A half-century of cuteness will be celebrated on Saturday at the 50th Little Mr. and Miss Newton County Pageant.

The Newton County Recreation Department event begins at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Alcovy High School auditorium, 14567 Ga. Highway 36.

The event will feature children ages 3 to 5. They will perform, give a walk-on presentation and take part in a question and answer session in which they will talk about their home, hobbies and schooling.

"There really isn’t a whole lot (available) for that 3-to-5-year-old child, said Carol Rooks, who has been working with the pageant since 1999.

Rooks said the children benefit from the interaction with others, and from the confidence to be gained. It also promotes growth, provides an outlet for creativity and enhances their communication skills.

"For a child that age to work with another child, even though they are competing, it’s a lot of good benefits," she said.

Rooks changes the theme each year and said she enjoys watching the children progress over the years. This year, the theme is "The Stars of our Eyes."

The original Little Mr. and Miss Newton, Tony McGiboney and Sally Pat Williams, were invited to participate in this year’s event. McGiboney’s family will participate, and Williams is expected to attend, Rooks said.

Intermission will feature performances by 2010 winners, Roysten McGuire and Teagen John.

"We always look forward to it. It’s just a lot of fun," said Rooks