Payne 4th alternate in Miss Hospitality

Philadelphia’s Landry Payne took the stage representing Neshoba County in the 2021 Miss Hospitality competition last week and placed fourth alternate overall. 

Payne was also one of the top three out of the 36 total competitors in the speech competition, where she presented a speech she wrote about Mississippi and why people should come to visit the Magnolia State.

Payne will present the speech during the Miss Neshoba County Fair Pageant on Monday night. 

“I formed amazing friendships with the other contestants, and I can’t wait to see where life takes them,” Payne said. “It didn’t feel like we were competing against each other, we were just doing our best and having fun.” 

Payne said she was shocked when they called her name for the Top 10. She had done her best, but she still was not expecting it. 

“I’m thankful I got to represent Neshoba County and that I represented it well,” she said. “I also got to participate in other amazing things, like volunteering for Extra Table in Hattiesburg, where we packaged rice bags and colored the boxes for them. Those boxes will be distributed throughout the state.”

Since Payne placed in the overall top five of the competition and placed third in the speech competition, she received an estimated total of $2,000 in scholarship monies for the upcoming school year. 

Sara Hederman of Ridgeland placed third alternate, Cassidy Young of Pontotoc placed second alternate, Becca Childers of New Albany placed first alternate and the winner overall, Mississippi’s Miss Hospitality, was Jane Granberry of Hattiesburg.

Payne’s mother, Cindy Payne, said her daughter worked very hard and performed well in the pageant held in Hattiesburg at the historic Saenger Theater.

“Landry had a blast this week making friends and working with the Miss Hospitality staff,” Cindy Payne said. “She is also receiving scholarship money for the upcoming school year for her accomplishments in speech and placing in the top five overall.”

Laura Bailey, director of Miss Hospitality for Neshoba County, said Payne represented Neshoba County well. 

“I am very proud of Landry,” Bailey said. 

Payne will continue her reign of Miss Hospitality for Neshoba through the rest of the year, as well as Little Miss Hospitality for Neshoba, Katie James.

To learn more, visit misshospitality.net.