BELHAVEN CELEBRATON: For decades eastern Beaufort County girls have been vying for top honors in Belhaven’s Miss Independence pageants. The friendly competition will be held July 3-4, as the town holds its 76^th year of July 4^th festivities. On July 3, the Miss Independence and Young Miss Independence pageants will be held at 6 p.m. at the John A. Wilkinson Center; on July 4, Little Miss Independence and Junior Miss Independence pageants will be held in the same location at 9 a.m.

Pictured are this year’s contestants: (top row) Miss Independence contestants Kaylyn Coltrain, Autumn Andrews and Amelia Woolard; (second row) 2017 Young Miss Independence Lauren Kellie Ricks, Young Miss Independence contestants Faith Griffis, Jordan Dail, Candace Nimons, and Averi Marslender, and 2017 Miss Independence Katie Hopkins; (bottom row, left to right) Junior Independence contestants Piper Johnson, Callie Wallace and Daisy Cherry, Little Miss Independence contestants Carlee Martin, Ella Boyd, Ella Nelson, Annalee House, Lanna Stalls and Kelsie Cherry, and 2017 Little Miss Independence Blakley Thompson. (Not pictured is Little Miss Independence contestant Angelica Davis)