Representing Hampton w/ Miss Hampton Beach

By Shane Jozitis

A conversation with Miss Hampton Beach

Even in the midst of a pandemic, the contestants in this year’s Miss Hampton Beach pageant dressed to the nines and hit the stage. Massachusetts resident Anna-Marie Alukonis took the crown this year, and as she begins her journey as a nursing major at Curry College, she’ll be making frequent appearances at the beach.

When did you first start doing pageants?

I got my start about eight years ago in the Miss Hampton Beach junior pageant, which is very ironic to come back eight years later and take the title of Miss Hampton Beach, which was amazing and very humbling.

What inspired you to come back this year?

There’s a thing they say in the pageant world, that you do one and you get hooked, and that’s so true. After my first pageant at Hampton, I continued to compete in various other systems and places, but something about the environment at Hampton Beach is so incredible and relaxed, and I met some really amazing girls from the area and that’s what brought me back every year. I never won in the junior division but I placed a few times, but it was the fun I had that always made me want to come back.

Are you still in contact with the people you shared the stage with?

I still talk to some of the girls I met when I was 10 years old. They’ve gone on in many other endeavors and college, and it’s just awesome to see the sisterhood that this pageant has created.

Walk me through your point of view in a competition. What’s it like?

Specifically to the Hampton Beach pageant, we all come up to the beach on Friday, where we learn the opening number choreography, the walking pattern, and get to know each other. After that we chat throughout the weekend and help each other out if anyone needs anything.

It’s definitely a rush. Of course there are a lot of emotions once people get called up for their placements, but in the end everyone is so grateful to have had the experience. Even the years when I didn’t place, I had an amazing time, and that’s really all that matters.

Which part of the competition excites you the most?

I definitely get the most excited, and the most nervous, for the interview in the beginning. It’s the first time the judges get to meet you and if you make a good first impression it sets you up for the whole day. This pageant isn’t about looking for the prettiest or the most well put together girl. They’re looking for someone who genuinely loves Hampton Beach, and if you can effectively convey that in your interview then the rest is up to the judges.

What do the judges typically want to know about the contestants?

It can be about our personal lives at home, our family and our interests. It also correlates to the beach, because they want a good representative at Hampton.

What was going through your mind when you won this year?

It was an amazing thrill to finally get to that moment when I was standing there with the first runner-up. At that moment I was thinking, ‘You know what, I’ve made it this far and I’m so proud of both of us.’ I was so appreciative to be there. Then they said my name as the winner, and my heart dropped. My eyes filled with tears, but I couldn’t cry because I was smiling so much. The amount of emotions that overcome you are just incredible, and I looked out to the judges and said thank you. I had told them in my interview how important the title was to me and how I’ve come back after all of these years to compete. To see that they understood what I was saying in that interview was so humbling and incredible.

What have you been up to since then?

So far we’ve gone to the Yankee Homecoming in Newburyport to support the local shops who’ve been struggling due to Covid-19. Most recently, we went to the sand sculpting competition in Hampton. It was great to see the winners and congratulate them. At the end of the day we’re all representatives of the beach, so it’s really great to connect with them. After that we saw The Continentals perform, who’ve been playing live at Hampton Beach for years now. They used to perform at the pageant, so it was really nice to talk to them.

What do you have coming up that you’re excited for?

We’re planning a weekend at Applecrest Farm in Hampton Falls, which will be super nice because we’ll get to interact with the community and participate in some fun fall activities. From there, I’m really hoping to do the Penguin Plunge to support the Special Olympics. I’ve attended and volunteered in the past, and I made a promise to the judges that if I won I would get in the water this year. I’ve never actually gone into the water, but it’s something that I definitely want to do.

Are you allowed to compete again next year?

Unfortunately not, but we’re welcome to come back every year and be a part of the pageant, whether it’s helping the girls or saying a few words. That’s something I’m definitely looking forward to.

What advice would you give to a young woman who’s about to start their journey in pageantry?

There are a few key factors to keep in mind, one of them being confidence. Someone can tell how much self-love you have, and how you embody that. It’s also really important to be genuine. If you tell the judges about something you didn’t really do or something that doesn’t pertain to your life, it doesn’t really show who you are as a person. As long as you have a passion for what you do and you can convey that, you’re golden.

What is your passion?

I’ve been volunteering since I was a young girl, and I’ve worked closely with a lot of cancer relief programs like Relay For Life. I ended up creating my own organization called Believe Bundles, and we send personalized care packages to cancer patients. Unfortunately it’s been on hold due to the pandemic, but that is something I definitely love to do.