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Mississippi's Goodwill Ambassador for Tourism

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Landry Crowning

STATE COMPETITION

Find out all the details for annual competition week in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

LITTLE MISS HOSPITALITY

Our exciting, new mentoring program for girls ages 6-10. Learn more!

REQUEST AN APPEARANCE

Want the official goodwill ambassador at your event? Request her here.

SPONSORS

Many thanks to our presenting sponsors for their generosity and support of the Mississippi Miss Hospitality annual competition.

msmisshospitality

Mississippi Miss Hospitality is the state's goodwill ambassador for economic development & tourism. Request an appearance 👇🏻

There is no place like home. Thank you to the New

There is no place like home. Thank you to the New Albany Main Street Association for hosting the most beautiful homecoming reception last night. The New Albany community reminds me every day why we are the Hospitality State. Your kindness and generosity are unmatched!

#MSHosp26 #MSGoodwill

Hello, Mississippi! My name is Landry Kent, a New

Hello, Mississippi! My name is Landry Kent, a New Albany native and your new Mississippi Miss Hospitality 2026.

First, thank you to everyone who made this week possible. Your love and dedication to this program did not go unnoticed or unappreciated!

Spending this week with the other 42 contestants, our fabulous host moms, and Mississippi Miss Hospitality 2025 Taylor Garretson was nothing short of spectacular. I knew one contestant going into this week and because of this program and its emphasis on sisterhood, I’m leaving with best friends that will last a lifetime!

If you have ever considered participating in this program or dreaming of coming back, do it. In this short week, I have become a better person than the girl who arrived on Sunday. I am not only forever indebted to my hometown of New Albany and the State of Mississippi, but to the Mississippi Miss Hospitality program!

The past 24 hours have been amazing. I hit the ground running this morning by signing my official Mississippi Miss Hospitality Contract and meeting with media.

As your Mississippi Miss Hospitality 2026, I promise to represent you with grace, poise, and, most importantly, hospitality. I have long been Mississippi’s #1 fan, but my love for Mississippi and her people has grown exponentially because of this experience.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you! 🩷👑

#MSGoodwill #MSHosp26

Today, Landry took the first official step in her

Today, Landry took the first official step in her journey as Mississippi Miss Hospitality by signing her contract to serve as Mississippi’s Goodwill Ambassador for the coming year.

Please join us in congratulating @landryakent and wishing her the very best as she begins this exciting journey representing our state.

Photo features: crown by @carterscollectivejewelry and Mississippi pendant necklace by @parrisjewelers

#MSHosp2026 #msgoodwill

The 2026 winner of the Lake Little Spirit of Miss

The 2026 winner of the Lake Little Spirit of Miss Hospitality award is Eleanor Gildewell of Booneville.

Nominated and voted on by her peers, Mississippi Miss Hospitality awards one young woman the Lake Little Spirit of Hospitality Award for her supportive, welcoming, and kind behavior throughout competition week. The annual award is named in memory of Lake Little of Starkville, who passed away before competition in 2019.

Top 5 ✨ Pictured left to right: ✨ Presley Basset

Top 5 ✨

Pictured left to right:

✨ Presley Bassett, Starkville, 3rd Alternate
✨ Anistyn Ivy, Smith County, 2nd Alternate
👑 Landry Kent, Mississippi Miss Hospitality 2026
✨ Melany Carrasco, Pascagoula, 1st Alternate
✨ Anna Grace Amacker, Pearl River County, 4th Alternate

Landry Kent, Mississippi Miss Hospitality 2026 A

Landry Kent, Mississippi Miss Hospitality 2026

A freshman at Itawamba Community College, Kent plans to attend Mississippi State University to pursue a communications degree with an emphasis in public relations. An honors student and president of ICC Indian Delegates, she hosts the ICC Athletics' "What a Play Wednesday" weekly segment.

Your Mississippi Miss Hospitality 2026 top 10! ✨

Your Mississippi Miss Hospitality 2026 top 10! ✨

Tonight, I’ll say my final farewell as Mississippi

Tonight, I’ll say my final farewell as Mississippi Miss Hospitality, and I’m filled with so much gratitude.

I’ve been struggling to find the right words because how do I describe a program I’ve dedicated three beautiful years of my life to? A program that has molded me into the woman I am today, given me the sweetest friendships, my favorite memories, and the greatest honor of my life.

When I was first introduced to Miss Hospitality, I immediately fell in love with its mission, its uniqueness, but even more, I fell in love with its people. Choosing to return and compete a second time changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. Because of this program, I’m smarter, more confident, more poised, and no longer just an ambassador. I’m a friend, a helping hand, and honestly, Mississippi’s biggest fan.

But this year was never about me. It was about Mississippi, our people, this program, and the incredible village that made it all possible. And I truly had the very best village.

To the Miss Hospitality team, my family, supporters, everyone who has contributed to my journey, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for believing in me from the beginning and loving me so well. I truly would not be the woman I am today without this program and the people in my life that have made it special.

To the Classes of 2023 AND 2025, thank you for the memories and for being such a special part of my journey. We will be friends ALWAYS.

To the Class of 2026 and the next Mississippi Miss Hospitality, never stop chasing your dreams. Take in every moment, never forget who you are or where you came from, and know that I’ll always be cheering you on the loudest.

This has been the best year of my life, and now the hardest goodbye I’ve ever had to say.

Forever grateful. Forever Miss Hospitality.

Thank you, Mississippi.🤍

With so much love,

Taylor Garretson
Mississippi Miss Hospitality 2025

@alexiscarterstudios
#MSHosp2025 #MSGoodwill

Introducing the new official Mississippi Miss Hosp

Introducing the new official Mississippi Miss Hospitality crown, beautifully crafted by Carter’s Collective.👸 We are incredibly grateful to @carterscollectivejewelry for their incredible craftsmanship. ✨#MSHosp26 #MSGoodwill

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