St. John the Baptist Parish is currently seeking contestants for the 2013 Miss and Teen Andouille Queen Pageants. The pageants are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m. at St. John Theatre, 115 W. Fourth St. in Reserve. This year’s theme is “The Great Andouille,” a spin-off of the novel and recent film, “The Great Gatsby.”
 To be eligible for participation, contestants must be single with no children, a resident of St. John the Baptist Parish and between the ages of 13 and 16 for the Teen Division and 17 and 23 for the Miss Division, on the date of the pageant. The competition for each division consists of an interview and on-stage promenade. The deadline to register for the Teen and Miss Andouille Queen Pageants is Wednesday, Sept. 25. To enter, download an application at www.andouillefestival.com or visit the St. John the Baptist Parish Office at 1801 W. Airline Highway in LaPlace.  Applications can be mailed or delivered to Dana Milioto at 1801 W. Airline Highway, LaPlace, LA 70068 before the deadline. Applications can also be turned in at the Andouille Queen Informational Meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 6 p.m. at St. John Theatre.
 In addition to competing for the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals Queen of Queens title, the St. John Miss Andouille Queen will travel to Washington, D.C., in February to attend the Washington Mardi Gras Ball as well as tour historical sites such as Arlington National Cemetery, the United States Capitol, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Miss Andouille will also visit with U.S. representatives and senators, the governor of Louisiana, and many elected officials and representatives of Louisiana.
Throughout the year, Miss and Teen Andouille Queens also travel to many fairs and festivals representing Louisiana’s rich culture and promoting the St. John Parish Andouille Festival.  Both queens are invited to various parish and community events as ambassadors for St. John the Baptist Parish.