There was hardly any standing room in Boscov's Auditorium on Saturday afternoon as 40 second- and third-grade girls showed of their creativity and aspirations on stage during the Snowdrop Fashion Show.
"It's fun to see the girls at the event each year," Becky Klimas said backstage during the show, which is part of the 45th annual Greater Pottsville Winter Carnival. "They get to meet a bunch of new friends and just enjoy being second- and third-graders."
Klimas said she has been involved with the carnival since she competed as a high school junior 12 years ago.
"There were only about 20 contestants when it was first started and now we always have at least 40 or 50 every year," Klimas said. "The third-graders are always upset they can't come back next year."
The Queen of Snows festivities started in 1968, with the Snowdrop activities being added in 1980, Klimas said.
Klimas is the daughter of the Snowdrop competition Co-chairwoman Carole Lee. Nancy Mahoney is the other co-chairwoman and Nancy Roberts is also involved in the events.
A third-grade student at Assumption BVM School, Greta Snukis-Hill, 9, of Pottsville, wanted to share her story with the audience Saturday. Her costume was a blue book with "Greta's Story" written on the cover. Among her many aspirations were to be a famous ice-skater, a meteorologist and to travel to Paris.
"I wanted to see everyone's costumes and I met a lot of friends," Snukis-Hill said.
Wearing a poodle skirt, white sweater and glasses, Megan Horan, 9, of Newtown, was dressed as a character from her favorite movie, "Grease."
"I chose my costume because I always watch 'Grease' with my mom," Horan said. "It is my favorite movie and my favorite character is Sandy."
Horan is a second-grade student at Minersville Area and she said she will be back at the event next year.
"It's really fun," Horan said. "All my friends are doing it and everyone is really nice. I met a lot of people."
Wearing a gold dress, John S. Clarke Elementary second-grader Kassidy Balulis, 9, of Pottsville, said her attire was inspired by a Broadway show she recently saw in New York.
"I saw the Rockettes," Balulis said. "I love going to New York. I want to be on Broadway."
While looking forward to returning to New York in April, Balulis said she enjoyed participating in Saturday's events.
"It was very fun," Balulis said. "All my friends and family are out there."
The Winter Carnival began with the first public events Saturday and runs through Feb. 4 as three different groups of girls will compete for Snowdrop, Snowflake and Queen of Snows titles.
Juniors from high schools throughout the county will be on the runway at Pine View Acres for the Snowflake Fashion Show at 7 p.m. today.