A Wantagh tradition since 1956

The annual Wantagh Fourth of July festivities will be kicking off July 1 with the Miss Wantagh Pageant followed by the annual parade and the crowning of Miss Wantagh on July 4.

This year’s pageant will be held in the Wantagh High School auditorium at 7:30 p.m. with doors opening up a half-hour prior.

The Miss Wantagh Pageant is not a beauty pageant, but rather is a display of the finalists’ academic and community service achievements. This year’s seven finalists are Keri Balnis, Emma Carey, Amanda Caso, Monieque Fiscella, Nytasha Jackowicz, Ruth Kupperberg and Nicole Ninivaggi. Each finalist will present to the judges their past achievements and future aspirations.

“We are excited because this year we have a lot of new elements and surprises that we are bringing to the Miss Wantagh Pageant,” said Ella Stevens, Fourth of July Association president and Miss Wantagh pageant director.

One of these treats will be an appearance by American Idol finalist and Wantagh resident Adam Ezeglian.

While the pageant will take place on July 1, Miss Wantagh will not be crowned or announced until after the parade on July 4.

The parade will begin at approximately 10 a.m., starting at the Wantagh 5&10 shopping center at 1901 Wantagh Ave., and end at Wantagh Elementary School on Beech Street.

Following the parade, there will be a ceremony at the school announcing the new Miss Wantagh and other award winners from the parade.

“This is a great day and a great event to celebrate our freedoms,” said Fred Parola, a board member for the Fourth of July Association. “The parade draws the community together which is always a good thing.”

Parola says that many youth groups, marching bands, religious organizations, veterans and firefighters will be represented in the parade.

Judges will be located in front of the Wantagh Museum and Preservation Society. According to Parola, there will be awards such as “best marching band” and “most colorful.”

Stevens says another addition to look forward to is the “Women of Miss Wantagh,” which will be featured in this year’s parade. The float will include the previously crowned Miss Wantagh winners who are able to attend the day’s festivities.

“I love when the girls are driving down in their convertibles,” says Stevens. “It is my favorite part of the parade.

“The Wantagh parade has been a thing this town can put a shining banner on,” added Stevens. “I am hope more and more people participate. I hope the more that people know, the more we can get involved in the parade.”