A boisterous group of lovely “ladies” will soon be vying for the beauty crown in front of a rapt audience. But these aren’t your everyday pageant contestants. And therein lies the draw of the annual Womanless Beauty Pageant, sponsored by the Nansemond River Pilot Club.

The pageant, in its 13^th year, promises a night of fun, laughter and fundraising. This year, eight men will strap on their high heels and dresses to duke it out, pageant-style, to show who has what it takes to be named Miss Relay for Life.

The men will be judged on their talents, how they model casual and evening wear and how they respond to interview questions. Awards will be given for Miss Relay for Life, for best talent, for best interview, for best evening wear and for best casual wear. There will also be an audience choice award, which is based on donations collected on the day of the event.

And while the event is a night of fun and good-natured competition, the men are there for more than just a crown. The proceeds from ticket sales, a silent auction, audience member votes and a 50/50 raffle will all be donated to the Suffolk Relay for Life.

“It’s a night of fun and laughter but yet has a serious point — to find a cure,” Becky Adams of the Pilot Club told the Suffolk News-Herald.

The relay, held annually in May, raises money to help the American Cancer Society fund programs that support research to cure cancer, that help those engaged in the battle against the disease and that honor both those who have beaten the disease and those who have fallen to it.

While the men give a lot of energy — and maybe a little dignity — to the cause by way of vamping it up for the Womanless Beauty Pageant, it’s the money from the audience that makes the difference.

Tickets are still available for the event, which will take place Jan. 26 at the Suffolk National Guard Armory. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from Suffolk Insurance, 202 Market St.