Maine Golden Beauty Pageant

06/18/2026

Our Mandatory Workshop: Headshots & Beauty Bash Day was a huge success! I honestly cannot believe how much we fit into just two short hours. Seeing the smiles, laughter, confidence and excitement from our contestants made every minute of preparation worth it.

What people may not realize is that this pageant and so many of the experiences we’re creating for these incredible women is powered entirely by donations and volunteers. My pageant team and I have poured countless hours into this project. I can honestly say I’ve never worked so hard on a volunteer effort in my life. Wheeeww!
But when I see our contestants trying new things, building friendships, stepping outside their comfort zones and simply enjoying themselves, it reminds me exactly why we’re doing this and makes all the hard work worth it!

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make last night such a success. Thank you to Rivers Edge Spa, Aesthetics by Nicole, Lauren’s Lash & Beauty Bar, Sarah Townsend massage and our friend Amy Greenleaf for creating such a special experience for our contestants through your generosity and kindness. Thank you to team member Laura for taking all of our beautiful headshots and who is already working hard to prepare them for our upcoming People’s Choice Award.

A special thank you to our Task Force member and Lead Cottage Host, Cindy Karolides, for the incredible amount of work she does behind the scenes with me and for helping keep me “focused” and organized.

Thank you to my mom, Cindy, who is always there for our contestants (and especially for me), bringing treats, encouragement, support and generously contributing to every contestant swag bag.

Thank you to team members Dawn and Emma, our amazing on-site helpers, who are always ready to jump in wherever needed and who will play a huge role in choreography during practices and on pageant day. Thank you to team and task force member Anna, who joined us and will be instrumental behind the scenes with technology, PowerPoint presentations and lighting at the pageant. And thank you to Kylie, who has been a tremendous part of this journey by helping create contestant sashes and supporting events both behind the scenes and on-site.

A very special thank you to Lannie, who travels up from Massachusetts to be part of these contestants’ journey. She donated an amazing door prize, hand-painted rocks for every swag bag, and previously donated an entire Cricut machine package that made our contestant sashes and many other special touches possible.

My team is filled with kindness, heart, generosity, and a genuine desire to make this experience unforgettable. I am so grateful for each and every one of you.

People’s Choice Award voting will be LIVE soon, and those beautiful headshots will be posted shortly. Keep an eye out for the flyer and voting link in the comments. I’ll be sharing more information very soon!

I hope our contestants are enjoying all of the opportunities and experiences we’ve been able to create for them. During events, I rarely have time to stop and take it all in, but in my heart, I know I am giving each of them the very best I have.

More than anything, I hope I’m making Ms. Fricke proud.

Stay tuned for our next event on Friday, when our pageant queens will be showcasing their beauty, confidence, and community spirit in the local parade!

To our contestants, volunteers, sponsors, supporters, and everyone cheering these women on—I love you all. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey.
❤️ Candice

Aesthetics by Nicole River's Edge Spa & Salon, Inc MAINE Real Estate Professional Amy Greenleaf
Ms Laurens Lash and Beauty Bar, LLC

06/12/2026

HUGE announcement and thank you to Music Man DJ Service who has graciously agreed to provide DJ services for the Maine Golden Beauty Pageant! The Music Man DJ Service

Having this professional entertainment helps elevate the experience for our contestants and guests!!

As a volunteer-driven event made possible through sponsorships, donations volunteer’s and the kindness of our community….we are incredibly grateful for Music Man DJ Service’s generosity and willingness to be part of something so special.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping us make this a memorable day for our contestants and for supporting our mission to honor the incredible women who have given so much to their families, communities and the world around them.

Please join us in thanking Music Man DJ Service for helping us turn this dream into reality!

06/12/2026

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06/12/2026

Vera Wang is 76…..just saying! 🔥

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1ahwoh4nnd/?mibextid=wwXIfr

06/11/2026

Thank you Southern Maine Agency on Aging for your support of the York County Elder Abuse Task Force’s wishing well project…Maine Golden Beauty Pageant as a contributing sponsor!

06/05/2026

06/01/2026

Hello! Its Candice! We are coming up on a busy month so in case I cannot post as much as I’d like I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who is making this event possible! Personally, the best thanks I could ever receive is seeing the happiness of our contestants. That has always been an important goal. This event is incredibly meaningful to me.

This pageant was created in memory of my dear friend, Mrs. Fricke. This…is my final gift to her. Before titles, crowns, recognition or credit there was her. She was an incredibly thoughtful, loving, gracious and grateful woman who taught me and others around her the importance of kindness, respect, compassion and treating others with dignity…Including my son who adored her as well.

I often find myself wondering what she would think if she could see all of this today. I believe she would be most amazed by the women who have stepped forward to be part of this, the friendships being formed, the community support and the countless acts of kindness that have made this journey possible. I also hope she would be proud of me for carrying her vision forward and turning a simple wish into something that is bringing joy to so many people.

The truth is that something like this does not happen because of one person. It takes a village.
Behind the scenes are countless hours of work and the help of many people. Donations are collected, Shopping/ordering is done, flyers are created. Social media posts are written and replied to and the website is managed. Events are booked, the task force holds its meetings, Insurance is secured and applications are reviewed, questions are constantly answered and financial records are maintained. Meetings & presentations are held. Sashes are made, photos are taken and emails are sent. Workshops, luncheons, rehearsals, and pageant schedules are planned. Tickets are sold. Volunteers step forward last minute and are just going with the flow. Decorations are planned and purchased and put together! Awards and prizes are planned and purchased. Raffles collected. Sponsors lend their support and that list could go on and on. And on!

Every person who has contributed in any way has helped make this dream a reality and we are so grateful for every single one of them. Some We cannot personally thank as Amazon packages have arrived without info on the sender but we thank you so much!

One thing is for certain…the women who shine brightest in this experience will be those who embody the very qualities Mrs. Fricke lived every day: gratitude, grace, kindness, respect and love. Those qualities are what is important to secure any title awarded on stage.

I will continue to do my very best for Mrs. Fricke, who still holds a very special place in my heart and always will. Her memory is woven into every part of this journey. Mrs. Fricke is our reason.

Thank you again for your support as we continue creating something meaningful, uplifting and worthy of the remarkable women who have chosen to be part of it. My greatest reward will always be seeing their smiles and knowing that somewhere, Mrs. Fricke is smiling too.

06/01/2026

Have a question about the Maine Golden Beauty Pageant?

Ms. York County, Catherine Vaughn, will be interviewing Pageant Director Candice Simeoni during a special Zoom Q&A session this week.

Whether you’re curious about the pageant experience, our mission, what the YCEATF is, contestant opportunities, pageant specifics, what makes this event so unique, etc….we’d love to hear from you!

Post your questions in the comments below or send us a message on here by Thursday, June 4, and Catherine will ask as many as possible during the interview.

The recorded Q&A will be posted right here on this page!!

We can’t wait to hear your questions!