Miss Little Italy winner from Fox Chapel inspired by participation, plans to compete in other pageants
Share this post:
Kara DiNatale of Fox Chapel really liked participating in pageants when she was a little girl.
But around the time she turned 10, soccer and lacrosse left her little time to focus on pageants.
But when the 19-year-old Duquesne University marketing student was asked to consider entering the Miss Little Italy pageant during last month’s Little Italy Days festival in Bloomfield, her interest was piqued.
“I started doing pageants when I was 5 and thought it was something cool and really liked participating,” she said. “But then I went the sports route and stopped doing them.”
DiNatale said her return to pageants started with a text message from her aunt.
“My aunt texted my mother saying that they were looking for people to participate in the pageant so I thought about it and signed up,” said DiNatale, whose family regularly attends the annual festival to celebrate their Italian heritage.
DiNatale came in first in the 16- to 19-year-old division. There also were divisions for girls ages 4-6, 7-9, 10-12 and 13-15.
Once she made the decision to join, DiNatale said she only had a short time to prepare.
“I decided I needed a dress because I didn’t have anything that would work and wanted something floor length,” she said. “I was rushing it a bit because it needed alterations so it would fit right and that takes time.”
DiNatale said she enjoyed participating in the Miss Little Italy pageant, which was a departure from some of the highly competitive events that are held.
“It was different,” she said. “It was more casual and family-oriented. Everyone was so nice and fun to be around.”
The pageant’s founder and director, Marianne Rieg, said while the event is competitive, it’s goal is to serve as a “celebration of family.”
“We’re open to girls with pageant experience as well as girls who haven’t done it before but have an interest,” she said.
Being of Italian descent also isn’t required, she said, “because everybody is Italian during Little Italy Days.”
In addition to modeling for the judges and answering the questions posed, contestants are judged on their confidence, poise and “energetic attitude,” Rieg said.
Winners in each age group received a sash, crown, flowers and a gift for participating. DiNatale also was awarded a $100 gift certificate from the New York New York boutique in Monroeville, Rieg said.
The questions for contestants were about their families and why they wanted to be crowned Miss Little Italy.
“It was funny, most of the girls talked about food and cooking with their families, which is big in Italian families,” she said. “I told the judges that my favorite family tradition is baking cookies with my cousins and aunts because we do that every year for the holidays, especially at Christmas.”
DiNatale told judges that she wanted to be crowned Miss Little Italy because it would be an opportunity to inspire people in the community.
“I talked about being an honor student and having hundreds of service hours,” she said. “I told the judges that I hoped to be a positive role model for others.”
DiNatale is a member of Duquesne University’s chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success. She also is a member of the St. Lucy’s Auxiliary to the Blind, participated in the 2021 Medallion Ball and was awarded the Joan of Arc Medallion by Bishop David Zubik.
She is the daughter of Emanuel and Kelly DiNatale and has a sister, Kaitlyn, 12; and a brother, Emanuel, 16.
DiNatale said getting back up on the pageant stage inspired her to continue competing.
“It was such a confidence booster, I really loved it,” she said. “I hadn’t done them in so long, but when I got off stage I felt so good about myself that I decided I wanted to do another one,” she said.
DiNatale has entered the American Royal Beauties pageant for Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware and will be competing in March.
“One of the things I really loved about the pageant and my decision to continue doing them is that now I have a goal and am working toward something,” she said.
Winners for 2023 in the other pageant categories were:
• Princess, 4-6 years old: Ava Scoleri
• Junior, 7-9: Madelyn Hall
• Preteen, 10-12: Cecilia Roberto
• Teen, 13-15: Maddie Ronge