 43 participants will compete for eight positions on the 2026 Dogwood Trail Court.

Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Optimist Club, the long-running event will highlight this year's theme, "Flower Power," designed to evoke the late 1960s and early 1970s when flowers symbolized hope, freedom and unity, according to a news release provided by the club. Organizers said in the release that the pageant will showcase color, confidence and the enduring message of peace and love, echoing the role of Dogwood Trail Court members today.

The Dogwood Trail Pageant and Scholarship Committee is marking 66 years of service to the community, noting the program's history of providing Goodwill Ambassadors and opportunities for hundreds of young women to develop leadership and public speaking skills.

"We believe it is important for young women of today to embrace their potential," Executive Program Director JoAnn Broadus said in the release. "This program enables participants to grow and realize the strength and skills they all have within them. We celebrate 66 years of service and opportunities to elevate these young leaders in our community."

Per the release, eligibility requires participants to be high school female sophomores or juniors who live on or attend school on the Eastern Shore and maintain a 2.75 or higher grade point average. Participants in the 66th Annual Dogwood Pageant are pictured with their names on this page. Photographs were provided courtesy of the Eastern Shore Optimist Club.

Contestants will be judged in four categories: Essay, Interview, Creative Introduction and Presence and Composure. The 14 participants with the highest composite scores will answer an impromptu question. The eight with the highest overall scores will be named to the 2026 Dogwood Trail Court. Each court member will receive a $1,500 college scholarship from the Eastern Shore Optimist Club along with a costume reflecting the community's floral heritage to be worn during official appearances.

The 2026 court's first official appearance is scheduled for the Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival on Saturday, March 21. Court members serve a one-year term as Goodwill Ambassadors for the Eastern Shore and complete about 200 hours of community service through appearances at city, county and state events, parades and festivals.

The Pageant and Scholarship Program will be live-streamed by Power Productions, with the link posted on the official Dogwood Trail Facebook and Instagram pages.

For more information, email the Dogwood Trail Committee at thedogwoodtrail@gmail.com.