Break out the tiaras and satin sashes — it’s pageant time again in Driver.

The Miss Driver Days Scholarship Pageant will take place this year on Oct. 17 at John Yeates Middle School.

It’s a longstanding tradition in the Driver community that was cut short last year following the April 28 tornado that devastated the small North Suffolk village.

“Last year, it was hard to have to miss,” said Diane Whicker, coordinator for the pageant. “This year we’re glad to have it back.”

The pageant will begin at 4 p.m. at the school. Girls will be competing in four different age brackets: Little Miss (ages 4 to 7); Sweetheart (ages 8 to 11); Junior Miss (ages 12 to 15); and Miss (16 to 19). Participants are judged on their poise, personality and community spirit.

Participants will model sportswear and evening wear, and have a three-minute interview with a panel of judges.

Winners from the pageant earn a $300 scholarship, and have their entrance fee to the Miss Virginia Co-Ed Pageant paid.

Previous winners from the Driver pageant have gone on to the Co-Ed pageant to earn major awards.

In fact, Whicker said the last winners of the Driver Pageant went on to bring in eight awards from the state pageant.

Aside from the award winning, Whicker said there are many positive reasons for girls to try their hand in at least one pageant.

“We encourage people to do this pageant because it gives girls more self esteem when they’re able to confidently talk in front of people and to be up on stage and look pretty,” Whicker said. She added that pageants also help bring the whole family together.

“We ask their dads to come and be their escort on stage,” Whicker said. “It’s wonderful memories and a great picture time for dads and daughters, and all the money we raise goes right back to Driver Days — so it’s good for the community.”

Anyone interested in participating in this year’s pageant needs to register by Oct. 14. Registration forms can be downloaded from www.driverevents.com.

It costs $75 to register, and participants must also provide an advertisement for the pageant program that is worth $50. It can be a business ad or a personal page.

For more information, call Whicker at 291-2800 or visit www.driverevents.com.