COLUMBUS — The Miss Hummingbird Festival Pageants organizers announced Wednesday that both titleholders placed in the top 15 at Miss Georgia and one advanced into the top 10 at the River Center in Columbus on Saturday, June 18.

Sydney Hillman, 2016 Miss Hummingbird Festival, made the top 15 along with her fellow queen, Kelly Donoghue, 2016 Miss Middle West Georgia. After a swimsuit competition on Saturday night, the field was cut to 10.

Donoghue advanced into the top 10 where she competed in talent, evening gown and on-stage questions. Patricia Ford, a student from Georgia Tech, was crowned the 2016 Miss Georgia.

“The Miss Hummingbird Festival Pageants have made a mark at Miss Georgia in the last four years by having a preliminary swimsuit winner, top 10 in the Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen, Overall Interview Award, two top 15 placements, a top 10 placement, the coveted Children’s Miracle Hospitals Network Miracle Maker Award and the Georgia Cotton Marketing Award,” said Trina Stewart, executive director of the Miss Hummingbird Festival Scholarship Pageant.

The Miss Hummingbird Festival Pageants will be held on Sept. 24 in LaGrange. Contestants interested in vying for one of the crowns may visit www.misshummingbirdfestivalpageant.com or email Stewart at trina37310@gmail.com.

Tickets may be purchased at the door for $15 a seat or reserved seating may be purchased by using ticket order form found on the web site; these tickets are $20 and seats are limited.

The Miss Hummingbird Festival Scholarship Pageants are local preliminaries to Miss Georgia and Miss America. Through “leadership, education, scholarship, service,” the Miss Hummingbird Festival Scholarship Program exists to provide personal development opportunities for young women in multiple areas, including communication, business, leadership and fundraising.

The program provides a forum for young women to express their viewpoints, talents and accomplishments to the public at large during their year of service. Miss Hummingbird Festival Scholarship Program is also an ambassador for CMNH and STEM initiatives.