HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - The St. Patrick's Committee of Holyoke hosted its 69th annual Colleen pageant, a beloved tradition in our region. It was a night of celebration and pride for contestants from Holyoke and South Hadley as they showcased their Irish heritage and achievements on stage. Traditional Irish step dancing and music kicked off the 69th annual Grand Colleen Pageant in Holyoke. Nine young women of Irish descent had the opportunity to grace the stage and shine in front of their friends, family and the community. "It was an opportunity for them to have a lot of growth, to try something they've never done. And to really have the chance to grow an learn something they've never done and learn something that is going to help them in the future," said Co-chair of Holyoke Grand Colleen pageant, Kelsey Lecca. Before the pageant each contestant went through an interview. The judges then attended the pageant to select five finalists based on poise and appearance. While on stage, their talents and achievements were listed off. These five finalists came out with the highest scores: Erin Gauthier Abigail Huebner Moira Reardon Erin O’Donnell Maura Joseph, who is also Miss congeniality Each one will become part of the Grand Colleen's Court, a chance to represent their Irish heritage. "It's just for them to delve into their Irish heritage and be proud and make their families proud. And as everybody out there knows that if your daughter or granddaughter is out there, they are your colleen and they will be your colleen for life," said 2025 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade President, John Beaulieu. They also get to experience the longtime traditions of the Holyoke St. Patrick's Committee. This includes the 72nd Holyoke ST. Patrick's Parade. And being a colleen, not only lets them represent their heritage but also lets them go out into the community to build relationships and develop skills. "They go to a wide assortment of schools from both towns and they introduce themselves to the kids of the communities as well as some of the senior citizen homes.It's really an opportunity for them to get to know the people of their communities and just remind everyone that it's green season and it's a good place to be," said Lecca. Colleens attend several events prior to the Coronation Ball & Awards Dinner on February 15th at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, including committee events and other public appearances. At the ball one finalist will be crowned as the Grand Colleen. The Grand Colleen reigns with her Colleen Court on a majestic float over the two-mile 72nd Holyoke ST. Patrick's Parade route. And you can watch the parade live on 22News on March 23rd. Local News Headlines St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke holds 69th annual Colleen pageant Harlem Globetrotters triumphant return to Springfield against Washington Generals a slam dunk Local tax experts share tips on how to prepare for tax season St. Patrick’s Day Parade season ramps up with preliminary Colleen contest in Springfield WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.